July 4, 20168 yr That article and list is BS. Many of those companies were replaced with another or have since expanded (which wasn't mentioned). They mention around 50 jobs lost from Sherwin Williams closing something in 1976, but I wouldn't say that paints a very accurate picture of what Sherwin Williams has done for employment in Cleveland. Also, Bailey Meter is still open as ABB Automation. Are jobs really lost if a new company takes over a closed factory? Surely not as many as stated in that list. It makes me wonder about the accuracy of a lot of other items in that list. Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
July 4, 20168 yr That article and list is BS. Many of those companies were replaced with another or have since expanded (which wasn't mentioned). They mention around 50 jobs lost from Sherwin Williams closing something in 1976, but I wouldn't say that paints a very accurate picture of what Sherwin Williams has done for employment in Cleveland. Also, Bailey Meter is still open as ABB Automation. Are jobs really lost if a new company takes over a closed factory? Surely not as many as stated in that list. It makes me wonder about the accuracy of a lot of other items in that list. Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk Plus I noticed a lot of those companies just moved to the suburbs, like Progressive which they show as a loss, but also show moved to Mayfield Village. I saw Solon, Avon and others on the list. Total BS and terrible reporting.
July 4, 20168 yr Seriously, the Toledo Blade? They could do a month long report on their own city and the decline it has experienced. Has the Plain Dealer ever stopped so low...
July 4, 20168 yr Seriously, the Toledo Blade? They could do a month long report on their own city and the decline it has experienced. Has the Plain Dealer ever stopped so low... The national dislike of Cleveland in general is so bizarre. Lots of jealousy out there I guess. Currently, the sour grapes from cities that didn't win the RNC to prefacing every story on Cleveland with the ''river on fire'' (an event from the 1960s-it's 2016 folks!). A friend of mine in Cinci, a Cleveland native, said the Business Journal there had an add of a GOP Elephant dipping its foot in polluted Cleveland water. Cinci, another loser for the RNC and a city with a one-way rivalry with Cleveland for some reason. There are many rooting against Cleveland having a successful RNC; would have been an unsuccessful DNC since it's not really about politics as long as Cleveland looks bad. Especially a city like Dallas, all cocky upfront but, apparently insecure, with its attempt to advertise anti-Cleveland displays in the airport. Has anyone ever heard of this before? Hey Dallas, since you mentioned our 1960s river fire, has the city of Dallas cleaned up JFK's blood off the streets? The Toledo Blade? No thanks. I'll finish reading the NYT's ''36 hours in Cleveland'' feature this weekend. Btw, some of the worst Cleveland negativity comes from Ohio cities not in NEO. One would think the state would be glad to see either political convention (the last one being in Cleveland 1936). Not when it's Cleveland 2016 though.
July 4, 20168 yr That article and list is BS. Many of those companies were replaced with another or have since expanded (which wasn't mentioned). They mention around 50 jobs lost from Sherwin Williams closing something in 1976, but I wouldn't say that paints a very accurate picture of what Sherwin Williams has done for employment in Cleveland. Also, Bailey Meter is still open as ABB Automation. Are jobs really lost if a new company takes over a closed factory? Surely not as many as stated in that list. It makes me wonder about the accuracy of a lot of other items in that list. Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk Plus I noticed a lot of those companies just moved to the suburbs, like Progressive which they show as a loss, but also show moved to Mayfield Village. I saw Solon, Avon and others on the list. Total BS and terrible reporting: Cleveland's has seen decline? I've never heard that before. I didn't even bother to read The Blade story...no reason since it's an old tape playing again. Such original reporting
July 5, 20168 yr Currently, the sour grapes from cities that didn't win the RNC to prefacing every story on Cleveland with the ''river on fire'' (an event from the 1960s-it's 2016 folks!). The kicker is that river and harbor fires are not at all uncommon. There's a reason New York City has five active fireboats. Remember: It's the Year of the Snake
July 5, 20168 yr Currently, the sour grapes from cities that didn't win the RNC to prefacing every story on Cleveland with the ''river on fire'' (an event from the 1960s-it's 2016 folks!). The kicker is that river and harbor fires are not at all uncommon. There's a reason New York City has five active fireboats. River fires were common back then in most industrial cities. The 1969 Cuyahoga River incident (it was a small fire) made the news and, coupled with the growing Cleveland jokes on TV written by Cleveland natives, the rest is to Cleveland's detriment.
