CALHOUN'S ECONOMY NEAR THE BOTTOM IN USA - Plenty Of Company In The Pits |
| (03/25/2006) |
| By Bob Weaver In Calhoun County, we do not view ourselves as poor. But we are - near the bottom in the USA. Rural people the world over, despite many differences, share one thing in common. For the most part, they have been neglected by their own governments and by an international community that continues to ignore the catastrophic consequences of what this inaction has brought. Chronic hunger could be greatly impacted if governments sought to raise the incomes through economic development in areas where the most vulnerable live. In West Virginia, the answer has been to consolidate and merge jails, schools and government, using an economic model called "economies of scale." That's where the little are taken over by the big, supposedly to save money. It rarely, if never, has worked. Often, government programs providing basic needs offered temporary solutions rather than actual jobs. Now, the globalized market has drawn hundreds of thousands of low-paying jobs from the poorest communities in the US. Globalization has drawn the higher paying jobs, too. The most vulnerable reside typically in rural areas, cut off from economic opportunities and standard services most Americans take for granted. The Appalachian Regional Commission, was purposefully created to bring roads, infrastructure and job opportunities to the regions poorest counties. Still, most of the ARCs money over the past 40 years has gone to developed and more prosperous counties, counties that have a lot more voters. Government statistics indicate the poorest areas have improved, but that may be linked to the exodus of families and workers. There are 3,143 Counties in the USA. Calhoun and McDowell County are in the 100 poorest counties per capita income in the USA. Calhoun and McDowell, Webster, Summers, Mingo and Clay are in the 100 poorest counties in the USA, median income. The State of West Virginia is ranked 49th in the USA with a per capita income of $16,477. (2000). It is ranked 49th in the USA with a median income of $29.696. Residents of Grantsville, West Virginia have a per capita income of $13,501. (Income charts follow at the end of this article) WEST VIRGINIA'S "BLACK HOLE" GETTING DARKER? In the world of the presidential fast track, globalized markets, NAFTA, GATT, WTO and free markets, our government would do well to look at who is being left behind. President George Bush had a blank stare on his face when the Dubai ports security deal came up, mostly because such deals are business as usual in the US. It is depressing to keep reporting West Virginia (and Calhoun County) is at or near the bottom of most lists, except when the economic studies are done by state government. During Underwood's administration, a published booklet gave glowing reports, indicating growth indicators and four chickens coming soon to every pot. There was no significant improvement during the Wise administration. Unemployment statistics issued by the government are often glowing, not indicating what is really going on with the economy. An independent study released by the National Center for Policy Analysis says "West Virginia has the lowest per capita income in the US and the worst economic record through the 1990's ... economic freedom is nowhere to be seen. The taxation system is so bad it can't even give Canada a run for its money." Granted, a lot of federal money gets sprinkled on WV, but there is little change in the dynamics of work, taxation and the economy. Some self-serving politicians, mostly those in leadership roles, have often sold their soul to special interests, keeping our beloved state in the economic pit for several generations, and now, state government is paying the price. There are few resources to create or maintain opportunities. The natural resource corporations - extractors - have successfully managed to polarize West Virginia workers (the politicians have generally cooperated) against the wrong people or groups, trying to maintain favored status. Opportunity and economic freedom, the promise of the "Great Society," seems to be fading as the gap between the have's and the have not's widens. Some call it the sinking of the American middle class. My dad, during the Great Depression, said his saddest day was when he could not find a job - no opportunity, no freedom. Most rural West Virginia's have left the desert of opportunity for greener fields in other states. Here in Sunny Cal, and over 30 counties where the school board is the biggest employer, the joblessness has been charted among the worst in the nation for years, and now it is even worsening as thousands of jobs are leaving the region, moving abroad. Calhoun people, those that are left, have dutifully gotten into their cars, driving 100-150 miles a day to find work are now suffering from high gasoline prices. We're not talking about people who don't want to work. The government seems to enjoy spending millions of dollars on re-training, but in Appalachia there are few jobs to be had. Here in Calhoun and in the region, hundreds of "dislocated workers" have been getting or will be getting training for jobs that do not exist. Furthermore, the state of West Virginia seems to be broke. "Under funded" now means broke. And lots of areas are "under funded" from retirement programs to health insurance to worker's compensation. Peter and Paul's credit card is maxed. West Virginia's leadership have played "lets pretend" for years, but the time for paying the fiddler is at hand, says Gov. Joe Manchin. Will a new breed of elected officials, Democrat or Republican, take a leadership role in pulling us toward economic freedom and opportunity? West Virginian's have a hard time admitting they're poor, a fact manipulated by politicians. That's why we frequently report the "bad numbers." At a time when the United States and US-backed international financial institutions are encouraging countries around the world to adopt free market economies, a new study examines how well our own states fare by that measure. The independent study released by the National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA) and Canada's Fraser Institute, shows a remarkable diversity among the 50 US states and 10 Canadian provinces. Delaware has the greatest economic freedom, opportunity and prosperity for its' citizens and West Virginia, you guessed it, is the worst. "It's easier to give advice than follow it," said NCPA Research Manager Devon Herrick, "but the pay off is significant for those states that promote economic freedom." "With few exceptions, economic freedom and prosperity go hand in hand," said Herrick. "States with low taxes and limited government tend to grow faster than states where the opposite is true." While economic freedom is not the sole determinant of a state's wealth, the correlation is strong. George Herbert said cynically "Hope is the poor mans bread." Let us have hope, but who or what will save us? WEST VIRGINIA COUNTY PER CAPITA/MEDIAN INCOME Number is rank in state's 55 counties, followed by per capita and median household income:
1 505 Putnam County $20,471 $41,892 USA STATES RANKED PER CAPITA INCOME (2000)
Connecticut - $28,766 USA STATES RANKED BY MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME (2000)
New Jersey - $55,146
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