High Point gains world-class businesses
By Latimer Alexander
Your editorial, "Work-force weaknesses hold back local economy" (Nov. 28), was an interesting perspective. Somehow the editorialist felt that the economic incentives for Polo.com by High Point, Guilford County and the state of North Carolina should have been invested in greater education and preparedness of our work force in High Point.
I can assure those concerned in Greensboro that High Point is working very hard to assess our community's work-force skills and to enhance our citizens' ability to meet the job skills required for the head-of-household jobs in the 21st century. Our work-force development program is moving forward with broad community support. We are nearing the end of the second phase of assessment. The third phase of the process will begin in early 2007, where an oversight body will be created and a director and staff hired to implement the directives of the oversight body.
With respect to attracting world-class companies, High Point has enjoyed a wonderful 2006 in the area of economic expansion. High Point and its citizens have been blessed to attract more than 12 new companies. High Point is very proud of Ralph Lauren Media/Polo.com opening a new $40 million distribution center in our core city. Drawing 250-plus new jobs paying more than $34,000 per year is an excellent example of High Point EDC's continuing success.
We in High Point continue to work hard to make our community the fastest growing in Guilford County. We continue to work hard to make our household income levels the highest in Guilford County. We appreciate the concerns of the editorialist, but High Point will continue to do both, to educate and empower our citizens and attract world-class companies. We wish to encourage every community in the Triad and wish them great success in empowering their citizens with greater levels of education and job skills as well as attracting world-class business opportunities.
The writer is a member of the High Point City Council.
Comments (8)
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More Greek City-State sparring among Triad municipalities.
Posted on December 4, 2006 7:29 AM
Hugh,
I wish that High Point would join up with Davidson County and leave Guilford asap! They seem to have so much more in common, culturally and politically, with Davidson.
Posted on December 4, 2006 9:17 AM
I'm sure Fantasia will be happy to hear it.
It's amazing how many words were used in this letter without really telling us specifically what the workforce development program actually does.
I'm sorry but hiring a director and staff of an oversight body doesn't really give me the warm fuzzies when it comes to recognizable achievements. Sounds more like just another example of increasing government for bureaucracy's sake. And another bad use of taxpayer money.
Of course, when you're already giving Polo taxpayer money to shift from one triad community to another, what else can you expect?
Posted on December 4, 2006 9:20 AM
How about a free polo shirt for all taxpayers?
Posted on December 4, 2006 9:21 AM
"We continue to work hard to make our household income levels the highest in Guilford but High Point will continue to do both, to educate and empower our citizens and attract world-class companies".
I would like to know what the HP City Council have done in the Education department. As far as I am concerned they have let our three High Schools get pissed about with by the School Board.
High Point Central for the last six years and probably before that has scored better than Dudley or Smith. Dudley and Smith are on Judge Mannings list NOT Andrews or Central.
Andrews also scored better until 2003 which was when they started to discuss the Choice plan.
Dudley and Smith are much closer to Grimsley and Page than Andrews to Southwest. Ragsdale is closer to Andrews than Southwest.
We didnt need bussing more than Greensboro did. The Council stood by and did not say anything.
All this messing about has ruined the reputations of our people, it has ruined our schools. It has sent a racial message to poor kids that they can only learn next to a middle class kids.
ITS DISGUSTING and the High Point City Council must take the fair share of the blame.
They are a useless bunch of individuals who cant think of anything better than to go and steal a business from GSO, bring it to HP and then celebrate????
Posted on December 4, 2006 12:38 PM
Poor is a race now? :)
Posted on December 4, 2006 1:08 PM
I thought it was Sealy that was stolen/retaken from GSO. Polo.com is an "addition" to the economic development.
Which brings to mind something I saw this morning while paying my utility bill to the CITY OF HP! Why/how is a municipality buying and reselling power to its citizens? Anyway, across the lobby from the payment office in City Hall is the HP Economic Development Office. I thought, hmmm, what would happen if I go in and say that I am leaving HP? Would they offer me millions to stay? Pay for the U-haul to move me? What?
Lattimer Alexander is not my most favorite councilperson either. Check out his district and see the disparities.
Shalom
Posted on December 4, 2006 3:08 PM
Agree on the school comments. Where were all the caring councilpeople when the schools were being torn apart???
DD, are you insuating that there is something wrong with Davidson County, that they are not as "cultural" as Guilford, that HP is not as "cultural" as Greensboro??? What's up with the continual comments like the one you made?
Posted on December 5, 2006 9:51 AM