Anderson, Kokomo top state in economic growth

[me]

November 22, 2013
Anderson, Kokomo top state in economic growth
Local economy climbed 2 percent in 2013

By Ken de la Bastide
The Herald Bulletin

Anderson is one of two Indiana cities that experienced accelerated economic growth from 2012 to 2013, according to a national study.

The study released through the U.S. Conference of Mayors and performed by IHS Global Insight showed only Anderson and Kokomo had a significant upturn in economic activity.

The study found Anderson's 2013 growth is 2 percent higher compared to a 1.6 percent growth rate in 2012, and Kokomo's growth rate for the same period was 2.2 percent as compared to 1.6 percent.

Both cities are expected to see economic growth in 2014.

The IHS Global Insight study showed slowing economies for 2013 in Bloomington, Muncie, Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, Lafayette and Terre Haute.

The economic outlook for 2014 is anticipating growth in all Indiana cities except for Muncie, the study predicted.

The report said drags on the economy included the shutdown of the federal government, across-the-board federal spending cuts and slow growth in European economies.

Bob Tomarelli, an economist with IHS Global Insight, said the study looks at a total of all goods and services that are in a metropolitan area.

"We've seen nice growth in the Midwest and the South in the transportation sector," he said.

Tomarelli said the shutdown of the federal government and the sequestration had a national impact, which was felt more in the areas around Washington, D.C.

Anderson and Kokomo had accelerated growth as compared to other areas of the state that did show some economic growth from 2012 to 2013.

Anderson's growth of 2 percent for 2013 is expected to remain at that level in 2014. The Kokomo growth is expected to climb from 2 to 4.7 percent in 2014.

"For Anderson I think this is a great encouragement that we have been able to pick up the pace of diversification and new investments to a point where we have accelerated past many other Hoosier communities," Anderson Mayor Kevin Smith said Thursday. "The report talks about the potential that Anderson has."  http://www.heraldbulletin.com/local/x207076068/Anderson-Kokomo-top-state-in-economic-growth

[Anne]

Well, that is good news, now if only the real estate market would pick up a little more.

[me]

That will probably take a while.

[Palehorse]

That will probably take a while.

In some areas of this country it is already happening. There are several markets experiencing double digit property value increases, as well as housing shortages. Some areas people are afraid to sell their homes because they won't be able to find a new one anywhere. In addition, in many markets across the country, people are finding it difficult to buy a new or resale home even if they are pre-approved for the mortgages. Why? Because cash buyers are swooping in, purchasing the homes at 10-25% over the listed price; in cash.

The issue in Anderson is the lack of sustainable work opportunities. Anyone wanting to buy or build a home in Madison county, will face a 20-40 mile commute in order to work for a living wage. Outside of that, 10-12 bucks an hour, and high deductible healthcare plans are the offerings of the lions share of any "new" employers in that county.  You cannot raise a family, own a home, and feed your family on that kind of  wage. It is a losing proposition. 

What Madison County needs is a high value employer, paying an average of 21/hr, with a healthcare offering that makes sense for the workers. All things that are as rare as hens teeth in this part of the country today. 

[The Troll]

In some areas of this country it is already happening. There are several markets experiencing double digit property value increases, as well as housing shortages. Some areas people are afraid to sell their homes because they won't be able to find a new one anywhere. In addition, in many markets across the country, people are finding it difficult to buy a new or resale home even if they are pre-approved for the mortgages. Why? Because cash buyers are swooping in, purchasing the homes at 10-25% over the listed price; in cash.

The issue in Anderson is the lack of sustainable work opportunities. Anyone wanting to buy or build a home in Madison county, will face a 20-40 mile commute in order to work for a living wage. Outside of that, 10-12 bucks an hour, and high deductible healthcare plans are the offerings of the lions share of any "new" employers in that county.  You cannot raise a family, own a home, and feed your family on that kind of  wage. It is a losing proposition. 

What Madison County needs is a high value employer, paying an average of 21/hr, with a healthcare offering that makes sense for the workers. All things that are as rare as hens teeth in this part of the country today. 

  And what cause this to happen to Anderson and many, many other cities and towns across the country?     Why is has been the policies of the Republican Party/Predatory Capitalist, free trading with slave wage countries, union busting,  outsourcing American jobs to foreign countries, tax cut for the super rich and wars costing over 2 trillion dollars and protecting the crooked banks and stock market thieves.  That's who.     

                                                                           

[The Troll]

  Do you think that the Anderson Republican leaders will have enough "balls" to raze the Wigwam.  Get it off the taxpayers back.   

[Palehorse]

  Do you think that the Anderson Republican leaders will have enough "balls" to raze the Wigwam.  Get it off the taxpayers back.   

I've never seen a local population like the one in central Indiana, so ate up over high-school basketball that they will hang onto a parasitic structure like the Wig-Wam over nothing more than "glory days" thinking. Republican and democrat! 

Muncie has a couple of these places as well. . . 

Here's an article about one of them. . .

http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20130924/SPORTS05/309249967

[Anne]

You are too young to understand. 

[me]

I figured the one in Muncie was already gone.  I was in a lot of school programs there as well as attended a lot of bb games.  I attended a lot of bb games in the Wigwam when the kids were in school too as well as went to and worked a lot of home shows there and it is a neat building but there comes a time when practical has to out weigh sentiment. 

