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Friday, May 8, 2009 9:12 PM CDT
OUR VIEW: 'Hope' should lead to economic recovery
By the JG/T-C
editorial@jg-tc.com
“Hope” was the message at the recent Coles Together annual meeting.
Edward Feser, head of the University of Illinois Department of Urban and Regional Planning, told members of the county economic development organization that historically, Coles County has been resilient even in times of economic hardship.
Although the county’s poverty rate is high, the county historically has a lower unemployment rate than the rest of the country or Illinois, and has risen from past recessions in a shorter amount of time. In addition, the county’s housing values and education level also point to a prosperous area.
In other words, Feser believes the county will be able to weather the current recession even better than many of our neighboring counties.
The FutureGen project, if finalized, will bring jobs to the area, but Feser believes there will be job growth in other areas, as well.
Coles Together President Angela Griffin even ventured to say that the county will “emerge stronger and more vibrant” from the recession.
That’s good news to residents of Coles County and the surrounding area.
While it’s true that all area residents and local businesses are feeling the pinch of the poor economy, it’s also true that the local economy is plugging ahead.
Yes, there have been cutbacks and job losses locally, but compared to other counties in the nation of similar size, the Coles County economy is steady.
This isn’t the first time the area has suffered through an economic slump. We’ve been here before, but we haven’t stopped growing yet.
Take a look around the Coles County area and you’ll see new buildings and businesses that weren’t there a year or two ago. Others have not only stayed in business, but have secured funding to improve the structure of their facilities inside and out.
All of these are signs that point to better days ahead, even though the path may be rocky for a while longer.
We agree with Coles Together leaders who believe the county will emerge from the recession even stronger than it was before, and we encourage all residents to support local businesses and keep that hope alive.
— JG/T-C Editorial Board
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Jim1969 wrote on May 9, 2009 2:54 AM: