Michael Sauers

May 21, 2025

A few years ago, Congressman Dan Meuser met with “community leaders” at a gathering hosted by Bloomsburg University (Commonwealth University). The topic was the future of economic/community development, education/training and the federal government’s role. The problem was that a large majority of the affected community was absent or underrepresented. Teachers, non-profit organizations, labor (both organized and not), various professionals, seniors, general public, environmental groups etc., etc., etc. were missing from the conversation. This is typical. Future development plans usually come as a surprise and after the proposals are substantially developed.

Recently, May 5-7, Focus Central Pennsylvania, a regional economic development marketing alliance hosted several site selection consultants and industrial real estate experts for a tour of the areas assets (rail service, plentiful power, trained/inexpensive labor). The site selection consultants were members of the Site Selection Guild, the only association of the world’s foremost professional site selection consultants. They are global. The tour guests were joined by other community, economic development, industrial and infrastructure leaders. I’m guessing that there were a few elected representatives present.

Attendees were also kept abreast of Pennsylvania’s economic development momentum including the creation of a ten-year economic development strategy, the cutting of the Corporate Net Income Tax by half, launch of the PA Permit Fast Track Program, creation and implementation of PA sites program to build more pad-ready sites, roll out of the new BusinessPA team and much more. The aforementioned were developed by a very small cadre of vested individuals and involve large sums of “corporate welfare”.

Some of the people in Focus Central Pennsylvania are the same folks who proposed the Encina project. Encina backed out of the proposed project after intense push-back from the regional community led by Save Our Susquehanna. Was Save Our Susquehanna invited to the Focus Central Pennsylvania event? NO!

The problem with this approach is that it is top down. It excludes 99% of the affected community. There is no upfront community dialogue. Most of the principals are unelected. The 99% deserve a much greater say in what comes into their communities and what will impact their futures.

There is a huge need for a regional civic conversation!