The dreaded 'brain drain' hammering Toledo - "They’re young, single, college-educated, and coveted by leaders across the country for helping revitalize regions - and they’re leaving the Toledo area in droves. The latest census figures confirm what some area leaders and scholars have pegged as a major hurdle to northwest Ohio overcoming its long-term economic woes: Metropolitan Toledo continues to lose twice as many residents in that demographic than it gains, often called "brain drain." Where does one stand to watch this "droves" migration?
"The figures, released this week, rank metro Toledo - which is Lucas, Wood, and Fulton counties - as 207th out of 276 metro areas across the country. That’s worse than every major metro area in Ohio, including Youngstown, and worse than smaller metro areas in Ohio except for Steubenville."
"City leaders have pursued various strategies to stop brain drain - which former Mayor Carty Finkbeiner once called the city’s biggest problem. They’re creating a citywide arts plan to help make the area more attractive to young, single, college graduates."
"Several government agencies are studying how to re-align a hodge-podge of economic development agencies to better create and retain good-paying jobs, including those geared for a new generation."
Issue 1, which was defeated yesterday, was suppose to help bring high-tech jobs to all of Ohio, even the Toledo area. Similar to the grant given to UT recently that funds work for hydrogen fuel cell research. Yet the Blade commanded us to vote against Issue 1, because of the Blade's "grave misgivings" about the amendment. Such theater.
posted by jr to business at 7:56 P.M. EST
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An entertaining column by Blade columnist Roberta de Boer about the "brain drain."
"And now, the latest census stats tell us, we need a tourniquet to staunch metro Toledo’s rapid outflow of youth. But at the risk of irritating the Chamber of Commerce types among us, may I gently suggest that, for so many well-educated young people, cities like Toledo will always tend to be places of departure, not destination?"
"Despite our best efforts, I’m not sure that we ever will transform Toledo into the cosmopolitan, happenin’ place to which young professionals flock - or, at least, think twice about leaving."
"Moreover, I think the harsher truth is this: We really don’t want to be a young person’s town. That’s just not who we are. That’s not our psychological profile."
"Toledo is and always has been 43 years old, give or take a year. We still like a good time, but can’t seem to stay up much past midnight anymore. But that’s OK, because our definition of "good time" no longer means endless partying."
"No, we’re too busy raising our families for that kind of nonsense. After all, we are a family-oriented town above all else. And, to tell you the truth, when young people make too much noise, it gets on our nerves. We like things nice ‘n’ quiet. Peaceful."
posted by jr at 10:18 P.M. EST on Thu Nov 06, 2003 #
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