Make NEPA college town

Published: August 29, 2010

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Some politicians who see tax-exempt universities as an untapped cash cow for government treasuries have ignored a recent University of Scranton analysis that the institution generates $411 million in local economic activity.

Unfortunately, they also seem not to notice the huge increase in the student population at this time of year instead of working to make it an even larger cash cow for the private economy and, therefore, for the general tax base.

Nearly 12,000 students are enrolled this year at colleges and universities in Lackawanna County alone, including record-sized freshman classes at several institutions. Across Northeast Pennsylvania, about 50,000 students are enrolled, according to the regional association of college and university presidents.

That influx is more than a traffic jam around the campuses. It is a huge market and, too often, lost opportunity for the short and long terms.

Local governments should strive to tap economic potential inherent in so large a population. The opportunities are open-ended, from policies that support commercial and retail business development near campuses, to incentives that promote entrepreneurship. The latter, in turn, help to create long-term opportunities that convert college students into permanent, well-paid, tax-paying residents.

Several industrial areas of the Northeast have remade their economies on the "meds and eds" model, perhaps best illustrated by Pittsburgh. With a new medical school and institutions that serve every niche on the higher education spectrum, Northeast Pennsylvania is well-positioned for similar development. Local governments should help to drive the transformation by embracing the potential of local universities and their student populations, rather than worrying about shaking them down.

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