July 12, 20168 yr The deal has gone thru, Key will complete their purchase of First Niagara creating the nation's 13th largest bank. Hopefully this will see some more HQ jobs brought here since FN has some lines of business Key was not previously active in. http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2016/07/keycorps_purchase_of_first_nia.html#incart_river_home
July 13, 20168 yr The deal has gone thru, Key will complete their purchase of First Niagara creating the nation's 13th largest bank. Hopefully this will see some more HQ jobs brought here since FN has some lines of business Key was not previously active in. No doubt there will be some jobs added in Cleveland, but Key agreed to keep a significant management presence in Buffalo. It's another reason for daylight train service since nobody flies the route anymore. Remember: It's the Year of the Snake
July 13, 20168 yr The deal has gone thru, Key will complete their purchase of First Niagara creating the nation's 13th largest bank. Hopefully this will see some more HQ jobs brought here since FN has some lines of business Key was not previously active in. No doubt there will be some jobs added in Cleveland, but Key agreed to keep a significant management presence in Buffalo. It's another reason for daylight train service since nobody flies the route anymore. Too close to fly, it is in the window where it is literally quicker to drive.
July 13, 20168 yr Key already has a significant presence in upstate NY though, and I wouldn't be surprised if jobs move to Cleveland from the merger, while jobs also move to Buffalo at the expense of the existing presence in the state
July 14, 20168 yr Ever check the air fares to Syracuse and Rochester? They're offensive. And driving between Cleveland Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse is a flip of the coin 4-5 months per year. The tracks were beautifully engineered 80 years ago for 100 mph trains. The current Amtrak service averages 60 mph including several station stops. A daytime train would offer a quick, affordable and all-weather alternative. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
July 19, 20168 yr The Part Of Cleveland’s Economic Story That Trump Doesn’t Tell It’s not just about trade and vanishing factory jobs. 07/19/2016 04:08 am 04:08:08 Jonathan Cohn Senior National Correspondent, The Huffington Post CLEVELAND ― You could argue that the transformation of the economy here is a case study in why so many working-class Americans struggle to get ahead, or even to get by. But if so, it’s a case study with two distinct parts. And only one of them is getting attention from presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump. The first part is the more familiar one: It’s the story about the jobs in factories that don’t exist anymore. Cleveland used to have these in droves, scattered near the Lake Erie shore in plants that produced everything from rubber to electronics components. The work could be tough and sometimes hazardous, but by and large, these positions paid well. Better still, you could get one of them even if you had little education beyond high school. MORE: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/cleveland-economy-donald-trump_us_578d6a86e4b0c53d5cfaaaf9 "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
July 19, 20168 yr What the RNC Means for Cleveland's Struggling Economy COMMENTARY by Alan Berube JULY 17, 2016, 5:00 PM EDT The city is a testing ground for many of the issues likely to animate the general election. Alan Berube is a senior fellow and deputy director of the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program. A former policy advisor to the U.S. Treasury Department, he is an expert on metropolitan demographics, low-wage workers, and urban poverty. Election watchers will turn their eyes toward Cleveland this week, when the 2016 Republican National Convention commences. While there is no shortage of national and global political intrigue surrounding Donald Trump’s likely nomination, there is also an important local aspect to the proceedings. Cleveland provides an important testing ground for many of the issues likely to animate the convention and the general election to follow, such as trade, taxes, education, immigration and race relations. The RNC’s selection of Cleveland—a traditionally blue stronghold in a very purple state—is notable, not only for what it says about the Republican party’s aspirations, but also because the Cleveland area itself starkly illustrates many of the challenges facing the American economy today. MORE: http://fortune.com/2016/07/17/rnc-cleveland-gop/ "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
July 29, 20168 yr Author FWIW, the BLS shows the Cleveland region with the highest total amount of people employed since things fell off a cliff. Those numbers are still 70-80,000 less than were employed in the year 2000. We have a ways to go.
