When and how will Toledo's economy pick back up? (Columbus: home, find a job)

[ferraris]

I went to school out of state and recently graduated. I'm basically forced to stay where I am (Pittsburgh) because Toledo's economy has no jobs for me. I'm happy here, but I'd love to be nearer to family and friends. Everyone keeps expecting me to get a job in Toledo at some point "when the economy turns around." But I just don't see it happening. Toledo politicians are too worked up about a marina district (c'mon, we've been talking about this since I was in grade school) and minor league arena football!

Toledo is already a nice place to live with it's cheap housing market and overall low cost of living. We have the mud hens, the zoo, the art museum, etc. We don't need more things to make living in Toledo nicer, we need more things to make owning and running a business in Toledo more attractive!

I read an article saying that not only does Toledo have unemployment above 10%, but we've also lost 21,000 in population since 2000. It's just depressing and I don't see the outlook changing anytime soon.

[FleeTheRustBelt]

How sad is it that things are better in PITTSBURGH, a city synonymous with post-industrial decline? Used to be that people from PA moved to OH all the time, hence all the damned Steelers fans you see.

I don't see things getting better in Toledo anytime soon. Combine ****ty winters with anti-business climate and high taxes, and you have a place that businesses simply do not want to locate in, and educated people do not want to stay in. Its only advantage is its location, Toledo is a short drive from MANY big cities. And the fact that people here have become so desperate that they'll work cheaper than in places like Columbus or Cleveland.

You are right in pointing the finger at the politicians. Especially Carty. He's big on beautification stuff that doesn't create any real jobs. We have a new ball park, a new hockey arena and a shiny new bridge on 280 while the schools get worse every year, the city streets have potholes the size of Kias, and the city lays off policemen. We have a "marina district" that will become a happening, yuppie, gentrified place straight out of north side Chicago as soon as people stop realizing that there's a ghetto neighborhood right across the stret. He kept Jeep in town with tax breaks up the wazoo and eminent domain land seizure......so the city can slowly lose its auto industry jobs instead of losing them all at once. And so the "I don't need an education, I can always go work the line!" mentality would linger for a few more years. Whoever get elected mayor next can't be any worse. It would be very nice to have the Republican party exist as a viable force in Lucas County politics so the Dems are more accountable and spend less time with petty infighting, but I'm not holding my breath. Especially as those more likely to vote Republican are either going to Wood County or leaving the area altogether.

Toledo's future is Detroit....dead city surrounded by nice suburbs, while the metro area declines as a whole. Don't count on coming back....your family will understand you have to make a living.

[On-da-Beach]

I left Toledo in '82 when the economy tanked. I'm still waiting for the recovery...but I won't come back. After several trips back to visit, I've noticed that when something new is built and showcased it won't be long before that same centerpiece is in some form of decline.

And don't get me started on the Carty-Fink ego problem Toledo suffers with. All-American City status??? Give me a break!

[tjoseph]

We will be added to the 21,00 plus that have left very soon. So sick of the apathy and welfare mentality.

[canudigit]

As someone who just relocated to Arizona from the Toledo area, I am so frustrated! I don't really like AZ all that much, and I certainly don't look at this as a permanent thing...too much crime, too many people, too HOT!...but for now, this is where we are, so I am making the best of it. What frustrates me is that both my husband and I left our entire families back in the Toledo area, and we miss them so much. I was the one who was always saying, "I HAVE to get out of these Ohio winters. I get so depressed in the winter. I can't stand one more winter here!" Ha! You know what depressing really is? Living 2,000 miles from the people that you love and knowing that you will only see them a couple of times a year. BUT...we have two kids, 15 and 17, who will need to find good employment someday, so even if we come back after my husband retires, I'm afraid that our kids will be stuck out here, since there are no decent jobs in NW Ohio. It's heartbreaking.

Toledo's entire economy for way too long has been based in blue collar factory jobs. I am 44, and I can remember many times in the past where factory workers were laid of temporarily in Toledo, but never has there been a time when factory after factory after factory has just completely locked up and left town. When I think of the number of displaced blue collar workers there are in Toledo who have absolutely no job training or skills other than what they were doing "on the line", it really boggles my mind. WHERE in the world will these people ever find jobs again? When we left Toledo earlier this year, even the fast food places weren't hiring much. When our 17 yo son tried to find a job at places like Kroger, Petco, etc. he was told that those minimum wage jobs that used to go to kids like him are now being filled by desperate adults. My point is, where are the jobs going to come from that will replace the thousands of factory jobs that have left town permanently?

I miss home so much that it makes me cry sometimes. PLEASE, someone with some kind of power (although not Carty or Konop, thank you), DO something!!!! Where are the brains in Toledo? There have to be some somewhere. Toledo and NW Ohio has so much to offer and is really a terrific place to live. Unfortunately, like so many others, it took me moving away to find that out. It is definitely an area worth saving. I hope that someone comes along with more to think about than enhancing his or her own political clout. This area is too great to go down like it is now.

