Evraz Claymont Steel is shutting all operations effective Dec. 13, employees were told today, putting about 375 workers out of a job.
For a state still reeling from the loss of two automobile plants, and with what are likely good-paying jobs at the steel mill, “it’s another blow to the state economy,” said James Butkiewicz, chairman of the economics department at the University of Delaware. http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20131014/BUSINESS06/310140051/Evraz-Claymont-Steel-shutting-down?odyssey=mod|breaking|text|Home
Catherine Rossi, communications director for Markell, said, “The Delaware Department of Labor’s rapid response team will coordinate with plant management to provide a variety of services to the employees affected by the idling of the plant,” Rossi said.
Wow! Perhaps if the Governor had a rapid intervention team the state's economy wouldn't be crumbling. So, let's look the big picture:
In September, the Gov heralded the creation of 27 jobs making Koolaid in Dover. No more pushing out-of-state koolaid. Now, he can his punch brew in-house. This thrilling announcement was preceded by a release from Moody's Analytics reporting that Delaware was the only state in the country still at risk for falling into an economic recession.
The grim picture of Delaware’s economy comes from a review of the state’s employment trends, housing starts, home prices and industrial production, indicators Moody’s studies in all states to identify economic progress four years after the end of the recession. http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013309120034Then came news that Delaware's racinos needed a bailout. All around us, from Maryland to Pennsylvania, casinos and other forms of gambling have been shepherded through the legislatures of our neighboring states to help them recover from their own recessions. Surely, the Gov recognized that as these new ventures opened, Delaware would loose its monopoly on gambling. Or apparently not. Yesterday, the head of UD Econ Department weighed in with a message that should scare the pants off our Gov - our casinos are not going to recover! In fact, it appears that our reliance is going to put the permanent squeeze on our state budget. Don't worry, Jack, you will have exceeded your term limit when the real pain comes to pass. We'll all be watching when you do the GOP dance and pass the buck along with it to your successor.
Of course, there continue to be the outliers - Fisker, that's gone belly-up taking our state aid with it and the latest battle over the UD-based data center and its accompanying power plant which has already received the Gov's stamp of approval over a local residential protest of its inappropriate placement. I know, I know. If Jack's mum lived on West Park or in Arbour Park, the proposal would never have reached the light of day. But, mum lives in the stately burbs of western Newark where the noise and pollution will be far less noticeable.
“We all want to create jobs,” Markell said. “The one thing we have to do is we have to stop saying no.” http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013310110050Yes, yes. As long as they won't compromise the quality of life that our Gov. lives. Who gives about a damn about the area residents? In the meantime, Jack's failure of a governorship just put 200 residents of our state out of work. Hey, maybe that data center and power plant would be better suited for Claymont? Or the Fiskar site? Or even Dover? But, really, in folks front, side, and back yards?
2 comments:
Newark has suburbs?
The key words was "stately." Newark is all suburban despite it's official name, the City of Newark. There are those who believe that Wilmington is a suburb of Philadelpia and that Newark is a suburb of Wilmington. However, those of us who reside in Newark know where the "stately" and affluent burbs end and the working class burbs begin.
Mum lives in a stately burb surrounded by UD profs in an upper middle class neighborhood. But, what else can you expect from folks who buy homes on streets named for former UD presidents?
And lest you all fear I have been stalking the Gov's mum, I haven't. I grew up on the same road named for that former UD pres. My 'rents bay window looks across the street and into the gov's mum's house. Yep, good ole Delaware, we're just that damn small!
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