IBM In New York

A while back, Jack Harding – who was traveling at the time – sent an e-mail saying this was coming and linking to an article in a technical journal.  We had trouble with the link and, so, did not post the item on this site.

The point is – this story may be news to the Freeps but nobody should be surprised.  IBM doesn't do things impulsively.  The CEO of the company doesn't get up some morning and say, "What the hell, let's expand in New York."  Or, "You know, I never liked maple syrup, anyway.  I think I'll stick it to those rubes in Vermont."  These things happen because of forces and trends that have been building over long periods of time and policy decisions that were made months and, even, years ago.   This means that decisions being made, or avoided, in Montpelier today will come back to bear fruit – or bite us in the backside – in the future.

So ... what are we hearing about the economic future of the state?  What plans and initiatives for taking Vermont where it needs to go are being put forward for debate?  Who has an idea for what we will do to replace the economic activity generated by our small sliver of the IBM pie when it goes away – as it inevitably will?

So far, the most imaginative idea from the gubinatorial campaign has been one put forward by Anthony Pollina.  He wants the state to start issuing its own credit cards.  If you use one to buy some item, the state collects the fees that now go to the big bad banks and puts the money into energy or agricultural programs.

It is a terrible idea.  But, hey, so far it is the only idea anyone has come up with.

In the old days, there was a poster around IBM work spaces that displayed the single word – "THINK."  Vermont needs to start thinking seriously about its future which, given the present drift, is looking increasingly bleak.

Comments

[Brattleboro_conservative]

A certain friend of mine from Warren once called Massachusetts, "A Fathead State". Unfortunately Massachusetts should cede that title to Vermont. Nuff said...

[GreggB]

Hang on Vermonters prosperity is right around the corner... Prosperity is always right around the corner from Vermont. Could be here any minute nobody move or it might miss us.
Sigh.

[Jim Gatti]

Sadly nothing will change things until the local and state government in Vermont hits the fiscal wall. And they will probably do so sooner than any of us can imagine.
As opportunity stagnates or declines people will continue to move out, further eroding the economic base, tax revenues will decline and with it public services. It is unlikely that it will be the least useful of those services that will be cut, so the infrastructure will deteriorate still further leading to still more economic stagnation/decline. It won't be long before the state is populated by nothing but coupon clippers and back-to-the-earth types. "And so it goes." Kurt Vonnegut, Slaughterhouse Five

[Chris Campion]

It seems Vermont is married to Michigan's point of view (link below) when it comes to attracting businesses to locate and stay in Vermont. There's a reason why business does not flourish and our job growth rate has dropped Vermont off the charts of most desirable places to live. It's because of systemic and pre-conceived political agendas in Montpelier that have been designed to strangle the economic vitality of the state. All of these efforts are done in the name of several causes, none of which seem to be geared toward helping average Vermonters live their own prosperous lives here.

You can keep sticking it to The Man, but eventually The Man will go somewhere else where he's not taxed/regulated/disregarded into oblivion, and then how will the state fund all its now-required assistance programs to keep Vermonters warm in their hovels over the winter?

Oh, wait, I'm sorry. The Fed will pay for it. My bad.

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080608/OPINION03/806080310/1271

[Bob Scudero]

IBM will be spending over 1 billion in NY. I believe that IBM sacrificed a superior workforce for a more stable and predictable political environment at East Fishkill NY. It is expensive to operate in VT with difficult unpredictable permitting, and expensive power. I personally believe the deciding event was performed by our Congressman Bernie Sanders. Sanders challenged the CEO Lou Gerstner at the annual stockholders meeting. This event is forgotten by most and the media. I have not forgotten it! I was personally ashamed that my representative would behave so selfishly. He furthered his career and permanently damaged our tax base and source of jobs.