Economic Development
Saying that you want new and better paying jobs is like saying that you want world peace--Everyone agrees with you, but there isn't a strong consensus for how to do it, and simply saying it will not make it happen.
Clearly, job retention and creation are vital components in any city's overall well-being. I favor a two-prong approach that has one eye on our storied industrial past and casts the other to attracting service-based employers. First, Manitowoc should tap into its base of manufacturing know-how and its strong work ethic by attempting to attract small- and medium-sized manufacturers. (I am not opposed to having large manufacturers in town either! But, I am realistic and many of those companies either stay put or move some of their operations overseas. If you look at many of the large manufacturers that are currently in Manitowoc, they started here but started small and grew to be large. That is obviously great too and is what I hope would happen if we can lure small companies to relocate here.) Like everyone else, I would like to attract more "green" industry, but not necessarily to the exclusion of other types of manufacturing. It would be awesome if Manitowoc could become to green energy what the Silicon Valley is to computing and the Triangle area of North Carolina is to pharmaceuticals. Dream big!
Second, we should increase our service sector by encouraging young people who grew up here to return after school rather than relocate to Green Bay, Appleon, or Milwaukee as many of my high school classmates have done. Why is there a perception that there is a world of opportunities for them in other cities but that there is "nothing" for them to return to in Manitowoc? My wife Stacey and I both returned to Manitowoc after going to school out of state and living in other cities. We both are business owners are believe that Manitowoc is a great place to live and work and offers opportunities that we simply wouldn't have in other cities.
What role does city government have in this? Directly, the city needs to provide an environment that is friendly to businesses. This includes having a low tax rate, good infrastructure, and good overall city services. The flip side is that our city government should not implement policies that would be unfriendly to businesses, as I fear a stormwater utility would. Keeping existing businesses healthy and growing is as important as recruiting new businesses. Indirectly, city leaders should work with the Economic Development Corporation (who I believe should be subject to Open Records requirements, by the way) and other agencies to actively recruit businesses to locate here.
Do I get the promotion or am I fired? Weigh in at the discussion board.