So, after waiting for my niece to finally get off the phone (she’s a teenager, what do you expect?), I asked her what it means if someone says, “Things seem to be going well, but if I could leave here I would.” You know what she said? “Sounds like things are better somewhere else.”
Well, as they say in the Guinness commercials, “BRILLIANT!”
Now if my teenage niece can figure that out, why can’t the Rendell Administration?
You see, the Administration just “commended” the Chamber for saying our economy is improving. They were referencing the recent release our 15th Annual Economic Survey. Of course, in true political opportunistic fashion, they used the survey as “proof” that the big cardboard checks that the Governor is dolling out around the state are working to stimulate the economy.
But let’s try and be a little more accurate, Governor. Yes, our economic survey indicates that the economy is improving. After all, we’re not going to hide what’s been happening nationally (although, the survey was taken before Hurricane Katrina). But more importantly, the survey also reveals some disturbing things about the business climate in Pennsylvania:
1. We saw a significant drop in the number of respondents who felt Pennsylvania was business friendly. In fact, only 18% felt PA was business friendly, down from 41% in 2001!
2. 40% of businesses said they would leave the state if they could. That’s 4 out of every 10 businesses, up from a mere 16% in 2001!
Given that these two indicators were a continuation of an ongoing slide from last year, I think most average folks would agree that the news is not all rosy. But I guess not-so when you have a political agenda that ignores the business community’s wishes (see The Chamber’s Agenda for Jobs). It isn't just us either, according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, Pennsylvania CONTINUES to lag behind the rest of the country in economic growth.
So, let’s keep the cheering down a bit Governor and perhaps not take all the credit for just a modicum of economic progress since clearly companies are saying it’s not good to do business in the Commonwealth and that they would to leave if they could. The Administration should try consulting people that understand the warning signs before it’s too late and try to look at the big picture rather than cherry pick info suitable for a press release.
Heck, I can give you my niece’s phone number, she'd love to talk to you. (never mind that she'd talk to anyone.) Oh yeah, and if you get through… tell her that her Uncle said hi and not to date the skater guy with the tattoo. (uh oh, now Uncle Jim’s in REAL trouble!)
Comments