When it comes to economic development, the Erie region has fallen far behind our peers. That’s the opinion of Laith Wardi, a national economic development specialist who serves on the Emerge 2040 standing committee. Wardi told Joel Natalie on TalkErie.com that investments have lagged behind other communities for 50 years.
“We need to make sure that we are being competitive as a community. Today that really means playing catch up in a lot of ways, because we have not invested. We have neglected some of the basic pillars of economic development for many years,” Wardi said.
Officials are hopeful that, with plans and personnel in place now, the Erie region can make advancements and catch up at providing what employers and businesses need to grow.
