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A Competitive Agenda for Renewing the Cities of Northeastern Pennsylvania Strategies And Recommendations To Implement The Brookings Institution Report: “Back To Prosperity: A Competitive Agenda For Renewing Pennsylvania” J o I n t U r b a n S t u d I e s C e n t e r 7 South Main Street, Suite 201 Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania 18701 T: 570.408.9854 F: 570.408.9854 W: www.urbanstudies.org Staff Teri Ooms Marla Doddo Joseph Boylan Executive Director Development Coordinator Research Analyst The Joint Urban Studies Center The Joint Urban Studies Center was established to provide essential research, analysis, and consultation to small and mid-size cities aiming for full participation in the new economy of the 21st century. The Center mobilizes the resources of regional institutions of higher education to engage communities in planning that is informed by research, energized by broad participation from stakeholders in the community, and validated by successful implementation. As the managing partner in the Center, Wilkes University is joined by King’s College, College Misericordia, Luzerne County Community College, Penn State Wilkes-Barre, and the University of Scranton. Note The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of the educational partners, their offices, trustees or board members, or private businesses that fund the Joint Urban Studies Center (JUSC) or the staff of the JUSC. Acknowledgements We would like to acknowledge the Joint Urban Studies Center Advisory Board for its time, effort and commitment to this region: William P. Montague, Founder Jim DePolo David Lee Mark IV Industries Commonwealth Telephone United Way of Wyoming Valley Enterprises, Inc. Tim Gilmour, Ph.D., Chairman Michael MacDowell, Ph.D. Wilkes University Patricia Donohue, Ph.D. College Misericordia Luzerne County Community College William B. Sordoni, Vice Chairman Melanie Maslow Lumia Sordoni Construction Company Rusty Flack Maslow Lumia Bartorillo Advertising Diamond Manufacturing Thomas Baldino, Ph.D., Chairman Clifford K. Melberger Academic Council Jeffrey Folk, M.D. Diversified Information Technologies Wilkes University Geisinger Thomas J. O’Hara C.S.C., Ph.D. Steve Barrouk Mary C. Hines, Ph.D. King’s College Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Penn State Wilkes-Barre Scott Pilarz, S.J. Business and Industry William Host, M.D. University of Scranton John Cefaly Wyoming Valley Health Care Russell Roberts Cushman & Wakefield Systems Bohlin Cywinski Jackson Denise S. Cesare Thomas E. Lawson Eugene Roth Blue Cross of NEPA Borton-Lawson Engineering Rosenn, Jenkins, and Greenwald Scott Dagenais William Leandri Susan W. Shoval M&T Bank Huntsville Executive Search GUARD Insurance Group Research Team: Joseph Boylan, Marla Doddo, Elvira Illiano, Onur Kalar, Teri Ooms, Lori Solomon, and Kerry Zellner. Table of Contents Table Of Contents Executive Summary 4 The Brookings Institution Report 9 A Profile of Northeastern Pennsylvania 10 Why Does This Report Matter to the Cities of Northeastern Pennsylvania? 12 Summary of Findings by the Brookings Institution 13 Local Recommendations 14 A Process for Moving Forward 30 Appendix: A Profile of Northeastern Pennsylvania 33 Conclusion 42 Endnotes 43 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY PAGE 4 Executive Summary The Brookings Institution Report identified five key areas (see below) that the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania needs to address in order to revitalize the economy. The Brookings Institution based its recommendations on statistical data and interviews with key business, government, and non-profit leaders. Brookings also completed a review of the state’s investment policies, economic development practices, and economic trends. Brookings divided the state into regions or Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA). The northeastern region is made up of Scranton/Wilkes-Barre/Hazleton. The two counties, the major cities, and the majority of the municipalities in this region all face the same difficulties, and mirror the five challenges affecting the state as a whole. Brookings defined five major statewide initiatives that should be adopted in each region to address the challenges that the state of Pennsylvania faces. They include: • Planning for a more competitive, higher-quality future. The Commonwealth should improve Pennsylvania’s state-local planning systems to enable its regions to promote sound land use and economic competitiveness on a more coherent basis. • Focusing the state’s investment policies. Pennsylvania should make the most of its significant infrastructure and economic development spending by targeting its resources on the state’s already older, already-established places. • Investing in a high-road economy. Pennsylvania should invest in the workers and