Up From Your Boot Straps

Last night there was a new show called Uncover Billionaire on the Discovery Channel.

You see this billionaire went to a depressed city to show how he can make a million-dollar company in 90 days. The reason Rick and I wanted to watch this show was because he went to my hometown, Erie PA.

It showed the ugliness left after all the factories like Hammermill, GE, small ironworks and foundries all left the rust belt. 
What is left is depressing. The state of roads, buildings, and outlook.

It has a cost of living like everywhere else, they only have lower housing costs, but in comparison to the average income, it too is high. Their taxes are higher than what I pay here in a big city. When the average income is about 33K that is not good. 

As he drove around in winter it showed the falling down empty factories that my family no longer sees. It showed the dinginess and the depression all around that my family does not see. 
I never saw it when living there either, just felt it.

After I moved the first time when I returned home I saw it so clearly.
I moved about to Pittsburgh for school, then off to Cleveland, Seattle, Maryland and now VA and I saw it more and more each time I returned home. I recall saying something to my Dad and he said what are you talking about on 12th street? I explained and he said, "huh, it's been there so long I didn't notice"  Yep that is the issue. The ugliness becomes normal instead of appalling and then you don't make it change.

My niece moved 2 yrs ago and I recall telling her she will see it all very different when you return. After her first visit home, she told me she didn't see anything different. I said it was too soon. Be away for a long time, you will see it as the man on the show saw it.

I like that my hometown is trying with the younger folks who have remained.
Most leave after college for good jobs and pay. The infamous Brain Drain.  Those that stayed always seem to fall into the same trap, low paying jobs, whining about the cost of things on a loop and doing nothing more than going to bars for their entertainment.  Some do go to college and return but it sure isn't many.  But I have seen my niece's generation starting something. The tattooed and the fringe are taking over and I am thrilled.  I hope it all makes a change.

The frustration for me of my hometown has always been a lack of change. 
They say silly inaccurate things like, "It's a great place to raise your kids" 
Oh really? Extremely low tests scores in PA/US. No culture. No diversity. High crime per capita. Nothing for young people to achieve here. I left making $4.75 an hour as I took a job making 35K a year just by moving 90 miles west and doing the same job. (1983) What would you do?  

That is not a good place to raise MY kids. I want diversity, I want good schools who are the best in the state I live, I want things to do other than go to bars for kids, I want culture, I want music, I want art, I want this on a large scale and available to all. I want to find jobs that pay well and that the educated don't need to leave to find them. None of this happens there on a regular basis. I am beginning to see some light and I hope it doesn't flicker out.

One large company is their only hope right now and a hospital. 
Insurance and Healthcare. Both are money makers but did you know they bring in more outside employees than local? I assume this reason is the education level of those who remain there. I could be wrong. That is just my assumption. Those I know who stayed or came back work at those places. They are both great employers but hey, they can't employee the whole population.

My BFF since age 12 is Susan.  Susan has 3 kids. One came back 2 yrs ago from Philly to be the head ER Surgeon at the above-mentioned hospital. When not working though she travels because there is nothing to do she said in town except bars. 
The other left and lives in California never to return he said. (he isn't a fan of the snow and can you blame him?)  One just returned after a divorce. She is now heading up the physical therapy dept that is related to this hospital. Susan is thrilled 2 are back. But she fears only 1 will stay and that is the ER surgeon. 
The one who got the divorce Susan told me that after she is done licking her wounds will leave again.  She said, "I knew they'd all leave after college because what else could they do and use their degrees here? But I don't want them to, I want it to be a place where they could stay and raise their family. 

So you can imagine why this show was of interest to me. I really hope he does what the show says he will do. I also hope the momentum can help the city. Because one person can't do this - it takes a community.
This city has so much to offer but if it doesn't make a change soon it will be a dead town. 

I recall growing up and it was the 3rd largest city in the state.
Now it is 4 or 5. The average age of PA is in the 40's, it is becoming a dying state. They need to make a change and do it soon.  Will they? 
Will they accept change? Will they want to work that hard to change anything? Will they see the benefits or will the benefits scare them? 

You see that is what I think. I think they have a fear of this change.
The older people are so damn negative, about just about everything. 
The younger ones still there have not been completely brainwashed yet so there is always hope.

This show is a series. There are 8 episodes. 
It appeared they filmed this in winter 
(March, which is still winter up there)   I can't wait to see how this plays out.
I am so excited to see my hometown come back.  
Fingers crossed and it will.
But we can't do the same thing over and over again expecting a different result.

So here's to improving the rust belt.
The takeaway line last night for me was when he was struggling with only $30 left and volunteering to feed the poor so he could get a free meal.
He said, "I forgot the big gap/disparity between the haves and have nots.
Yep, that is what happens to all the rich and politicians, doesn't it?