Economic Insider — March 27, 2009

Director's Focus
Keystone Opportunity Zone Extensions

As mentioned in the last edition of this column, we are currently pursuing authorization from local taxing districts to extend tax exemptions for undeveloped properties located in a number of existing Keystone Opportunity Zones in Crawford County. One of our most successful Keystone Opportunity Zones is located at Crawford Woodlands immediately across Mosiertown Road from the Crawford Business Park. To permit the continuation of tax incentives for a period of seven years beyond the expiration of the current zone in 2010, the County Commissioners, Crawford Central School District Board and the Vernon Township Supervisors are required to adopt complementary resolutions authorizing the extension.

I am absolutely delighted to report that upon review of our request, the County Commissioners, Crawford Central School board and Vernon Township supervisors, each unanimously adopted a resolution to support the extension of benefits to Crawford Woodlands.

I  know that it is often very difficult to support initiatives that can be conceived as depriving local taxing jurisdictions of revenue. But, I'm pleased to say that those responsible for setting policy for the county, school and township understand the need to have competitive tools to generate desired future economic benefits. While I am pleased to have their approval, I am even more impressed with the "how can we help" attitude that all seemed to share during our discussions. Support like that is greatly appreciated and necessary if we are to achieve the success we desire.

Next we are off to propose an extension of the Keystone Opportunity Zone at the Keystone Regional Industrial Park in Greenwood Township. We'll keep you posted.

Until next time...

Mark Turner

Personal Income and Outlays

A report released by the Department of Commerce regarding personal income and outlays for February 2009, shows that consumer spending increased 0.2% for the month after rising 1% in January. However, after adjusting for inflation, consumer spending for the month fell 0.2%. Personal income decreased $29.1 billion and disposable personal income decreased $10.5 billion, or 0.1%.

Private wage and salary disbursements decreased by $29.9 billion in February while government wage and salary disbursements increased $3.9 billion. Goods-producing industries payrolls decreased $12.6 billion, manufacturing payrolls decreased $5.1 billion and services industries payrolls decreased $17.2 billion.

Personal saving (disposable personal income less personal outlays) fell to $450.7 billion in February compared to $479.1 billion in January. Personal saving as a percentage of disposable personal income was 4.2% for the month.

The price index for personal consumption expenditure increased 0.3% in February, the same as in January. Prices, excluding food and energy, increased 0.2%, the same as in January.

source: Bureau of Economic Analysis.

PMI Certified for Fanuc Robotics Training

PMI is now certified as a commercial training facility for Fanuc Robotics and have scheduled their first course, Fanuc Robotics - Handling Tool Operation and Program, to be held April 6-9th, 2009 from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at their Meadville location, 764 Bessemer Street.

The course is 32 contact hours and covers the tasks that an operator, technician, engineer or programmer needs to set up and program a Fanuc Robotics Handling Tool software package. The course is intended for the person who must set up and record a program on a R-J, R-J2, R-J3, R-J3iB or R-J30iA controlled robot with an application software package.

Students successfully completing the course will be able to power up and jog the robot; recover from common program and robot faults; execute production operations; create, modify and execute a material-handling program; create and execute macros; monitor, force and simulate input and output signals; and backup and restore individual programs and files. The course consists of lectures, demonstrations and a series of lab exercises. In addition, a pre-test and post-test are used to measure mastery of objectives.

Cost for the course is $1,420. If you are interested in signing up any of your employees, contact Kristine Main at 814-333-2415.

Here to Help Event

Here to Help day events are being held in every county statewide to assist those who have been affected by the economic downturn. Visitors will receive information regarding assistance available through the many programs and services available from state, county and local governments.

The Western Crawford County United Way and Pennsylvania Career Link are sponsoring the event in Crawford County, offering information regarding energy and food assistance, medical benefits, child care information, credit counseling, mortgage and housing assistance, employment services, unemployment compensation questions and answers, prescription programs and much more.

This resource fair is free to the public and includes lunch. It will be held Tuesday, March 31, 2009 at the New Beginnings Church of God, 13226 Leslie Road, Meadville. Sign-in begins at 11:30 a.m., lunch to be served at 12 noon with the Resource Fair to follow.

If you plan to attend, please call the United Way at 814-337-1251 to provide the names and the total number of people who will be attending.