[Henry Hawk]

I've never seen a local population like the one in central Indiana, so ate up over high-school basketball that they will hang onto a parasitic structure like the Wig-Wam over nothing more than "glory days" thinking. Republican and democrat! 

Muncie has a couple of these places as well. . . 

Here's an article about one of them. . .

http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20130924/SPORTS05/309249967

I have to admit that I was one of those crazy, ate-up basketball fans that ADORED tourney time in madison county.  I watched plenty of games in the Wigwam.  It would be standing room only many times.  The smell of popcorn and the sounds of the cheerleaders.........all of it is still vividly in my mind.


But, it is more depressing to me, to see that old building just slowly decaying away.  Those days are over.  Never again, will high school basketball have that type of following.  It was a different world then.  I still go every once in a while to a high school game, but it is not the same.  I still love to watch it, but there is no electricity in the air, with standing room only crowds.  The popcorn doesn't even taste as good.....and the Cheerleaders look SO DAMN YOUNG!!! 

Time to move on....

[Anne]

What HH said, only it was the Pirate Palace that I watched most games in, not the Wigwam.

[Palehorse]

You are too young to understand. 

No. I am not.

What I am is from the north; that land of ice and snow, with the midnight sun, where the north winds blow.

I love ice hockey. I have always despised basketball; amateur, high school, professional; all of it.

I was depressed when they tore down old Chicago Stadium, home of the Chicago Blackhawks. A venue in which I had season tickets for years, and within which I saw many, many concerts in my formative years. But I was over it after the first season in the United Center, which replaced it.

As a young lad I loved baseball too. I spent many a long summer in the stands of Comiskey Park and Wrigley Field. Did I boo hoo it up when they tore Comiskey Park down to build a new stadium? No! Did I demand they keep it around for "old times sake"? No! Did its destruction take the memories of games and concerts I saw there? No!

I was there when the place caught fire with Jeff Beck on stage. He got pissed because everybody was watching the upper deck seats burn like hell-fire, and emitting so much smoke it turned the place dark at mid-day. He finally said "fuck the fire", and when no one paid him any more attention he threw down his guitar in a tizzy and walked off stage.

I still remember it all these years later. But Comiskey Park is long gone. So what? I'd feel the very same if the Cubs moved to Zimbabwe and they razed Wrigley to make room for government subsidized housing. So what?

Hoosiers care WAY too much about "historic" structures that at the end of the day are nothing more than a drain upon the local economy that it can ill afford. They place WAY too much value on "glory days" memories connected with basketball, when their valuations would be far more productive in solving the fiscal and societal challenges this depressed economy demands of them.

That stupid Gym and the ones in Delaware county need to be torn the hell down, and the land put to better uses other than representing a mind-numbing stroll down memory lane as it sits there crumbling before your very eyes; all the while sucking up revenue that is desperately needed by the communities within which they exist.

That's why people keep pictures. They don't cost the local economy anything and serve the same damned purpose!

[me]

I agree totally PH. 

[Henry Hawk]

Hoosiers care WAY too much about "historic" structures

On that note, did you know the gymnasium that was used to film the classic film "Hoosiers" is still in the exact same shape is was nearly 30 years ago.  It is a community building and a museum.

Just thought that was interesting to throw in there.

[The Troll]

No. I am not.

What I am is from the north; that land of ice and snow, with the midnight sun, where the north winds blow.

I love ice hockey. I have always despised basketball; amateur, high school, professional; all of it.

I was depressed when they tore down old Chicago Stadium, home of the Chicago Blackhawks. A venue in which I had season tickets for years, and within which I saw many, many concerts in my formative years. But I was over it after the first season in the United Center, which replaced it.

As a young lad I loved baseball too. I spent many a long summer in the stands of Comiskey Park and Wrigley Field. Did I boo hoo it up when they tore Comiskey Park down to build a new stadium? No! Did I demand they keep it around for "old times sake"? No! Did its destruction take the memories of games and concerts I saw there? No!

I was there when the place caught fire with Jeff Beck on stage. He got pissed because everybody was watching the upper deck seats burn like hell-fire, and emitting so much smoke it turned the place dark at mid-day. He finally said "fuck the fire", and when no one paid him any more attention he threw down his guitar in a tizzy and walked off stage.

I still remember it all these years later. But Comiskey Park is long gone. So what? I'd feel the very same if the Cubs moved to Zimbabwe and they razed Wrigley to make room for government subsidized housing. So what?

Hoosiers care WAY too much about "historic" structures that at the end of the day are nothing more than a drain upon the local economy that it can ill afford. They place WAY too much value on "glory days" memories connected with basketball, when their valuations would be far more productive in solving the fiscal and societal challenges this depressed economy demands of them.

That stupid Gym and the ones in Delaware county need to be torn the hell down, and the land put to better uses other than representing a mind-numbing stroll down memory lane as it sits there crumbling before your very eyes; all the while sucking up revenue that is desperately needed by the communities within which they exist.

That's why people keep pictures. They don't cost the local economy anything and serve the same damned purpose!

  From what I read is Anderson is about to unload the Wigwam on a entertainment group.     What do you want to bet it will fail and Anderson will be on the hook again to razz it.