MODE Remarks July97

MODE Remarks:
278 and slipping?

by Frank Pizzoli

Recently, Harrisburg took one on the chin in another flawed survey by the readers of Money magazine. The City of Harrisburg was rated as being the 278th most desirable place to live in the country, out of 300. Tim Reeves, of Governor Tom Ridge’s staff, said it best with his remark that Money ought to stick to counting bucks rather than measuring the quality of life. With a level head, City spokesman Randy King, also reported that he placed no credibility in the rating.

MODE remarks that there are many common sense reasons why longtime residents and recent arrivals value living here:

1. Rural schools are safer. During 1995-96, 182 rural school districts reported 5,974 incidents of violence. Urban schools reported nearly four times as many incidents, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

2. In rural Pennsylvania, a crime is reported to police every three and one half minutes. In urban Pennsylvania, a crime is reported every forty seconds, according to the 1995 Uniform Crime Report issued by the Pennsylvania State Police.

3. Domestic travel in Pennsylvania’s rural counties accounted for $2 billion in 1995, according to the U.S. Travel Council.

4. Tourism in 1995 contributed $137 million to rural tax coffers, according to the U.S. Travel Council.

5. Unemployment in Pennsylvania’s rural counties hit a seven-year low in 1996, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry.

PLEASE NOTE: that according to statistics, Harrisburg is considered a rural area, where a city the size of Philadelphia or Pittsburgh is considered urban.