Julio Guridy, president of Allentown City Council, is an Outlook 2014 essayist. (Ed Landrock, TMC / March 19, 2005) Topics General Motors Automotive Equipment Manufacturing and Engineering See more topics » Julio Guridy March 8, 2014 In 1953, Charles Wilson, the CEO of General Motors, was nominated by President Eisenhower to serve as secretary of defense. He was asked to sell his GM stock to avoid any conflict of interest. He told a Senate committee that he hadnt expected any problem because for years I thought what was good for our country was good for General Motors, and vice versa. Now, I am not bold enough to suggest that what is good for Allentown is good for the region, but there is little doubt that significant investment in the Valleys largest city puts the brakes on a decline and fuels the engine of a robust future. A prospering and growing Allentown will certainly lift our neighbors along with it. As we point toward the future, we first must understand where we are before we can determine where we want to be. If we are to turn around the city, what are we, as government leaders, turning around from, where do we want to turn and what ability do we have to turn? Who are we? Allentown is the third-largest city in the state of Pennsylvania and it is a diverse community with 43 percent Latino. We are multicultural and multilingual community. We are not as prosperous as many in the Valley — our per capita income is more than one-third behind the county. Twenty-six percent of our residents fall below the poverty line. Our housing infrastructure is aging. » The latest on traffic, delays and road construction delivered to your mobile phone. Click to sign up to receive text alerts! In center city, many housing units are owned by absentee landlords. The industrial and manufacturing base that created family sustaining jobs for multiple generations has been replaced by service, retail and other jobs that all too frequently fall short of maintaining adequate family incomes. The designation of the Neighborhood Improvement Zone is breathing new life into the city and creating incentives that help level out the development playing field with our surrounding neighbors. We are experiencing growth in our center city area that is creating more opportunity for our residents. With this in mind, we need to celebrate our diversity and invest in our workforce. Our housing stock is second to none in terms of its historical character. Our historic district is stronger than ever. We look forward to the tours every year. Our parks are second to none with places to run, walk and enjoy concerts, in addition to our arts program. Soon we will be a destination for hockey games and other entertainment venues. We envision Allentowns future like each and every one envisions their future — full of promise, abundant recreational and entertainment activities, with security and full of opportunities. We are in this together. Shifts in the market, global competition, disjointed connections between jobs and our skills, and a state and federal government preoccupied with bickering attempts to retain power, meaning that in the future we will face many obstacles. The Lehigh Valley is only as strong as all its components. To meet these, we will all need to step up our game. In Allentown, we look forward to responding to the challenge and being a proactive partner in the process of community and economic development, as well as sustainability of our infrastructure and upward mobility for our residents. Read more: mcall/business/mc-julio-guridy-outlook-essay-20140308,0,6530757.story#ixzz2vToo4p38 Follow us: @mcall on Twitter | mcall.lv on Facebook
Posted on: Sun, 09 Mar 2014 15:34:09 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015