July 29, 20168 yr ACE Report: Despite job losses, other signs suggest economic growth July 29, 2016 UPDATED 5 HOURS AGO By JAY MILLER A projected decline of 2,343 jobs in June ended a five-month string of Northeast Ohio job gains, though the loss may only reflect a summertime blip since other indicators suggest job and economic growth, according to data in the latest Ahola Crain’s Employment (ACE) Report. Also, the month-to-month, 0.02%, drop in seasonally adjusted employment for the seven-county Akron-Cleveland region, is balanced against a year-over-year gain of 6,249 jobs, a 0.54% increase from June 2015 to June 2016. “It’s hard to gauge whether or not the expected pullback in payrolls point to a sea change in regional economic activity,” said Jack Kleinhenz, the Cleveland Heights economist who created the ACE model. “Payroll growth has been choppy. A similar pattern was evident in 2015 as payrolls fell off in the summer but then rebounded in the fall.” MORE: http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20160729/NEWS/160729773/ace-report-despite-job-losses-other-signs-suggest-economic-growth#utm_medium=email&utm_source=ccl-dailynews&utm_campaign=ccl-dailynews-20160729 "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
August 3, 20168 yr http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160803005914/en Mace Security Intl (pepper spray and other things) which ended up headquartered in Cleveland after a few years of tumult and corporate reorganization, is on the cusp of returning to profitability. After some accounting snafus from 2015, they just reported a small loss for the first quarter 2016 and plan to report their second quarter results next Monday. The odds of a small profit are pretty good. This comes after a few years of relatively big losses. Sales are currently about $10 million/year; so it's a small operation, but growing at a nice clip lately. It's one of those nifty little companies I find interesting; crime in the streets is good news for them. Disclosure: I own some shares of their penny stock, selling today for about 38 cents. Remember: It's the Year of the Snake
August 3, 20168 yr Good news that they're doing relatively well, but I'm absolutely amazed that that business only generates $10m a year in revenue. Must be a seriously commoditized and competitve industry. My hovercraft is full of eels
August 3, 20168 yr I wonder how many people are in a situation like mine where i work remotely for a company and get paid from another state. I would think statistically I would show up being a Virginia employee. Yet I'm paid out of the Seattle area. Mine is a little more unique but there are a lot of remote workers these days. I don't know how employment stats can capture these situations.
August 5, 20168 yr Here is a good example of when growth happens faster when a local company is acquired. Good news! Cleveland headquarters plan in works for IBM-owned data analytics unit Explorys, the IBM-owned health data analytics firm based in Cleveland, may not stay perched atop the 1111 Superior Building for long, at least if a plan to install it in a new building on a Cleveland Clinic-owned site at East 105th Street and Cedar Avenue comes to fruition. “We’re bullish on this. It’s exciting,” Nichols said, “This company has 170 jobs. It’s fast-growing and expects to add 125 new jobs by the end of 2018.” http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20160805/NEWS/160809886/cleveland-headquarters-plan-in-works-for-ibm-owned-data-analytics Employment numbers seem a little confusing since a February article indicates they employed about 220, with plans to add at least 80 more in 2016. Could be those are not all in Cleveland (even though it makes it sound like it), and the above refers to Cleveland.
August 5, 20168 yr Here the Cleveland.com version: IBM eyes new office building on Cleveland Clinic land, to house Explorys subsidiary CLEVELAND, Ohio – IBM Corp. could have moved a fast-growing health care data analytics company and 170 jobs out of Cleveland. Instead, the tech giant is looking to establish a long-term presence here. http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2016/08/ibm_eyes_new_office_building_o.html#incart_river_home
August 5, 20168 yr And of course.....a comment about losing a parking lot lol. It just baffles me that people would rather have a parking lot then actual buildings with jobs.
August 5, 20168 yr Not sure which thread it was in (Clinic, Opportunity Corridor, or general UC), but I think someone here posted some renderings of a proposed office building on that site several months ago. This is obviously great news for the regional economy, but would also be a nice step towards closing the gap with the E105th Rapid Station.
