Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Yea, maybe those counties will be in 50 years. Augusta is not growing jobs nearly as fast as Columbus, that's a fact. What major companies are in Augusta?? Can't think of one. I'm not saying Augusta isn't growing, but it will not experience the level of growth that Columbus will see over the next 20 years.
Augusta's economy was predicted to lead the state. In 2007 and 2008 by UGA terry business college. Dude i think you need to visit augusta before you talk about growth.
With the exception of the old money areas on "The Hill" and parts of West Augusta, most of the rest of Augusta is pretty much ghetto.
As far as job growth, Columbus wins that hands down.. it's even expected to outpace Atlanta in job growth per capita in the next five years. Augusta's economy continues to just sputter along with most new jobs being of the variety of Wal-Mart Greeter or food server at an applebees.
Last time I check there several new neighborhoods being built in west augusta, downtown, and hephzibah. Where the homes start at 300,000 to 400,00 dollars. Why does augusta have the highest median income and largest african american market in the state. Other than the city of atlanta. I doubt walmart and applebees are paying that good these days. To make augusta median income higher than columbus, savannah, and macon. If there are so many high paying jobs in columbus compared to augusta. Wouldn't columbus have more rich or uppr middle class than augusta but it doesn't. Only city in georgia that does have more rich people or upper middle class is atlanta.
Last time I check there several new neighborhoods being built in west augusta, downtown, and hephzibah. Where the homes start at 300,000 to 400,00 dollars. Why does augusta have the highest median income and largest african american american market in the state. Other than the city of atlanta. I doubt walmart and applebees are paying that good these days. To make augusta median income higher than columbus, savannah, and macon. If there are so many high paying jobs in columbus compared to augusta. Wouldn't columbus have more rich or uppr middle class than augusta but it doesn't. Only city in georgia that does have more rich people or upper middle class is atlanta.
Where did you find this info at that Augusta has the highest rich or upper middle class.
Augusta's economy was predicted to lead the state. In 2007 and 2008 by UGA terry business college. Dude i think you need to visit augusta before you talk about growth.
I am sorry, but you are wrong. Columbus was predicted to lead the state in job growth by UGA's Selig Center for Economic Growth. Here is the article:
Economic state of Columbus: City will add more jobs and grow faster than any other 2nd tier city
Outlook suggests that short, mild recession wouldn't faze city
Quote:
Columbus should be able to weather a mild to moderate recession in 2008 without much pain, economic experts with the University of Georgia's business school said Friday.
But should a national and state downturn become severe and prolonged, all bets are off.
That was the stark forecast issued by UGA's Selig Center for Economic Growth, a data-crunching think tank operated by the university's Terry College of Business.
The annual Georgia Economic Outlook was delivered to a large gathering of businesspeople and community leaders Friday at the Columbus Convention & Trade Center.
"The 2008 outlook for Columbus is good. It's not great because the current condition of the U.S. economy can be very accurately described as near recessionary," said Jeff Humphreys, an economist and director of the Selig Center.
"If a recession comes and it is mild, it will bypass Columbus," he said. "But if it comes and it's sharp, and especially if it's long, you're going to get hit."
The forecast, presented at lunch over plates of roast beef and mashed potatoes, essentially was a two-course meal. The first was hard to swallow, with Terry College Dean Robert Sumichrast cautioning that Georgia's housing, manufacturing, agriculture and information sectors are already in recession.
"Downturns in those key industries put the entire state's economy dangerously close to the tipping point," Sumichrast said. "However, we haven't tipped yet. Our economy is still growing, but there's a great deal of uncertainty. There's a great deal of turbulence in our future."
Chance of recession
The Selig Center pegs chances for a recession at 40 percent, with the first half of this year the most perilous.
The second helping of prognostication, however, pitched by Humphreys and Fred Green, chairman of the Fort Benning Futures Partnership, was much easier to digest.
Both pointed to major projects in the development pipeline that should ease any economic ills that come the city's way this year, and virtually makes it immune from a downturn over the next five years.
Supplemental insurer Aflac, headquartered in Columbus, is in the middle of an expansion that should add 2,000 jobs, while the Kia auto assembly plant in nearby West Point will begin hiring the first of 2,500 workers this year. Another 3,000 auto supplier jobs are anticipated in the region.
The thick icing on the cake is the congressional Base Realignment and Closure process that ordered the U.S. Army Armor School be moved from Fort Knox, Ky., to Fort Benning. It will generate about 10,000 jobs on the local post and 5,000 off post.
Altogether, the city's population should swell by at least 30,000 by the time the armor school is in place. The deadline for that to happen is Sept. 15, 2011. Fort Knox soldiers and civilians should begin coming in waves starting in fall 2009.
"The bulk of the movement of the U.S. Armor School and Department of Army civilians and contractor growth will take place between July 2010 and September 2011," said Green, calling the BRAC buildup a "once-in-a-lifetime economic development opportunity" for the community.
Green is president of Columbus-based bankholding firm Synovus Financial Corp. and is a former Federal Reserve Advisory Board member.
Mike Gaymon, president and CEO of the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce, noted the city has 3 1/2 years to prepare for the military expansion. Upgrades to roads, schools and other infrastructure are critical, he said.
"Business as usual won't get it done," he said.
City to add jobs
Humphreys, honing in on 2008, said Columbus should see solid job growth. The Selig Center estimates the city will add 4,900 jobs this year, finishing with a work force of 128,500, a 4 percent growth rate, the highest rate among Georgia's metro areas.
Overall, the economist expects the city to generate an average of 4,000 new jobs per year over the next five years.
"I suspect the main challenge facing Columbus will be preparing your region to accommodate the job and population growth that is coming," Humphreys said.