[Dennuchi46]

Canudigit Toledo was once around 27-29th largest city in the usa. It was because of industry moving here. the glass industry was world famous. and hundreds of other factories and plants. It was a great city. The problem is ... as in other industrial areas ,that the people did not look down the road very far.. We needed to follow the signs that said diversify and draw in other types of business .And now every city and state are desperate to bring in new jobs. We as a country are very willing to move allmost anywhere for that good job. It is much more complex than ever before to get new jobs to an old industrial city. This is a lesson that Toledo and countless others like us have learned the hard way

[lastonestanding]

Originally Posted by FleeTheRustBelt

How sad is it that things are better in PITTSBURGH, a city synonymous with post-industrial decline? Used to be that people from PA moved to OH all the time, hence all the damned Steelers fans you see.

I don't see things getting better in Toledo anytime soon. Combine ****ty winters with anti-business climate and high taxes, and you have a place that businesses simply do not want to locate in, and educated people do not want to stay in. Its only advantage is its location, Toledo is a short drive from MANY big cities. And the fact that people here have become so desperate that they'll work cheaper than in places like Columbus or Cleveland.

You are right in pointing the finger at the politicians. Especially Carty. He's big on beautification stuff that doesn't create any real jobs. We have a new ball park, a new hockey arena and a shiny new bridge on 280 while the schools get worse every year, the city streets have potholes the size of Kias, and the city lays off policemen. We have a "marina district" that will become a happening, yuppie, gentrified place straight out of north side Chicago as soon as people stop realizing that there's a ghetto neighborhood right across the stret. He kept Jeep in town with tax breaks up the wazoo and eminent domain land seizure......so the city can slowly lose its auto industry jobs instead of losing them all at once. And so the "I don't need an education, I can always go work the line!" mentality would linger for a few more years. Whoever get elected mayor next can't be any worse. It would be very nice to have the Republican party exist as a viable force in Lucas County politics so the Dems are more accountable and spend less time with petty infighting, but I'm not holding my breath. Especially as those more likely to vote Republican are either going to Wood County or leaving the area altogether.

Toledo's future is Detroit....dead city surrounded by nice suburbs, while the metro area declines as a whole. Don't count on coming back....your family will understand you have to make a living.

Although I do agree with your post I do think its a little harsh saying Toledo's future is Detroit, not trying to downgrade Detroit at all, but Michigan is dealing with alot worse right now then Ohio when it comes to the auto industry. Yes Toledo is hurting right now alot worse then many places, but Detroit as well as other parts of Michigan is feeling the pinch alot worse than Toledo. Toledo's unemployment rate last month was at 15.6% which may be the worse out of all the largest cities in Ohio, but that is the same unemployment rate for the entire state of Michigan. However I do agree with most of your post except for one thing. I dont think Toledo's downward spiral is a Democrat problem, but its more of a Carty problem. To blame all Democrats for Toledo's downward spiral is a scapegoat. Carty has always opposed anyone whose had different viewpoints as him regardless of political party. Therefore its not entirely easy for anyone to do business in Toledo for any reason unless Carty approves. Even now with the 3/4 vote, which Carty opposes, will not help Toledo's economy pick back up no time soon because the downward spiral has been taking place for a while now. Carty may have kept Jeep, but just as you said the rest of the auto industry has been in slow decline for years now with no truly new innovation taking place other than Solar energy. I do think it will be a while before Toledo picks back up, but I wont count on that taking place no time soon.

[lastonestanding]

Originally Posted by tjoseph

We will be added to the 21,00 plus that have left very soon. So sick of the apathy and welfare mentality.

I think that is already taking place. I noticed when I checked out Toledo's population on Wikipedia or on another cite, it showed Toledo lost that many people rather than gained people. Didnt Carty challenge the census bureau and won not too long ago???? It shows our population is at 293,000. I was just curious about that.

[jrm2811]

Does not matter if Carty is mayor or anyone else. Toledo will still suffer. Which is why we need to look very seriously at moving from a "strong mayor" form of government to a "city manager" form of government. With a city manager, the mayor must get approval from council and also there would be less council members, hence a lot less bickering.

[Thursday007]

No doubt the Carty Party has been a thorn in many a side. He wasn't mayor or on council when Jeep re-negotiated its contract with the city and built the new plant. One thing Toledo needs to recognize is that it is tied to Detroit in a huge way. Toledo is not an auto manufacturing town, but one that supplies parts to manufacturers, so what happens in Detroit does have a tremendous impact on the future economy of Toledo. Unless we diversify into other areas we will always be dependant on Detroit.