I’ve been amazed at what has been written around the Erie blogosphere about the General Electric annual shareholders meeting, set for the Bayfront Convention Center, April 23. An awful lot has been written about “putting our best foot forward” and “what a great opportunity” this meeting presents for the community.
Many of the bloggers/commenters have talked about what a godsend the Bayfront Convention Center is and how we would not have been able to host this event without that facility and how it will showcase what a progressive, developing community Erie is to the many big investors who will visit.
Here’s a little reality check: the last time GE had a shareholder meeting in Erie, the pre-revamp Warner Theatre was utilized, and it worked just fine. Now it seems, we have to have a $100+ (and growing) taxpayer funded facility to just be worthy of this ONE day meeting. That’s right, IT'S ONE DAY! It's not a convention and it's not a public event. I'd be curious to see how many of the big investors are jetting in and out the same day.
HOLD YOUR WATER...YES it is a big deal and I’m thrilled they’re coming if only for the fact that GE Transportation deserves to be in the spotlight. They are at the absolute forefront of manufacturing technology and engineering. They are what all manufacturers locally and internationally should aspire to be. CEO John Dineen’s vision is what all industrial leaders should aim for.
As far as showing them what a progressive community Erie is. Sorry, but if the best we have to offer is a spiffy convention center funded by taxpayer dollars, then we fall majestically short of the mark! What we should be showing these investors and GE leadership is a community that has made investing in it, a worthwhile venture. Highlighting low taxes, a strong education system, and a skilled work force would mean a whole lot more to investors than a pretty building financed by taxpayers.
Taxpayers, meaning them! GE and their employees pay a ton of taxes in this community and what do we do with it? We spend it on convention centers, and the Ridge visitor/environmental center! Hardly what I’d label progressive.
The Erie Times News editorial board recently waxed poetically about what a great opportunity this meeting presents; I wonder are the planning to put out a flowery good news edition on April 23? No news of the cities fouled up financial state, County Executive Marky D's dim wittedness, City and County Council's antics, Cops stealing dope, etc etc.
I'm thrilled they are coming...but the bottom line is you can't fool these people with pretty, gift wrapping, which is what the Convention Center amounts to. We have a mess on our hands that has been created over a long period of time. State and local taxes are way out of whack, getting worse, and with no end in site. We really don’t have a very good story to tell potential business investors.
Many of the bloggers/commenters have talked about what a godsend the Bayfront Convention Center is and how we would not have been able to host this event without that facility and how it will showcase what a progressive, developing community Erie is to the many big investors who will visit.
Here’s a little reality check: the last time GE had a shareholder meeting in Erie, the pre-revamp Warner Theatre was utilized, and it worked just fine. Now it seems, we have to have a $100+ (and growing) taxpayer funded facility to just be worthy of this ONE day meeting. That’s right, IT'S ONE DAY! It's not a convention and it's not a public event. I'd be curious to see how many of the big investors are jetting in and out the same day.
HOLD YOUR WATER...YES it is a big deal and I’m thrilled they’re coming if only for the fact that GE Transportation deserves to be in the spotlight. They are at the absolute forefront of manufacturing technology and engineering. They are what all manufacturers locally and internationally should aspire to be. CEO John Dineen’s vision is what all industrial leaders should aim for.
As far as showing them what a progressive community Erie is. Sorry, but if the best we have to offer is a spiffy convention center funded by taxpayer dollars, then we fall majestically short of the mark! What we should be showing these investors and GE leadership is a community that has made investing in it, a worthwhile venture. Highlighting low taxes, a strong education system, and a skilled work force would mean a whole lot more to investors than a pretty building financed by taxpayers.
Taxpayers, meaning them! GE and their employees pay a ton of taxes in this community and what do we do with it? We spend it on convention centers, and the Ridge visitor/environmental center! Hardly what I’d label progressive.
The Erie Times News editorial board recently waxed poetically about what a great opportunity this meeting presents; I wonder are the planning to put out a flowery good news edition on April 23? No news of the cities fouled up financial state, County Executive Marky D's dim wittedness, City and County Council's antics, Cops stealing dope, etc etc.
I'm thrilled they are coming...but the bottom line is you can't fool these people with pretty, gift wrapping, which is what the Convention Center amounts to. We have a mess on our hands that has been created over a long period of time. State and local taxes are way out of whack, getting worse, and with no end in site. We really don’t have a very good story to tell potential business investors.
The time is long past that we as taxpayers and voters wake up to this reality and do something to redress the major issues facing this community. It won’t happen if we continue to elect and re-elect the same political hacks time and time again. We need real leadership willing to not follow the herd and once and awhile say NO to boondoggles like the Convention Center.
Yes, please clean up the cigarette butts, polish the windows, put up welcome signs, show city pride roll out any and all welcome mats, but remain realistic about this meeting and what will follow. The really incredible story is General Electric Transportation’s to tell and not that of the Erie community.
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