We have made great strides in employment opportunities in our area, but we still do not compare with suburban and urban areas of Pennsylvania. We need any assistance that we can get, whether it comes from public or private sources. What we do not need is our own state government luring jobs away from us. I have been told by administration officials in the past that the Governor's Office does not attach any strings to economic development grants. While I understand that sentiment, I think it is plain to see that some strings should be attached in some given instances, as it is our taxpayers' money we are giving away to these corporations.
Most small businesses pay the Personal Income Tax rate, and therefor saw no windfall of cash.
In case some folks had forgotten what type of economic good can come from an actively involved Administration, let me illustrate the changes brought to our area when Governor Casey and his Administration were in power. Infrastructure dollars for our the Clearfield Industrial Park were secured through a partnership between Governor Casey and myself. The same holds true for the funding that was needed to re-open the Philipsburg Area Hospital. The Wal-Mart Distribution Center chose our area because of the commitment of infrastructure dollars, again provided by the state. In addition, the governor sited the Quehanna Boot camp and Houtzdale SCI in our area, realizing the need for good paying jobs in our part of the state.