Scranton is a blue collar town (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh: loft, student loans, home)

[sues1]

I'm doing what the mod suggested and starting a thread on this subject. This has been debated before but not in it's own thread that i can remember. Scranton is a blue collar town, it's never going to be white collar or hip or trendy, and trying to make it into that is only fighting a losing battle and a waste of time.

[Magritte25]

I totally agree.

[johnqpublic]

The current Administration and his minion bought into Richard Floridas " Creative Class" hook line and sinker... tooo bad its dated and debunked....

[toobusytoday]

I think 10 years ago people would have said the same thing about Bethlehem because Bethlehem Steel was such a big part of the area and it's closing had a devastating affect on the area. However, Bethlehem has turned itself around quite a bit and is now known more for it's two colleges, Lehigh and Moravian, it's historic sections, it's festivals and it's very cute downtown with unique restaurants, bars and artsy places. The casino is also a draw but that seems more like a stand alone thing - people come to gamble, but they don't stay and enjoy the town or area. I really don't know Scranton well enough to compare the two places, but would it be possible for Scranton to be revitalized like Bethlehem has been by embracing it's blue collar heritage and adding things to make people appreciate that heritage?

[SteelCityRising]

Sorry, but I must politely dissent from majority opinion. While there's nothing wrong with being "blue-collar" it is also the year 2010, and Scranton's blue-collar roots have now given it a double-digit unemployment rate as manufacturers continue to relocate out of the area (or in many cases even nation) in pursuit of more inexpensive labor costs. Manufacturing as a whole is dying in our country as we transition from being a nation that "makes" stuff to a nation that "consumes" stuff and offers services in return. The jobs of today and tomorrow require more specialized skills and degrees than just a high school diploma or G.E.D., and unfortunately Scranton lags far behind the rest of the state and nation in terms of educational attainment. What does this mean? Better-paying employers won't move into the area if they have to invest much in training the local labor force or pay to relocate existing staff. College graduates won't stick around to earn $12/hr. while having to repay their student loans. Scranton is in this classic "Catch-22", and RESISTING change is NOT helping your case.

Ten years ago people said the same thing about Pittsburgh. "Blue collar roots or bust", "We'll always be a dump, and we like it that way", "No change is good change", "Stay away, outsiders", yada, yada, yada. Now? The city has just begun to successfully transition itself and is revamping its image as a Rust Belt Rebounder. Pittsburgh is exactly a larger version of Scranton---blue-collar roots, a strong union mentality, conservacrats, distinctive ethnic neighborhoods, historic architecture, etc. The Pittsburgh sub-forum vs. this sub-forum is like night and day with overall attitudes though. Most of you Scrantonians sit and whine about how the city "has sucked, sucks, and always will suck", but you won't relocate, which tells me most of you just love to sit around and complain.

The coal mines are shuttered, flooded, and are not reopening. The era of graduating from high school and having your dad get you a good job at "da factree" where you could earn a good living with benefits for 40 years while your wife stayed home with the kids is nearly gone, and it's not coming back. Scranton should never ignore or disavow its blue-collar roots (and heritage tourism is very important to continue to capitalize upon), but sticking white-collars with a huge middle finger just because you blue-collars don't want to patronize wine bars or jazz cafes or live in a loft is very irresponsible to your city's overall chances of revival. Right now Scranton is in DEEP distress---rising crime, racial tensions, potholes everywhere, crumbling sub-surface infrastructure, horrible urban sprawl issues, high taxes (that only worsen as more taxpayers leave), etc. Attracting fresh new talent to the city is the ONLY way to reinvigorate it.

P.S. Before the "you don't live here so shut up" folks start winding up, may I politely ask what YOU residents have done for the city lately as it has declined horribly for generations? Thought so.

[johnqpublic]

Look Scran,
Scrantons population and the surrounding area is turning older every year, there simply isnt the # of local kids there were 10 or 20 years ago..
Let me correct your short sightedness on another point. If major white collar employers wanted to move here they have an ample educated workforce to draw from, in this small area we have the University of Scranton, Marywood, Johnsons, Keystone, Lackawanna, Wilkes, KIngs, Etc, that are graduating hundreds idf not thousands of young degreed people each year.. so your arguement of a "educated" workforce doesnt hold water. this area is held back not by lack of qualified people, but by a corrupt political climate and opressive business taxes. nothing more, nothing less

[toobusytoday]

According to this https://www.city-data.com/city/Scrant...nsylvania.html The average age in Scranton is 38, which is also the average age in Pennsylvania. Bethlehem's is 36. https://www.city-data.com/city/Bethle...nsylvania.html I doubt that Scranton has a corner on the market for corrupt politicians. That seems to be the norm in PA. From today's Philadelphia Inquirer More Pennsylvania corruption trials may follow Veon's conviction | Philadelphia Inquirer | 06/20/2010

[sues1]

Originally Posted by toobusytoday

I think 10 years ago people would have said the same thing about Bethlehem because Bethlehem Steel was such a big part of the area and it's closing had a devastating affect on the area. However, Bethlehem has turned itself around quite a bit and is now known more for it's two colleges, Lehigh and Moravian, it's historic sections, it's festivals and it's very cute downtown with unique restaurants, bars and artsy places. The casino is also a draw but that seems more like a stand alone thing - people come to gamble, but they don't stay and enjoy the town or area. I really don't know Scranton well enough to compare the two places, but would it be possible for Scranton to be revitalized like Bethlehem has been by embracing it's blue collar heritage and adding things to make people appreciate that heritage?

Right, that's what needs to be done, "embrace it's blue collar heritage", not make it into something it isn't.

[theatergypsy]

Originally Posted by johnqpublic

Look Scran,
Scrantons population and the surrounding area is turning older every year, there simply isnt the # of local kids there were 10 or 20 years ago..
Let me correct your short sightedness on another point. If major white collar employers wanted to move here they have an ample educated workforce to draw from, in this small area we have the University of Scranton, Marywood, Johnsons, Keystone, Lackawanna, Wilkes, KIngs, Etc, that are graduating hundreds idf not thousands of young degreed people each year.. so your arguement of a "educated" workforce doesnt hold water. this area is held back not by lack of qualified people, but by a corrupt political climate and opressive business taxes. nothing more, nothing less

Word.

[ConfusingRotary]

So if blue collar jobs are on the decline in the USA, and scranton is "never going to be white collar," WHAT exactly is it going to be?