August 5, 20168 yr Institute of Healthcare Design Thinking to relocate to Cleveland August 05, 2016 UPDATED 7 HOURS AGO By LYDIA COUTRÉ The Institute of Healthcare Design Thinking, a professional membership organization that works to promote design in health care strategy and experience, is moving its headquarters to Cleveland from Chattanooga, Tenn. Cleveland native Josette Galiano and David McDonald, CEO and founder of Chattanooga-based health care design and marketing firm LIFT1428, founded the institute more than two years ago in Chattanooga, according to a news release. “Cleveland is on the rise as a growing epicenter of health care innovation and design, thanks in no small part to the city’s tenacious, hard-working and collectively focused spirit,” Galiano said in a statement. “Cleveland is where I have my design roots, and the Institute is honored to embed itself into this rich network of connectivity and action.” MORE: http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20160805/NEWS/160809881/institute-of-healthcare-design-thinking-to-relocate-to-cleveland "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
August 16, 20168 yr Manufacturing has climbed from 'bottom' - Northeast Ohio firms are optimistic about industry's present and future https://t.co/FCALNrKkR9 "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
August 22, 20168 yr Author Typically, July and August are the peak months for employment in the region. The BLS has Cleveland's preliminary employment numbers for July at over 1 million for the first time since November of 2008. July 2008's numbers were 40,000 higher- but the numbers began to fall off a cliff later during the year. Needless to say, it looks like the region continues to be headed in the right direction.
August 22, 20168 yr Inc. Magazine's list of the 5,000 fastest growing private companies includes 50 from the Cleveland area, which is not a bad percentage for a "slow-growth region". http://www.inc.com/inc5000/list/2016/ Remember: It's the Year of the Snake
August 23, 20168 yr NEOhio: an unexpected contender, yet, a place where the Silicon Valley of 3-D printing could be in the making: https://t.co/nDxywPyQzT "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
August 25, 20168 yr Inside Cleveland's comeback story http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000545566&play=1 "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
August 25, 20168 yr Isn't the economic news for Cleveland always mixed?? Fed report shows 'mixed' economic performance for Cleveland area August 25, 2016 UPDATED 2 HOURS AGO By CRAIN'S CLEVELAND BUSINESS The Cleveland-area economy is improving, but it still has much work to do to be a consistent generator of jobs. That’s among the key findings of the latest Cleveland Metro Mix report compiled by Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland economist Joel Elvery. The report characterizes the area’s economic performance as “mixed,” noting, “The region continues to slowly add jobs, but the manufacturing sector and the professional and business services sector each lost over 1,500 jobs in 2015. MORE: http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20160825/NEWS/160829910/fed-report-shows-mixed-economic-performance-for-cleveland-area "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
August 26, 20168 yr this is interesting. Maybe it'll mean some decent fish & chips places-- Mentor attracts trade partner in United Kingdom http://www.news-herald.com/business/20160824/mentor-attracts-trade-partner-in-united-kingdom “The City of Mentor, 25 minutes from central Cleveland, is home to over 1,700 businesses and is at the heart of a dynamic economy in North East Ohio — one of the U.S.’s premier business regions,” said the report, prepared by the borough’s Growth & Development Assistant Director Perry Wardle. “Mentor has grown and diversified its local economy to become home to a number of high-tech firms specializing in sectors from aerospace to medical device design, manufacturing and light engineering sectors, and is also recognized for its quality of life, accessibility and skilled workforce. Its position as a successful, prosperous, gateway to the wider Northeast Ohio region has clear similarities to Solihull’s position in the west Midlands.” http://www.mainstreetpainesville.org/
August 29, 20168 yr Zhongwang USA to buy Aleris Corp. in $2.3 billion deal August 29, 2016 UPDATED 2 HOURS AGO By SCOTT SUTTELL Aluminum products producer Aleris Corp. of Beachwood announced it has been acquired in a deal worth more than $2.3 billion by Zhongwang USA LLC, an investment company owned and led by Liu Zhongtian, founder of aluminum extrusions company China Zhongwang Holdings Limited. The value of Aleris in the deal amounts to $2.33 billion, comprising $1.11 billion in cash for the equity to be paid by Zhongwang USA, plus $1.22 billion in net debt, the company said in a news release. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2017, following regulatory approvals and closing conditions. Aleris will continue to be headquartered in Beachwood and will operate as an independent entity. The Aleris management team “will remain in place, providing continuity for Aleris employees and customers and supporting the continued implementation of the Aleris strategy,” according to the release. MORE: http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20160829/NEWS/160829856/china-zhongwang-to-buy-aleris-corp-in-2-3-billion-deal "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
