According to a Bureau of Labor Statistics press release dated November 13, 2007, the average weekly wage in Pennsylvania was $849, which is $36 below the nationwide level. The release includes information that in all 48 smaller counties, (those with employment below 75,000) Sullivan County reported the lowest wage level, at $452. The highest wage among the 48 smaller counties was Montour County at $847, followed by Greene County at $803.
When all 67 counties in Pennsylvania were considered, three - Sullivan, Susquehanna and Perry - had wages below $500.
When you are a county who is next to last in weekly wages earned in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania - and you have an interstate highway system running through the county connecting to the East Coast both directly North and South of the county, a strip which begs to be developed with municipal sewage running through it, two class one railroads, cheap (relatively speaking) land, good internet service and obviously cheap labor; you would think something would have happened by now. My Friends, you would think we would be marketing ourselves to the moon.
You would think…..
We have two new Commissioners and one returning Commissioner as of today. Let’s encourage them to do the right thing. Move this county forward so we aren’t earning the second lowest average weekly wages in Pennsylvania.
Where is the economic development board in all this??? If you see a member, ask. Their responses should be interesting.
The BLS website www.bls.gov/ro3/ has a lot of good information if you have the time to review it.
Oh yes, you may see some of this information in one of the local papers this week or next. Just remember, you saw it here first.