S.A.L TO “TAKE A BREAK”

We recently returned from a short trip necessitated by our desire to “clear away the cobwebs”. While on the road, we had the opportunity to reexamine our priorities and have concluded that as this writer approaches his 77^th birthday, it is time to retreat into a more sedentary lifestyle and begin to enjoy our remaining years.

We can take pride in the fact that during our long-term as a journalist, we have fought the good fight and have earned our spurs, so to speak. But it has become obvious that we no longer have the drive nor the desire to continue on a path which has been both rewarding and frustrating. The years have taken their toll and we have seen both the best and the worst of journalism; have rubbed elbows with some of the finest and some of the worst society has to offer. We have finally concluded that while our endeavors have been rewarding, if not always what we sought, we have least made an impact through our efforts, and while many would agree, many would not.

After all is said and done we must admit, we are just plain tired of fighting the battle against apathy, lethargy and indifference; tired of fighting for a cause which people say they want, but put little if any of their own effort into. The time has come for us to take a back seat and let others take over the battle.

We have watched Ted Brunelle and his SCRANTON POST come into existence, and we applaud his efforts and wish him the best of luck. We firmly believe Ted is a dedicated and honest entrepreneur who will do his best to present Scranton and its people with an alternative to the controlled media of the area. We also believe he is on the right track and, with the cooperation of dedicated individuals, he will make a go of the POST.

We come from the “old school” of journalism and we still believe the ink continues to flow through our veins, but we can’t embrace the “new” journalism and a 9-5 approach to presenting news. News needs to be covered while it is happening, and presented while it is fresh and in a manner which is conducive to good reporting. There is not now, nor has there ever been, a “textbook” approach to journalism. You are either a journalist or you are a “wannabee” with an ego. Experience and time will dictate whether or not one has IT!

We will not fade completely, reserving the right to enter the fray as we see fit. Politics has always been our true love, and while we have made many waves, and upset a lot of applecarts, we do not intend to fade away. The coroner will determine when we are ready to quit completely. Until that time, we will remain active and ready to take on any cause.

In the interim, we have complete faith that the POST will flourish and that Mr. Brunelle and his staff will be able to carry on the fight. Unfortunately, we could not be a participant in the POST’s efforts for personal reasons which we will leave at that.

We sincerely hope YOU will support the POST and do your best to see it grow. Scranton needs the POST and your efforts will be the determining factor in its future. Without your help, and that of the masses, Scranton will remain subject to a controlled media.

We hope Mr. Brunelle will be able to get an answer from Chief Elliott as to the difference between “overtime whores” and “political whores”. Scranton has an overabundance of the latter, and we feel confident Ted will be able to sort them out. In the meantime, we thank our loyal readers and encourage them to step up to the plate and be counted.

Thanks to everyone for their support over the past two and a half years and we assure you, we’ll always be on the sidelines watching….and will step in again, if needed.

JOE TALAMINI

Editor/Publisher

Scranton-at-Large

SCRANTON A DYING CITY….FORBES

Forbes Magazine, one of the most prestigious and respected publications in the business community says Scranton is among 10 top-rated cities which are dying!

In its latest edition, the magazine claims Scranton, along with Canton, Ohio; Cleveland, Ohio; Charleston, W.Va. and several other cities are among the rapidly dying cities in the U.S., attributed mostly to lack of industry, growth and economic futility. Though the cities cited were not listed in any order, it should be noted that Scranton was fourth on the list of economically strapped cities which are listed as “dying”.

It will be interesting to see what kind of spin Mayor Chris Doherty and Chamber of Commerce President Austin Burke will attempt to put on this “revelation”. Undoubtedly, these two “leaders” will claim Forbes is off-target and that the city, which has been listed as distressed for several years, is undergoing a “recovery” and is well on the way to recovery. This, in spite of the fact the city is already more than $400,000,000 in debt and is considered to be a short step away from economic disaster. These are not our words, but they come from major reliable sources with whom we maintain regular contact. One of these sources had previously cited Scranton’s failure to develop any industry and its continued policy of tax & spend and a propensity to borrow and spend with little hope of economic recovery but rather a “rose colored glasses” approach to any recovery.

As one of our sources put it, so succinctly, as long as Scranton maintains its present policy, and lack of vision, the city will sink into a quagmire so large it will take a miracle to bail out. “We have been looking at the facts and figures, as proffered by the city leaders, and they don’t make sense. With so little a tax base, and the continued “giveaway” via the use of KOZ’s, Scranton’s hopes for recovery are destined for failure by any logical gauge,” said one astute observer of the economic scene. “There is no way my company would ever lend Scranton a dime until they reign in their amateurish approach to good, sound economic policies. The words offered by your civic leaders are obviously designed to make themselves look good, but they just don’t match up with any logical approach to your economic situation. At best, Scranton has the potential to get back on track to a recovery, but a thorough examination of political agendas is necessary!” Others agreed and felt the city has no viable plan to bail itself out but is merely spouting rhetoric designed to prolong their individual “beliefs” that they can bring the city back into the mainstream.

The abundance of older citizens and a failure to offer a plan to keep young people in the city, or to attract “new blood” must be considered. “As we see it, Scranton is a ‘service’ oriented city and has little, if anything, to offer its young people. Without a young and growing work force, and the jobs to keep them here, the city has slim chance of recovering from the economic doldrums. In fairness, the overall picture must include surrounding areas (i.e Wilkes Barre) which are taken into consideration when one looks at the “metropolitan” area designation. While Scranton is the center of the area, it is also the chief culprit in the overall picture. Comparing the city today to its heyday of yesteryear, it is apparent that there is little hope for a return to its glory of the past”, the

source concluded. “In order to rebuild, according to the plans we have seen from your Mayor and politicians, you must have a workable plan to bring new industry and business into your area,” another said. “I honestly see no incentive for any industry to move into the area, especially since the infra-structure and livability factors are not in place. The road to recovery includes an overall plan to have something to offer a potential tenant, not just promises and political gab. It requires good, sound leadership and the ability to prove an extensive plan for recovery is in place. You can’t run any business, let along a city, based on the hopes that Federal monies will always be there to use, or abuse, as you see fit. Scranton needs a lot more common sense and a lot less “high hopes” if you ever expect to see any growth, or recovery. We don’t see that vision in Scranton,” he said.

“To begin with, the city needs to get its house in order, put a halt to its over-spending, and check its egos at the door. It is not a city of boutiques and fancy establishments…not with the economic base so low. Everyone would like to think they live in a progressive city, but in order to make progress, you must sometime back up and reexamine your priorities. Obviously, Scranton’s priorities are not in line with its needs. When I visited with you last year, I saw the deplorable conditions of its roads, the lack of affordable housing, and the failure of its leaders to address the needs of the city. Rather, your city leaders seem to gear their efforts towards their wants, not the city’s needs. As I told you then, we would not even consider Scranton for a small distribution center. There are too many other sections of eastern Pennsylvania which seem to have adequate and viable planning. If we were to give serious consideration to a move into your area, Scranton would not even be in the ball park for our future plans. Too far off base for any business!”

EDITORS NOTE: The quotes mentioned above were from a “development engineer” from a major corporate entity who had contacted us in the past. This gentleman and I go back a long way to my days as an editor of a major financial investment newsletter. His words are his, and his observations were made without prodding. His company has world-wide interests and is a major corporate body with vast holdings. As a personal aside, he cited the fact that if progress is to be made in Scranton, petty politics is an impediment which must be removed. “There is no need for any self-serving ‘pol’ to believe he can rescue a city like this without a solid and common sense approach. I don’t see that in present leadership and from what we’ve seen, it isn’t on the horizon” he said