September 9, 20168 yr Zhongwang USA to buy Aleris Corp. in $2.3 billion deal There's a pretty nasty article in today's WSJ accusing China Zhongwang directly and indirectly of market manipulation, criminal avoidance of US trade laws, dumping, nepotism, etc. The deal to acquire Aleris probably deserves a real hard look by the Federal Trade Commission. http://www.wsj.com/articles/chinese-billionaire-linked-to-giant-aluminum-stockpile-in-mexican-desert-1473356054 Remember: It's the Year of the Snake
September 15, 20168 yr I'm not sure if this belongs in the Hopkins thread or here. USDoT posted international air traffic numbers for March 2016. At CLE international was up 100% for March and 109% for the first quarter of 2016. In raw numbers, year over year, March 19,861 vs 9,882; 1st quarter 49,156 vs 23,527. We can talk about traffic being affected by the timing of Easter and winter temperatures; but this was remarkable and pretty much *has* to reflect a growth and strengthening of the Cleveland economy. Remember: It's the Year of the Snake
September 16, 20168 yr Zhongwang USA to buy Aleris Corp. in $2.3 billion deal There's a pretty nasty article in today's WSJ accusing China Zhongwang directly and indirectly of market manipulation, criminal avoidance of US trade laws, dumping, nepotism, etc. The deal to acquire Aleris probably deserves a real hard look by the Federal Trade Commission. http://www.wsj.com/articles/chinese-billionaire-linked-to-giant-aluminum-stockpile-in-mexican-desert-1473356054 Nothing like that has ever happened in the aluminum recycling business. {/Sarc}
September 16, 20168 yr Zhongwang USA to buy Aleris Corp. in $2.3 billion deal There's a pretty nasty article in today's WSJ accusing China Zhongwang directly and indirectly of market manipulation, criminal avoidance of US trade laws, dumping, nepotism, etc. The deal to acquire Aleris probably deserves a real hard look by the Federal Trade Commission. http://www.wsj.com/articles/chinese-billionaire-linked-to-giant-aluminum-stockpile-in-mexican-desert-1473356054 "Alcoa Inc., the largest American aluminum maker, is splitting in two, isolating its profitable parts-making units from its troubled raw-aluminum operations. Alcoa Chief Executive Klaus Kleinfeld last year said illegitimate Chinese exports were “the major driver” of lower aluminum prices." That's interesting. When I was working for an Alcoa (parts making) subcontractor they went on a big scrap reduction kick because Massena raised the price of billet. When I asked if they had also raised what they paid internally for scrap, the silence spoke volumes. Apparently a politically incorrect question, and would mean the parts guys were subsidizing the smelters.
September 20, 20168 yr Cleveland just can't seem to gain any traction at all: The slowest growing large metropolitan areas were Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV (1.3 percent) and Cleveland-Elyria, OH (1.1 percent). Growth in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV was restrained by a decline in finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing (–0.17 percentage points), while durable-goods manufacturing restrained growth in Cleveland-Elyria, OH (–0.32 percentage points). http://www.bea.gov/newsreleases/regional/gdp_metro/2016/gdp_metro0916.htm
September 20, 20168 yr Cleveland just can't seem to gain any traction at all: The slowest growing large metropolitan areas were Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV (1.3 percent) and Cleveland-Elyria, OH (1.1 percent). Growth in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV was restrained by a decline in finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing (–0.17 percentage points), while durable-goods manufacturing restrained growth in Cleveland-Elyria, OH (–0.32 percentage points). http://www.bea.gov/newsreleases/regional/gdp_metro/2016/gdp_metro0916.htm I've been thinking about this alot lately and I think it comes down to leadership. Our local leaders are deplorable and those on the state level aren't much better. They are only sitting their collecting checks, not creating broad strategies to cut our losses and rebuild into a city and state people want to move to. Just take a look at our transit systems-in a time when young people are abandoning cars and flocking to cities, our leaders continue to think it's 1950!
September 20, 20168 yr You could make that exact same claim about dozens of cities that are (arguably) fiscally healthier and growing populations. Cleveland's issues include but certainly go beyond blaming local and state leaders and public transportation. Look at the population increases in the Carolinas and Texas; for the most part, their transit systems are more outdated than ours. What helps is good weather (I know it gets hot in Houston, but clearly that isn't an issue for the now 2+ million residents), a lack of legacy costs, outdated tax structures, and probably a lack of Rust Belt stigma as well. Just to be incredibly broad (and of course these areas have diverse economies), Texas has energy; Vegas has gambling and tourism; New York has finance and...well...really every industry. DC (I'm shocked the population has fallen) has government; LA has Hollywood and weather; San Francisco has Silicon Valley; Seattle and Denver have everything (big businesses, pot, mountains, low crime, a relaxed culture); Boston has great universities; Charlotte has banks; Chicago---is complicated (and losing population). Jobs are all that matter when we're talking about population growth. And really big companies (or government) who hire lots of people and ancillary employment make the most difference. For whatever reason, Cleveland lacks the former and the latter isn't enough to balance job losses.
