Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Formerly About Advanced Micro Devices -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: TimF who wrote (530378)	11/19/2009 3:40:18 AM
From: tejek	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1575791

Upstate NY has really crummy weather. Its a major detractor. And it has New York State levels of taxes and regulation which is also a detractor.It is (or was, as many of the businesses went under, moved, or downsized) rather industrial and the regulations impact industry harder than they impact finance and other high end services which provide many of the downstate jobs. The downstate voters outnumber those upstate, so even if the upstate voters recognize the problem its hard for them to do anything about it. I don't think that's right. NYC and its suburbs have a lot of industry. Its in their best interest to retain as much of that industry as possible. Industry that has little profit margin will not be able to survive in a state with higher taxes. However much of the industry in upstate NY was highly profitable........GE, Carrier, Eastman Kodak, Xerox, Bausch Lomb, etc. I think most of the problem is that the cities of upstate NY did not remain competitive......not just from a tax and regulatory POV but in terms of lifestyle. The winter weather is crummy........you have to offset that by maximizing other geographic features. MPLS/ST.Paul have a winter carnival and an ice carving competition. Along with Madison, WI, they turn their lakes into skating rinks, ice hockey rinks and cross country venues. They built enclosed second floor bridges over downtown streets so people could avoid going outside during winter. Toronto has built an underground tunnel system. Seattle puts up lites all over the downtown area to counter the gloom of its winter. Those lites stay up for most of the winter months. Its also traditional to plant flowers everywhere in order to counter that same winter/Spring gloom. In Syracuse there is a lake within a mile of downtown Its a natural asset that sits empty and avoided, because its terribly polluted and literally smells when you drive by. Of all the cities in upstate NY, only Rochester tries to improve upon its assets.....or least it used to. I think its too easy to blame what's happening to upstate NY on taxes. Other areas have high taxes and are thriving. But you have to adapt to changes happening in the country.......like industry, cities need to stay competitive.....if they snooze, they lose.