Fortune 500 Mass Exodus in Maryland? (Baltimore, Potomac: real estate, 2015, daycare)

[North Beach Person]

The underlying issue is that MD has become a one industry town. We all saw what happened with the recent shutdown and sequestration. That will continue.

I've said this before but if you want to see local officials here in SoMD lose bowel and bladder control just mention NAS PAX undergoing BRAC. That won't happen as long as Hoyer is in Congress. His successor likely won't have the same interest in the base nor the clout to protect it.

[armory]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

*The underlying issue is that MD has become a one industry town. We all saw what happened with the recent shutdown and sequestration. That will continue.

I've said this before but if you want to see local officials here in SoMD lose bowel and bladder control just mention NAS PAX undergoing BRAC. **That won't happen as long as Hoyer is in Congress. His successor likely won't have the same interest in the base nor the clout to protect it.

*You can cry that from the rooftops but no one heeds. I read someplace recently where UM is the largest employer in the PGC. I call BS on that one. It's the same with Charles, St Mary's and Calvert...Uncle Sam is the #1 employer; directly or indirectly. Lots of Beltway Bandits are who the government contracts to perform the majority of tasks they would rather not tie themselves to. Technology changes and the government is slow to change some aspects of the workplace; especially the administrative end. It's cheaper to hire a contractor who works with the newest technology.

Someone services all of the federal employees in one fashion or another be it grocery/department store, car service or some such thing as work at a McDonald's. It's an indirect manner of working for the federal government; it's almost as if those workers are part of a support division like those who service troops in battle.


**Sen McKulski is the same with Goddard in Greenbelt and is the only reason I can stomach the old broad.

[adelphi_sky]

Originally Posted by armory

*You can cry that from the rooftops but no one heeds. I read someplace recently where UM is the largest employer in the PGC. I call BS on that one.

http://www.pgplanning.org/Assets/Pla...omic+Facts.pdf

[bufflove]

Originally Posted by City Kid

Sounds like you refuse to openly admit that Virginia collected more Fortune 500 Companies than Maryland for the last 25 years.

Not at all. VA is a much larger state that has spent a ton in subsidies to lure companies to VA. It's worked, but at what cost? They're currently dealing with a massive budget deficit, are laying off off workers left and right, and now you're seeing that ripple down to the county level with drastic proposals being debated, e.g. completely cutting full-day kindergarten. There's no doubt VA has attracted jobs (in part due to state subsides, in part due to having the Pentagon, CIA, etc.), but I'm far from convinced it's been worth the cost. I certainly am glad to not be living in VA considering its current economic state - everything from the size of their deficits to the outrageous vacancy rates you see in NoVa scare the bejesus outa me. VA's benefitted tremendously from over a decade of non-stop wars; unfortunate for them, that absurd growth stream has dried up.

[bufflove]

Originally Posted by City Kid

Its the anti-Growth Maryland Democrat Politicians and their anti-Growth Interest groups that continuing the agenda of Maryland anti-Business. Montgomery County is the main example regarding anti-Growth and Anti-Business by not supporting Highway build and expansions on the other hand supporting modern street car trolleys that does nothing more but increase traffic bottlenecks along with building more expensive high rise condos instead of office towers....

...you're saying MD is anti-growth because they want to expand public transportation infrastructure and build expensive high rise condos? Well, that's a new one. I'm kinda thinking you don't know what the word "growth" means if you think only highways count.

[tcave360]

Originally Posted by bufflove

...you're saying MD is anti-growth because they want to expand public transportation infrastructure and build expensive high rise condos? Well, that's a new one. I'm kinda thinking you don't know what the word "growth" means if you think only highways count.

Didn't you know? Highways are the future of the state's economic health!!!

[Mr Beco]

Originally Posted by adelphi_sky

http://www.pgplanning.org/Assets/Pla...omic+Facts.pdf

Top five out of six employers are govt or University of Maryland. We need more private sector firms here.

[adelphi_sky]

Originally Posted by Barry Rock

Top five out of six employers are govt or University of Maryland. We need more private sector firms here.

While I understand the need for a diversified employment base, Let's not turn up our noses at good government employment. I shared a stat a few months ago that showed how Maryland had more private sector jobs than government. On the other hand, Virginia had more government jobs than private.

Again, we're in our bubble in the DC area thinking the sky is going to fall when most states envy the DC metro area economy.

When you look at the top government employers in PGC, they aren't menial low-income jobs. You have NASA, USDA, the IRS, and the Census. Those are solid middle class employment centers and a very diversified group according to required skill-sets.


Aside from the usual rant about private sector jobs, how about some solutions? If you were governor, how would you attract private sector jobs? Also, have you written your local and state legislators about this issue?

[Mr Beco]

Originally Posted by adelphi_sky

While I understand the need for a diversified employment base, Let's not turn up our noses at good government employment. I shared a stat a few months ago that showed how Maryland had more private sector jobs than government. On the other hand, Virginia had more government jobs than private.

Again, we're in our bubble in the DC area thinking the sky is going to fall when most states envy the DC metro area economy.

When you look at the top government employers in PGC, they aren't menial low-income jobs. You have NASA, USDA, the IRS, and the Census. Those are solid middle class employment centers and a very diversified group according to required skill-sets.


Aside from the usual rant about private sector jobs, how about some solutions? If you were governor, how would you attract private sector jobs? Also, have you written your local and state legislators about this issue?

The problem is, when you're top heavy on one sector, and when it goes bad, it hurts.

[justtitans]

Originally Posted by bufflove

Not at all. VA is a much larger state that has spent a ton in subsidies to lure companies to VA. It's worked, but at what cost?

That has nothing to do with it. Virginia has very little outside of NoVA, Hampton Roads, and Richmond/Charlottesville. A majority of the state doesn't have jobs, which is why there have been intiatives to address the jobs issues in southern VA. The real comparison of jobs would be to compare the metropolitan areas of DC and Baltimore to those in VA, then you get a real comparison of how the states are doing. The size of the state doesn't give VA an advantage in anyway.

Originally Posted by bufflove

They're currently dealing with a massive budget deficit, are laying off off workers left and right, and now you're seeing that ripple down to the county level with drastic proposals being debated, e.g. completely cutting full-day kindergarten.

Also full-day kindergarten is more of a local issue than a state issue. For instance, Loudoun County is pushing for full-day kindergarten while Prince William County is attempting to limit full-day kindergarten to certain schools so that they can find money to continue funding a brand new high school, give teachers a merit pay increase and to keep class sizes from growing.

Prince William Schools Face Full-Day Kindergarten Cuts | NBC4 Washington

Loudoun full-day kindergarten in the discussion spotlight | LoudounTimes.com

Originally Posted by bufflove

I certainly am glad to not be living in VA considering its current economic state - everything from the size of their deficits to the outrageous vacancy rates you see in NoVa scare the bejesus outa me. VA's benefitted tremendously from over a decade of non-stop wars; unfortunate for them, that absurd growth stream has dried up.

But MD has a deficit too, which is why the governor is trying to find ways to reduce costs. What makes MD any better economically?