I grew up in CNY (through high school), then left. Since then I have lived all over the world, but still come back to CNY from time to time. I'm basically an outsider, looking in at this point. I've see cities and towns that are succeeding or failing all throughout the world, and whats happening in Syracuse is fairly obvious, and 95% is self-inflicted. NY itself is not an optimal business state. The combination of taxes, regulations, heavy unionization all conspire to stack the deck (economically) against any business that operates within the state. Syracuse itself seems to amplify all these factors, and then add to them with factors of its own. I could list them in detail here, but won't for the sake of brevity. Lets just say that the city couldn't have been more effective in crushing opportunity if that had been its long term stated goal. All businesses have life cycles (lets say 30 years). At the end of that cycle the company must either reinvent itself locally (reinvest), relocate to greener pastures, or do nothing and fade into insolvency. Without a single notable exception that I can think of, every single major operation in Syracuse has either departed, or faded. Not one has chose to stay and renew its ties to Syracuse. Over the course of 30 years that means the attrition on Syracuse businesses has been catastrophic and nearly complete. The economic climate within the city limits would never be described as "Pro-business". Take a look at the map graphic. Note how the economic debacle that is Syracuse ends at the city limits. The local area is actually decent, but the core of the apple is rotten. For 2-3 generations Syracuse has chosen leaders who prioritize social spending and issues over fostering prosperity. The results of that misguided approach speak for themselves. The time-tested saying "The Road to Ruin is paved with good intentions" was never more true. I'm not sure what the fix-it plan is. Syracuse (the part within the city limits) entered the economic death spiral quite a while back. More and more revenue was sought and comitted, but less and less was being collected. The majority of people still living withing the city are on the lowest economic rungs (and few show indication of any willingness or ability to climb up to higher levels). Old businesses are dying off, but any new business startups stop abruptly at the city limits. Basic elements of economic Darwinism are abundantly evident. The tax base has collapsed, while the appetite for tax-fueled spending has never been greater. It was all avoidable, but now its just a reality. I wish my former home all the best in sorting out the mess it has created for itself, but frankly I'm pessimistic. The sense of denial among local residents (or even worse, the insistence on doubling down on the failed "social justice" approach towards government administration) leads me to believe that Syracuse has a ways to go before improvement will be seen. Syracuse has hit rock bottom, but instead of finding a rope to start the long climb out of the hole, it has grabbed picks and shovels and started to dig...
Scott | Leavenworth, KS | Report Abuse