EDITOR:

After I read the comments on Escanaba’s official survey regarding the old jail site development, most are thinking of only themselves. The retired man left town years ago because there were no decent jobs, now returns and wants his condo by the lake shore. The liberals are complaining that none of these projects are low income housing. Good, because no matter how many times they repeat the lie and they say Escanaba needs more LIH, it simply is not true.

Folks should not be thinking what can I get from this, but rather, they should always be thinking about someone else. We should always think there is someone in our community who is in much worse shape than me, and I must help them.

Escanaba was once the largest city in the Upper Peninsula, an industrial town. Over the years we have been losing people in droves because of no career type employment. It is short-sighted to think we are only capable of being a tourist town. Industry built our town. We have enough service sector jobs now, most can not even find employees willing to work them. We have plenty of space to build hotels. In fact we already have a hotel on the east end.

A few years ago the propaganda at the council meeting was there is no market for a hotel on that end of town. They claimed if they did not turn the House of Ludington into low income housing, it would have to be demolished. Now, we are considering building a hotel right across the street. As far as condos go, there is space for them if the market demands it, even along the lake. Ships have to be built near the water. It’s not uncommon for workers of Marinette Marine to rent an apartment in Escanaba, and drive to Marinette each day; the rent in Escanaba is more reasonable. Due to our new national liberal administration and the China virus, prices are up on everything, everywhere, including housing.

The citizens of Escanaba must realize the prosperity of our economy means his/her own prosperity and happiness. Just as Escanaba’s employers know that the happiness and contentment of his/her workers is the premise for the existence and future development and expansion of his/her own economic success. Long-term, quality jobs will bring in the year-round demand for everything else. Its how the free market works best. Let it both attract and bring back the most efficient, capable folks to Escanaba. I urge the council to strongly look to the future. I ask them to deviate from the path of the tourist trap and service sector employment industry. Please consider the North Shore Marine Project; work with them on setting boundaries and discussing time constraints to be met by the company. This has tremendous potential. Just taking a drive by the current worksite shows the dozens of cars parked in the fenced area right now working on ships to defend this great land.

Craig Taylor

Escanaba