Erie’s economy

Every time I'm in Erie (three or four times a year) I hear people talk about "how bad the economy in Erie is" and how "there are no jobs in Erie."

I don't believe a word of it.

I think that when people talk about the lack of jobs, they're thinking of manufacturing jobs, which were the staple of Erie's economy for many decades. Those jobs, I agree, are gone for good, just like they are in other northern cities. Those cities aren't called the "rust belt" for nothing.

Why do I think Erie's economy is doing just fine? Every time I'm there I see lots of new growth. Upper Peach Street is almost unrecognizable from 20 years ago, when I moved out of Erie. (My move had nothing to do with the perceived lack of jobs in the area; it was because the Erie winters were detrimental to my wife's health.) It's even significantly changed in the last five years, with all the new businesses in the area. Even when I was in Erie about a month ago, I saw three or four new buildings being constructed on upper Peach Street.

Furthermore, I continually see new, expensive homes being built and, obviously, being sold. For example, check out the homes on Forest Crossing and Stone Creek Drive in Millcreek. These homes currently sell for $250k and up. They're new, they're beautiful, and somebody is buying them.

And those homes are a bargain compared to many parts of the country, selling for perhaps half the price, for example, of what they would here in Florida. That helps those homes to sell, benefiting the entire economy.

I think to overcome the "Erie's economy is bad" syndrome, people need to make the mental transition from the old manufacturing mindset to a 21st century economy. Manufacturing jobs are gone forever, being replaced by jobs in media, informational technology, health, education and other fields.

But jobs in Erie, in many cases good-paying jobs, are available for those who are well-educated, ambitious and willing to work hard.