Third-class cities’ problems, solutions may be addressed (Pittsburgh, Scranton: cul-de-sac, middle-class)

[Magritte25]

Third-class cities

“These cities are just not healthy enough to make the investments they need,” said Yudichak, who lives in the distressed township of Plymouth and used to live in Nanticoke. “And we cannot just let them continue to wither.”

So the idea of the new caucus has emerged and already has received the support of Yudichak, Rep. Gerry Mullery, D-Newport Township, who represents Nanticoke; Rep. Mike Carroll, D-Avoca, who represents Pittston; Sen. John Blake, D-Archbald, who represents Carbondale; Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, D-Wilkes-Barre, who represents Wilkes-Barre, and more than 50 other legislators.

Carroll said that unlike boroughs and townships that aren’t mandated to provide certain services such as police or fire protection, cities are. Getting a group of legislators together with shared interests and the goal of helping these cities “can’t hurt,” he said.

If the representatives can actually form a coalition and cooperate, this could be a boon to the area. Thoughts?

[thecoalman]

Sounds to me like more taxes. Perhaps they should consider better allocation of the funds they have now, e.g. eliminate waste like the waterfront park in Pittston.

[Cpt.Trips]

Until you can bring in decent white collar paying job's that can support an area's growth, not much will change. $8.50 per hour temp. factory work will never do.

[SteelCityRising]

I think the greatest hurdle these communities face is an image problem. Pittston, for example, is surrounded by suburbs that house thousands of upper-middle-class households while the city proper has to rely on senior citizens, Section 8 recipients, and the working-class stiffs Cpt. trips references for its tax base. "Greater Pittston" houses around 50,000 residents while the city itself has around 7,500 if I'm not mistaken. Nationally there has been an influx of people back into the cities from the suburbs over the past decade, but that trend hasn't arrived in NEPA yet. One theory I have is that the pervasive racism and homophobia that exists in the region leads people to believe that "diverse" places like Pittston are inferior for that reason (never mind the fact that the upper-middle-class suburban block I grew up on had the densest LGBT concentration around without the "mainstream" knowing). As long as there are a lot of racist and otherwise bigoted uneducated rednecks in NEPA that trend of celebrating the rebirth of our cities will never occur. I currently live in a diverse and historic city neighborhood where I can walk to restaurants, nightlife, markets, cultural events, a farmers' market, sporting events, and much more. I would NEVER subject my children to the isolation of living along a sidewalk less, soulless, prestige-oriented cul-de-sac in the suburbs, where they'd be sheltered from the beauty of the world.

I really don't know what else could be holding back a place like Pittston. Its public school district has vastly improved and is now ranked amongst the region's best. Its location, equidistant to either Scranton or Wilkes-Barre and a quick jaunt to the airport, I-81, I-476, the casino, etc. is, in my opinion, the most convenient in the region for commuting purposes. Even though it is along the river a very small part of the city is subject to flooding. The business district, while largely neglected over the years, has immense potential to pull in customers from a wide geographical net for specialty retailers. The people are generally friendly, although I could definitely see it being cliquey and cold towards newcomers. Pittston seems to have all the right ingredients for success on paper, yet it continues to die. It is the best-poised city of all listed to boom, and if it still hasn't, then places like Carbondale and Nanticoke don't stand a chance in hell.

[weluvpa]

Pittston is a far far cry from Pittsburgh..lol

[Jungle George]

Originally Posted by weluvpa

Pittston is a far far cry from Pittsburgh..lol

Must be the pitts....

[thecoalman]

Originally Posted by weluvpa

Pittston is a far far cry from Pittsburgh..lol

Downtown Pittston is actually looking pretty good.

[Magritte25]

Originally Posted by thecoalman

Sounds to me like more taxes. Perhaps they should consider better allocation of the funds they have now, e.g. eliminate waste like the waterfront park in Pittston.

What would cause more taxes?

Why are beautification efforts wasteful?

[Magritte25]

Originally Posted by Cpt.Trips

Until you can bring in decent white collar paying job's that can support an area's growth, not much will change. $8.50 per hour temp. factory work will never do.

Agreed. However, we must have an educated population in order to staff such jobs. I think this issue is a perfect example of something that could be addressed by this coalition. None of our cities/towns are islands unto themselves.

[Magritte25]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

I think the greatest hurdle these communities face is an image problem. Pittston, for example, is surrounded by suburbs that house thousands of upper-middle-class households while the city proper has to rely on senior citizens, Section 8 recipients, and the working-class stiffs Cpt. trips references for its tax base.

The middle class was built on "working class stiffs". There is nothing wrong with blue collar workers. Many of them have a stake in a better community too. Additionally, maybe the issue isn't the workers themselves but the companies that refuse to pay them a good wage.

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

"Greater Pittston" houses around 50,000 residents while the city itself has around 7,500 if I'm not mistaken. Nationally there has been an influx of people back into the cities from the suburbs over the past decade, but that trend hasn't arrived in NEPA yet. One theory I have is that the pervasive racism and homophobia that exists in the region leads people to believe that "diverse" places like Pittston are inferior for that reason (never mind the fact that the upper-middle-class suburban block I grew up on had the densest LGBT concentration around without the "mainstream" knowing). As long as there are a lot of racist and otherwise bigoted uneducated rednecks in NEPA that trend of celebrating the rebirth of our cities will never occur.

I don't think anyone believes Pittston is a homosexual and/or minority enclave. Many people here simply detest living in cities. They think it's "better" to move out to the Back Mountain, Dallas or Mountain Top rather than stay in cities.

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

I currently live in a diverse and historic city neighborhood where I can walk to restaurants, nightlife, markets, cultural events, a farmers' market, sporting events, and much more. I would NEVER subject my children to the isolation of living along a sidewalk less, soulless, prestige-oriented cul-de-sac in the suburbs, where they'd be sheltered from the beauty of the world.

As if those are the only two options. There is plenty of room for people who like to live in an urban atmosphere and a rural atmosphere. I think the major issue is suburbia because that whole lifestyle has spawned McMansions, strip malls, etc. I'd live in a Honesdale, Old Forge, Wellsboro any day over somewhere like Dallas. There are pros to living in a small town or rural area. After all, historically, it's been the suburbs that have been the death knell for both cities and small towns across America.

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

I really don't know what else could be holding back a place like Pittston. Its public school district has vastly improved and is now ranked amongst the region's best. Its location, equidistant to either Scranton or Wilkes-Barre and a quick jaunt to the airport, I-81, I-476, the casino, etc. is, in my opinion, the most convenient in the region for commuting purposes. Even though it is along the river a very small part of the city is subject to flooding. The business district, while largely neglected over the years, has immense potential to pull in customers from a wide geographical net for specialty retailers. The people are generally friendly, although I could definitely see it being cliquey and cold towards newcomers. Pittston seems to have all the right ingredients for success on paper, yet it continues to die. It is the best-poised city of all listed to boom, and if it still hasn't, then places like Carbondale and Nanticoke don't stand a chance in hell.

I think it has to be a group effort. No one town is going to save the rest.