The housing sector, meanwhile, is expected to be the "biggest drag" on the U.S., Georgia and Columbus economies in 2008, he said.
Permits to build new homes in the Columbus metro area dropped 8 percent in 2006 and 35 percent in 2007, the Selig Center said. They could drop another 10 percent this year.
"The good news is that housing remains super-affordable in Columbus. The market never really got bubbly," said Humphreys, pointing out local home prices grew only 39 percent from 2001-06. That's off nationwide appreciation of 55 percent and a doubling of home prices in Florida.
"Because so many of the fundamentals for the Columbus housing market are still favorable, I believe that existing home values in Columbus will hold up well," he said.
Sumichrast, ticking off the vulnerabilities of the Georgia economy, said housing and the ongoing drought both could put the state at risk. He appeared to be particularly concerned about any possibility of an oil price shock that could severely weaken the resolve of businesses and consumers.
Georgia's economy is very exposed to a potential energy crunch, considering it is a major Southeastern transportation and logistics hub.
"A significant (oil) interruption would mean we would have lines at the pump again. Those lines would kill growth," Sumichrast said. "Rising fuel prices or a supply interruption would have the potential to do much more harm to Georgia's economy than to other parts of the country."
Found this on the Columbus Chambers website:
Fort Benning, Kia and Aflac
Economic Impact Estimate
I am sorry, but you are wrong. Columbus was predicted to lead the state in job growth by UGA's Selig Center for Economic Growth. Here is the article:
Economic state of Columbus: City will add more jobs and grow faster than any other 2nd tier city Outlook suggests that short, mild recession wouldn't faze city
Found this on the Columbus Chambers website:
Fort Benning, Kia and Aflac Economic Impact Estimate
Direct Jobs 16,000
Capital Investment $4.2B
Population Increase 41,235
Family Units 16,234
School Enrollment 9,400
Additional Retail Sales $416M
Sales Tax Revenue $24M
Personal Income Per Year $482M
Bank Deposits Created $781M
Just food for thought.
I think it is fairly obvious that these statements are dated and of course are predictions only as seen by current economic situation and the ongoing tax dilemma Columbus is facing.
I read a lot of positive posts on Columbus being vibrant and booming yet tax receipts are constantly lacking which does not reflect this.
Am I missing something here?
The study is not dated.. it's the 2008 report.. and the Selig Center Georgia Economic Outlook is the benchmark used by business and industry. The Columbus outlook is based on 35,000 jobs that will be added over the next 7 years do to BRAC.. also job growth at AFLAC, Synovus, and the KIA plant in Lagrange which will have spillover effect in Columbus.
There is no study that has Augusta's economy leading the state. The Augusta economy has been a laggard for the last 20 years with virtually no growth or very minimal growth (less than 2 %). And the thing about Augusta having the richest upperclass.. pure BS. Augusta is a very poor city with over a fifth of the city's population living below the poverty line.
Business and Industry doesn't really doesn't rely on MSA numbers but rather on trade areas..If you look at trade areas then Auburn-Opelika is included in Columbus.. Warner-Robins would be included in Macons numbers.. and Hilton Head/ Beaufort would be included in Savannah's numbers. Now explain to me why Aiken is included in Augusta's MSA, yet Hilton Head is not included in Savannah's?
****************
to do because going according to the US census Metro system is a very poor method as to getting an accurate evaluation/analysis of these cities Metro area; Because if Aiken is considered apart of Augusta metro than surely W.Robins should indeed be considered apart of Metro Macon because they are closer.... they rely too much on each other with Macon having a stronger pull. I remember Back when the Shoppes at River Crossing(New Open Air Mall) was being proposed in north Macon they said that Macon has a trade area of 22 counties with pop over 650,000....[/quote]
The study is not dated.. it's the 2008 report.. and the Selig Center Georgia Economic Outlook is the benchmark used by business and industry. The Columbus outlook is based on 35,000 jobs that will be added over the next 7 years do to BRAC.. also job growth at AFLAC, Synovus, and the KIA plant in Lagrange which will have spillover effect in Columbus.
There is no study that has Augusta's economy leading the state. The Augusta economy has been a laggard for the last 20 years with virtually no growth or very minimal growth (less than 2 %). And the thing about Augusta having the richest upperclass.. pure BS. Augusta is a very poor city with over a fifth of the city's population living below the poverty line.
The Selig Center report is a prediction of future economic conditions and is purely analytical and is by no means a benchmark report.
I spoke of it being dated as recent economic changes have made many predictions impossible to fulfill.
Aflac and Synovus are older companies who have been in Columbus for many years and I honestly think the whole KIA revenue promotion is exciting to hear but will do much more for workers in Alabama than Georgia(except LaGrange)
The city of Columbus cash and revenue flow is running ultra lean and even with the permanent tax hike (if it is voted in) it will be nearly impossible to support BRAC development there.
Augusta has the same problem as Columbus in being a border town(and both Aiken and Phenix City are not the best neighbors to have as far as growth goes) as they both live and pay taxes in their respective states.
I am sorry, but you are wrong. Columbus was predicted to lead the state in job growth by UGA's Selig Center for Economic Growth. Here is the article:
Economic state of Columbus: City will add more jobs and grow faster than any other 2nd tier city Outlook suggests that short, mild recession wouldn't faze city
Found this on the Columbus Chambers website:
Fort Benning, Kia and Aflac Economic Impact Estimate
Direct Jobs 16,000
Capital Investment $4.2B
Population Increase 41,235
Family Units 16,234
School Enrollment 9,400
Additional Retail Sales $416M
Sales Tax Revenue $24M
Personal Income Per Year $482M
Bank Deposits Created $781M
Just food for thought.
I am sorry but you are wrong(your quote remember?)
More food for thought
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
