As we continue to face the effects of the national recession, the City of Manitowoc is dealing with an unemployment rate of 10%. That is roughly 3,400 people - or roughly an entire Aldermanic District - out of work and that is unacceptable.
I know first-hand how tough it is for this portion of the population because I'm in the same boat. I've been between positions for many months now, after my employer opted not to renew my contract.
However, government can't create private sector jobs.
There are some on the City Council who believe that the current state of the economy means that government should cut and run; that more people should feel the pain of this recession. That is absolutely the wrong approach to the problem.
What city government can, and should, do is responsibly invest in the infrastructure, technologies and services that will attract prospective businesses to our community. We also need to continue to foster an environment and attitude that is condusive to the expansion of already existing businesses in our community.
A community making itself more marketable to prospective employers is no different than a job seeker making themself more marketable to prospective employers.
After my contract was not renewed, I understood that the current state of the job market required that I diversify my resume to make myself more marketable than other applicants. Even though money was tight, I knew it was in my best long-term interest to invest in my "professional infrastructure" and find a way to fit additional education into my budget. The same concept applies to city government.
For the City of Manitowoc this requires a renewed commitment to investing in the infrastructure that makes our city marketable to job creators: roads, public safety, parks and the employees that maintain these investments.