Saving the region

Bridget Ginley of Erie.Effusion is this week’s “Behind the URL” at BFD.

It was posted later than usual because I got distracted this morning reading comments of this post in response to PD’s Quiet Crisis series on state of economic development organizations. Aside from a few tangents that added little to the discussion, it was an interesting look at activity vs. action, action vs. inaction, old guard vs. new thinkers, outside economic development vs. inside economic development, lawyers vs. entrepreneurs, establishment vs. entrepreneurs, nonprofits and for profits, taxpayer money, state and federal money, technology transfer. Oh heck, if you’ve got an hour to spare, read through the comments. Props to George Nemeth for providing the forum, to Henry Gomez, Becky Gaylord and Sandra Livingston for the original reporting in the PD and to Valdis Krebs for getting the conversation started.

My two cents? Having once served as editor of COSE Update magazine I can tell you that waiting or relying on the Greater Cleveland Partnership to make anything good happen in this town is a waste of energy. Here’s how the collective psyche over there thinks:

The new airport runway is going to save the region.

Saving NASA Glenn with save the region.

Electing Jane Campbell as mayor will save the region.

Team NEO will save the region.

JumpStart will save the region only if we put our sticky fingers all over it.

A new convention center will save the region.

Casino gambling is the key to saving the region.

You get the drift. They have no idea what will save the region.