Jobs and Economic Development Group - May 14

A City That Works - May 14, 2008
Jobs and Economic Development Discussion Group at The Inquirer Building

An enthusiastic group of about 12 people conducted an extended dialogue around their individual interpretations of “success” in Jobs and Economic Development. Participants were from various parts of the city and beyond; we were fortunate to have a broad range of perspectives that included a state representative, a small-business owner, a former redevelopment employee, people living and working in Philadelphia, and suburban residents commuting into the city.  Most voices had participated in Great Expectations forums before. They delivered a list of thoughtful, quality-based service expectations for city services that will guide in the new economic era.  

Jobs and Economic Development meant serious business to this group, who promoted new, locally developed products and urban agriculture as the way to achieve the city’s goals. There was also a message of less government and more local control in restoring economic vitality across the city.

-- Joan Davis

What does this goal mean to you?

• The people in my district experience a better standard of living because they obtained better jobs

• Trends of increasing per capita income and decreasing unemployment.

• I’ve received a reduction in the City Wage Tax.

• Philadelphia is nationally ranked among the Top 10 Cities to Live.

• An influx of new homeowners.

• Neighborhoods are cleaner as a result of better funded services.

• My neighborhood and all the city’s neighborhoods have greater power and authority over local land and its development.

• The city has gained competitive advantage with incentives design to attract new business sectors; e.g. medical sector.

• The city’s economic goals can be accomplished without Casino income.

• The city is better at capitalizing on what we have, reusing infrastructure for development and “green works.”

• Urban Agriculture initiatives are bringing about greener development.

• City departments are actively planning for the regeneration of brown space.

• Locally produced goods are generating sustainable income for the city and sustainable jobs for its citizens.

• Education is directed toward job skills needed for these new local products.

• Philadelphia’s unemployed are trained and redirected into these new industries, attaining sustainable jobs with fair pay.

• New career opportunities are responsible for the declining trend in unemployment and part-time work.

• The city is attractive to visitors from the surrounding area, and people from around the region are spending more money here.

Performance measures (What success would look like)

• Target a 10-20 percent decrease in unemployment within five years.

• Measure a decrease in “jobs wanted” ads.

• Measure increasing employment by job class.

• Measure decreasing income disparity across the city.

• Target a 20 percent increase in retention of college graduates within two years.

• Ensure the population increase includes families, measuring new residents with children older than 6, and how many of those are in public schools.

• Target a 25 percent increase in home ownership within 10 years.

• Target a 5 percent decrease in absentee homeowners within five years.

• Target the transfer of 50,000 units to Community Land Trust.

• Measure increasing square footage of commercial and institutional space in use.

• Measure increasing number of city acres dedicated to urban agriculture.

• Measure increasing availability of locally produced goods.

• Target a 10 percent decrease in underdeveloped areas within three years.

• Measure increasing solicitation of businesses to fill suitable spaces, and the success ratio.

• Measure increasing number of sustainable businesses introduced to former factory areas and revitalized neighborhoods. 

• Measure increasing linkages between agencies cooperating in regional economic development planning and implementation.

• Measure increasing regional utilization of the city’s hotels and restaurants.

• Measure increasing income generated from patrons of the arts and Philadelphia’s other attractions.

• Measure improvements generated from city and regional transit-oriented development; specifically decreasing auto usage and increasing utilization of public transportation.

Customer-service standards

• Use the corporate concepts of a Net Promoter Score (NPS) to have Philadelphia companies periodically assess how the city promotes or detracts from their ability to do business.

• Meet an expectation of excellent responsiveness by the relevant city departments, assessed through a structured polling of the effected populations.

• City services make it easier to establish a new business in Philadelphia.

• City tax returns are simplified.

• Performance results are posted publicly in various media.

• Present 311 results specific to business inquiries.

• Greater access through City Council and PhillyStat Meetings held in the evening when the majority of working people can attend.

• City services proactively target universities, high schools, and the unemployed to prepare prospects for employment and connect people with jobs.

• If the city must intervene, do it in a positive way.

• City services provide an efficient connection to resources in support of “import replacement”, the local development of products and their components.

• Consider concepts put forth by the Brookings Institute to guide economic development, capitalizing on what we already have.

• Conduct proactive collection of ideas from the public in a way that provides a broad cross-cut of issues by demographic identity.  Look outward to collect more regional ideas.

• Solicit public input through questionnaires on the effectiveness of existing programs and changes needed to bring greater improvements.