industries that will help its regions produce a more competitive, higher-wage future. • Promoting large-scale reinvestment in older urban areas. Pennsylvania should make itself a world-leader in devising policies and programs to encourage wholesale land reclamation and redevelopment in the regions’ cities, towns, and older suburbs. • Renewing the state’s and regional governance. Pennsylvania should promote much more regional collaboration and cohesion. The Joint Urban Studies Center (JUSC) focuses this study on northeastern Pennsylvania. For the Scranton/Wilkes- Barre/Hazleton MSA, the Center created a list of in-depth recommendations that fall under each of the five statewide initiatives identified by the Brookings report. JUSC’s recommendations are suggestions that could be adopted and implemented by local governments; non-profits; higher education institutions; K-12 schools; and business, industry, and civic/service groups in northeastern Pennsylvania. PAGE 5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY JUSC precedes the list of recommendations with a section that profiles the region; highlights the problems with the unbalanced age demographic, low “higher education attainment,” inadequate job base, and population loss; and explains their impact on the wealth in this region and how they are interrelated. JUSC also explains why it is so important for this region to take action to revitalize its economy based on the impact such a turnaround could have on each resident. JUSC believes it is important to enhance the quality of life and increase the standard of living for our residents. Concerted action is important because — during the next decade — this region will grow as a result of immigration from the major metropolitan areas. Putting this region on solid footing will allow us to take advantage of the opportunities such growth brings. It also gives us the opportunity to address some of the challenges that come with this type of growth. JUSC suggests that the reader also review the JUSC study: “Why Aren’t We Average?” This research paper studies the qualitative and quantitative issues from 1950 to 2000 that place our region below average on many of the key census indicators. This companion study addresses the economic consequences of our failure to evolve with the rest of Pennsylvania and the nation. It is highly recommended that mobilization and action begin immediately. We must also recognize that — even with sweeping changes — expecting overnight impact is not realistic. JUSC pledges to continue to provide data, customized strategy development, and best practices to assist stakeholders in moving the region forward. JUSC’s expertise lies in working with clients (governments and nonprofits) individually, to provide customized strategies for implementation after a thorough review of the client, community, or organization. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY PAGE 6 There is no linear progression for acting on any of JUSC recommendations. As a matter of fact, implementation should commence as soon as possible, with each of the stakeholder groups working collaboratively and/or independently based on the various recommendations. JUSC plans to convene a meeting of the County Commissioners (of both counties) and the mayors of the largest cities in the region to discuss specific regional approaches to solving problems during 2005. JUSC is recommending some strategies that could be politically charged and controversial. Specifically, these include consolidation of local government services, and collaboration on zoning codes, land use, and transportation plans. JUSC recommends holding local government, business, and residents to higher standards in compliance with codes and regulations on property maintenance, and streamlining local government processes to be more business friendly and more automated. Specific strategies are outlined in more detail later in the report. Three themes reoccurring throughout JUSC’s initial reports are: economic development, education and workforce development, and the practice of regionalism. JUSC believes that these three themes and the corresponding strategies are the foundation for rebuilding our region. Economic Development Mixed-use, high density developments and urban villages should be a part of the planning to contain sprawl. Neighborhoods with mixed housing units at a variety of price ranges have proven to be the most stable neighborhoods across the country. It is important to remember that strong economic growth comes from the investment of new money into an economy, not the redistribution of existing dollars. Specifically, this means that we need to encourage “developers of last resort,” i.e., our chambers of commerce, counties, and municipal government to invest in projects in our communities. This task is not easy when money is needed to provide basic municipal services and social