The Milken Institute has released their annual report on the nations best performing cities when it comes to creating and sustaining jobs. Evansville came in at #166 for 2013 down 65 places from 101st in 2012 landing it as the 13th biggest loser on page 9 of the full report on the link entitled below Best-Performing-Cities-Report-2013.
Detroit that recently filed for bankruptcy after shrinking by 1.3 Million people over the last 60 years followed Evansville at #167 up 23 spots from #190 in 2012. Evansville trailed peer cities of Lexington (one of the biggest gainers), Louisville, Akron, and Flint.
All of the news for local cities was not bad though as Owensboro, KY registered in at #44 in the small MSA category where Hoosier city Columbus, IN came in at #2 based heavily on gains in jobs and wages.
A couple of observations from this report….
Firstly, both Evansville and Ft Wayne are among the biggest decliners. Why should Ft Wayne be a decliner? Wasn’t that subsidized hotel supposed to be lifting them up and creating all these wonderful jobs?
Secondly, look at the cities coming in last or nearly last on the list – Atlantic City, Reno, Gulfport/Biloxi, Las Vegas, etc. Do you see a trend there? What do the economies of these cities largely depend upon?
Anything that shows us dropping 65 places in one year is suspect. There really hasn’t been that much change from 2012 to 2013 in Evansville.
On closer examination, it appears Evansville didn’t actually drop as much as the other cities gained.
Stagnation isn’t quite as bad as losing, but it still means you aren’t winning.
You are exactly correct. This ranking is relative to other cities and the drop is in relative position from a year ago. Mathematically it could be that Evansville is better than it was a year ago but was passed by 65 cities who got better faster.
Think of this like a ball team that continues winning by the skin of their teeth while 65 others are blowing the same opponents out. One can drop dramatically in rankings while still winning games.
To give another example a couple of years ago Evansville was named the most obese place in America. It is not even in the top 10 today. One would think that Evansville has started exercising and lost weight to shed the obesity ranking. That is not necessarily true. It is mathematically possible that Evansville could be even fatter today but that many other cities just fattened up more and passed Evansville.
The “Fat Study” was not scientific and it only surveyed people using landline’s sitting around at home during the day. Who sits around using a landline during the day? The same people that have obesity problems: the poor, housewives, elderly, disability recipients.
We realize that it was a phone survey. Those political surveys that have margins of error of +/- 2% are done the same way. They are quite accurate when the number of samples are high. Was Evansville really the most obese? Maybe so and maybe not. We may still be but the reality is that Evansville is “among” the most obese cities and every once in a while will float to the top of these non-scientific surveys. Grades of 30%, 40%, and 50% are all F’s even though some made a better F. Perception is reality to the outside world. These surveys should be seen as constructive feedback on areas that need improvement. To his credit the current Mayor has tried to do some things to combat obesity. The previous Mayor talked allot about it and proceeded to wrap the METS buses in McDonald’s ads.
That is very Evansville of you to blame the study. Do you work in government of for the Chamber? You, like Evansville are like that kid that gets kicked out of college and then blames the professor for grading the unfair test wrong. Grading is a way of life in all cultures and the last remain last if all they do is whine and blame the test. In real life failures end up flipping burgers and whining to the government to raise the minimum wage. As far as Evansville coming up short on nearly every survey, why not shut your whining mouth and fix it. Our elected officials are sure as hell not going to.
If you want to live in a “winner” city there is a list of them on the front cover of that study. That’s where our best and brightest kids are going leaving us with what is essentially a bunch of dopes.
What a find. CCO you never stop to amaze me. Let the discussion begin.
Wonder what the Mayor has to say about this? Spin the news time.
were going to be big as detroit!! sweet! seems more and more like it everyday already though..
Evansville’s “Political pool” is filled with BIG political egos,–with LITTLE brains. — The continuing, deplorable marks, given in various categories to Evansville,–Most Fat, Most Miserable, and now noted as, a low mark, “Loser”.—How did we get here?
—Sorry folks, but the proof is in the pudding,–it’s obviously,–the result of YEARS of Quality(?) Leadership.
The sad part?–Nothing has changed in Evansville Politics and the “Rosy Future” they always predict as a product of their hand, is a Fantasy fed to the Citizenry,–while they empty the till.
Number 2 Columbus IN is no doubt thankful for manufacturers like Cummins Engine. I hope for Columbus and Indiana’s sake they don’t weigh anchor in an overreaction to HJR6, which the Republicans in the Indiana statehouse seem fixated on passing. Indiana shouldn’t go out of its way to run off premiere employers like Cummins, it should occasionally listen to them.
Evansville isn’t as bad as the naysayers make it sound. Couldn’t be.
I don’t mean to “naysay” Evansville, per se, but I will always, and relentlessly, ridicule
the Scumbags in Suits,(eg. ERBC) that “run” the “Show” in Evansville. They are a self-serving, contemptible bunch, and are the ones actually responsible for the denigrated condition of Evansville, –not us (powerless)peons.
I’m glad all these organizations are putting these polls out. They show how things really are from the view of others around the country instead of a bunch of local sunshine pumpers skewing the results to whatever makes them look good. These polls also make it all the more difficult for the current administration to get elected. That is The most progressive thing to get out of these polls.
Gee, I am surprised it didn’t fall farther. It certainly is not from lack of trying on the part of Evansville’s local political parties. LOL
Or, per he editor’s mathematic interpretation of survey statistics, is it merely that other communities have managed to elect real leadership after having faced the wonders of 2008. Evansville voters seem to have a little slower response to ‘throwing the incumbents out’.
Perhaps that key message needs stinger airtime… “THROW OUT ALL THE INCUMBENTS”
Gee, I am surprised it didn’t fall farther. It certainly is not from lack of trying on the part of Evansville’s local political parties. LOL
Or, per the editor’s mathematic interpretation of survey statistics, is it merely that other communities have managed to elect real leadership after having faced the wonders of 2008. Evansville voters seem to have a little slower response to ‘throwing the incumbents out’.
Perhaps that key message needs stinger airtime… “THROW OUT ALL THE INCUMBENTS”
Gee, I am surprised it didn’t fall farther. It certainly is not from lack of trying on the part of Evansville’s local political parties. LOL
Or, per the editor’s mathematic interpretation of survey statistics, is it merely that other communities have managed to elect real leadership after having faced the wonders of 2008. Evansville voters seem to have a little slower response to ‘throwing the incumbents out’.
Perhaps that key message needs stronger airtime… “THROW OUT ALL THE INCUMBENTS”
He thought his post was so nice that he would post it thrice!
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