Steve Mensing, Editor
♦25% of the folks living in Salisbury dwell in poverty according to U.S. Census stats. (28% poverty according to U.S. Census stats being trumpeted by MSN, Yahoo, CNN, Wall Street 24/7) Whatever the precise figures are, this information is calamitous according to persons who study dying cities. Its commonly held that cities reaching the tidewater mark of between 19% to 21% poverty deserve a decent burial–they ain’t coming back unless they achieved those figures during a nationwide depression like we endured in the 1930′s.
I’m extending some smelling salts in one hand and a plan in the other. Next week I’m going to begin our series: “The Rowan Free Press Plan to Lift Salisbury, NC Out of Poverty”.
Before more urban flight takes place here and city’s undeniable poverty mounts further, the city best explore alternative ways out of this serious city killing dilemma. At this point, Salisbury needs to step out of whatever they are employing and uncover novel and proven ways to haul itself up. The multi-part series will open with creative methods for problem solving and making trade offs. These are the ground floor of the RFP plan and will be followed by successful methods other small cities employed to bootstrap their way out of poverty’s rigor mortis.
In order to make this approach work, folks will have to put cover ups and denial aside because they will advance urban death here if continued. At this point in time Salisbury is a flat-lined house of cards with 68% of its children on school lunch programs and a large number of its population part of the chronic unseen unemployed.
Next week.
