Retail vs. manufacturing
This WRA editorial speaks to the current proposals for retail development in the greater Waterbury area (Cheshire, Naugatuck, Waterbury & Watertown).
Connecticut boasted 337,800 manufacturing jobs in 1990; this year, the Labor Department predicts the number will fall to 190,700, and no one knows when the state will hit bottom. The unavoidable truths are the lost jobs aren't coming back, and Connecticut will be hard pressed to stem the tide as long as its government holds fast to its virulent anti-business policies.The editorial then provides a laundry list of problems created in Hartford by well-meaning, but misguided "leaders." It concludes:
All these factors are beyond the control of municipalities, so they must fend for themselves. But their fretting about preserving their "character" and their hopes a good company with a hundred quality jobs might come knocking are a waste of time. Retail and commercial uses aren't the best foundation for a local or state economy, but absent a philosophical sea change at the Capitol, they have the advantage of being better than nothing. (emphasis mine)I see absolutely no reason to believe that "philosophical sea change" is coming anytime soon.
Tim White
Town Council, 4th District
4 comments:
The CAVE men expect Ford to build a plant in the North End of Cheshire and bring jobs and tax revenue. I can't wait. None of us will live that long.
A factory is coming to Cheshire. stay tuned....
This is true-no more manufacturing.Also if they took the military budget out of the economy the number of manufacturing job would almost disapear. Manufacturing in the country is mostly to supply the military.
If the owners don't want to sell to businesses that would conform to the zoning, you just won't get a business that fits with the town plan. And, the chances are you won't get higher paying jobs. Most retail jobs are not high paying and use as much part-time help as possible. For part-time you don't have to give many benefits either.
If you buy property that is in a zone with restricted uses, you can make a lot of money by getting the zoning changed to uses that will pay a lot more. It's the game of zone changing.
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