September 20, 20168 yr Weather is a big factor. We don't have the things that balance out bad weather to attract people IMO. I'm a big fan of Cleveland but having a lot of restaurants isn't something that makes people want to move here. Schools and jobs, schools and jobs, schools and jobs.
September 20, 20168 yr Texas and NC are catching up on mass transit in a hurry. Sunbelt cities seem to understand the need for it. The question is whether we still do. We can't offer the same weather, or the oil fields, so we have to focus on what sets us apart. We can offer authentic urbanity in a way they can't. Unfortunately, local leadership seems determined to wipe out every aspect of Cleveland that give us a chance, and to rebuild the inner city into suburbs that can't compete with anything. It's painful to watch this happen.
September 20, 20168 yr Cleveland just can't seem to gain any traction at all: The slowest growing large metropolitan areas were Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV (1.3 percent) and Cleveland-Elyria, OH (1.1 percent). Growth in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV was restrained by a decline in finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing (–0.17 percentage points), while durable-goods manufacturing restrained growth in Cleveland-Elyria, OH (–0.32 percentage points). http://www.bea.gov/newsreleases/regional/gdp_metro/2016/gdp_metro0916.htm I've been thinking about this alot lately and I think it comes down to leadership. Our local leaders are deplorable and those on the state level aren't much better. They are only sitting their collecting checks, not creating broad strategies to cut our losses and rebuild into a city and state people want to move to. Just take a look at our transit systems-in a time when young people are abandoning cars and flocking to cities, our leaders continue to think it's 1950! This.
September 20, 20168 yr Keep in mind the main political question is how to spend and where to spend money. One common refrain i hear that i think is typical for the rust belt is "we can't afford that". The other philosophical aspect is to have government do as little as possible so that citizens can have more money to invest. It definitely takes serious political courage to want to improve big ticket transportation systems.
September 20, 20168 yr We do invest though, we invest like crazy. Our train system is barely functional but we just spent a fortune to move one station a few blocks. During a decade in which much of the city has been falling at the speed of gravity, we've torn up and rebuilt every single park downtown. We threw a dozen money sources at that and still needed "emergency" help from the state. But if you want to see a real emergency just drive down 55th, 79th, 93rd, 105th, etc. Everyone can see that, everyone who spends time here. We even created a new sales tax to build ourselves a Medical Mart, a thing for which there was never any market. No I'm not using the new name for it, what a terrible name, there's another mistake. Yes I'm talking city and county at the same time, but that's the only way to compare apples with apples, and our competition's relative lack of city-county problems might be the #1 reason we're in trouble. These walls need to come down and it needs to happen soon.
September 20, 20168 yr this was released today: 2015 Combined Statistical Area & Largest MSAs GDP Population 3 Million+ New York-Newark-Jersey City $1.828 Trillion Los Angeles-Long Beach $1.119 Trillion San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland $ 758.501 Billion Washington-Baltimore-Arlington $698.398 Billion Chicago-Naperville $648.435 Billion Boston-Worcester-Providence $550.838 Billion Houston-The Woodlands $503.311 Billion Dallas-Ft Worth $489.633 Billion Philadelphia-Reading-Camden $445.397 Billion Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs $355.914 Billion Seattle-Tacoma $340.064 Billion Miami-Ft Lauderdale-Port St Lucie $335.215 Billion Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor $285.308 Billion Minneapolis-St Paul $232.103 Billion Denver-Aurora $227.058 Billion San Diego-Carlsbad $220.573 Billion Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale $219.968 Billion Portland-Vancouver-Salem $173.538 Billion Cleveland-Akron-Canton $162.638 Billion Orlando-Deltona-Daytona Beach $124.802 Billion Based on Current Dollar Value.
September 20, 20168 yr The real news in that BEA release if I'm reading it correctly, is that the Cleveland-Akron-Canton area posted growth! The first time since 1998.
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