Grand Forks Economy

[SIOUXFAN97]

2 minutes ago, Big Lubowski said:

That's also an interesting point. GF's city government/engineering dept has a reputation for being difficult to work with. I can speak from some limited experience there but I also know some Fargo developers who have told me the same thing--they try to avoid GF because it's just too much hassle. Maybe Bochenski has made some inroads there and I hope he has. 

did some of the "good ole boys" leave behind some hard ass sleepers in the gov/engineering dept to make it more difficult to do business so you say f it and say not worth it?  

good ole boys 2.0

[Big Lubowski]

9 minutes ago, tnt said:

Organically?  What does that mean?   Grand Forks doesn't seem to have expanded "organically" recently.  Maybe we would have Marvin Windows and/or DigiKey if we weren't waiting for Grand Forks to grow organically. 

It means letting the market determine what works from a financial standpoint. Which most businesses are required to do. It's not when one comes calling for subsidies and the city rolls them out and they have a significant deleterious effect on already existing businesses. We usually talk about economic development in terms of creating "good jobs." I think that means the type of jobs that will cause people to want to move to GF and cause our young people to want to stay. There are a few of those with Fufeng. But, most will be jobs where local employees just move over to Fufeng. 

[tnt]

9 minutes ago, Big Lubowski said:

It means letting the market determine what works from a financial standpoint. Which most businesses are required to do. It's not when one comes calling for subsidies and the city rolls them out and they have a significant deleterious effect on already existing businesses. We usually talk about economic development in terms of creating "good jobs." I think that means the type of jobs that will cause people to want to move to GF and cause our young people to want to stay. There are a few of those with Fufeng. But, most will be jobs where local employees just move over to Fufeng. 

In other words, stay status quo, which hasn't worked.  I would rather have worldwide companies like Digi Key here, but that won't happen because no subsidies means no major business coming here, like it or not. 

[Big Lubowski]

12 minutes ago, tnt said:

In other words, stay status quo, which hasn't worked.  I would rather have worldwide companies like Digi Key here, but that won't happen because no subsidies means no major business coming here, like it or not. 

Part of the problem with Fufeng is the timing. ND usually has a work force available. It doesn’t right now. So, my point is, we’re just substituting a subsidized international employer for the home grown ones we have. There won’t be a significant economic gain. 

[Bison Dan]

1 hour ago, Big Lubowski said:

That's also an interesting point. GF's city government/engineering dept has a reputation for being difficult to work with. I can speak from some limited experience there but I also know some Fargo developers who have told me the same thing--they try to avoid GF because it's just too much hassle. Maybe Bochenski has made some inroads there and I hope he has. 

Same with county government.  Try building a home outside of GF and unless you have 15 acres to build on the county dictates location, driveway, etc. 

[1972]

20 minutes ago, Bison Dan said:

Same with county government.  Try building a home outside of GF and unless you have 15 acres to build on the county dictates location, driveway, etc. 

100% correct... i have a home on a little over 5 acres, and wanted to divided it with my brother in ln-law so we could share a larger shop, and each have a home...county said no....unless your name is greenberg or crary, you are handcuffed

[Cratter]

3 hours ago, UNDBIZ said:

Agreed, except when the new business is receiving millions in tax breaks/government subsidies.

That's a whole nother topic.

[Cratter]

4 hours ago, The Sicatoka said:

Amazon put up a million square feet and added about 1000 jobs at $18 per in Fargo. They're making it work in the same labor market conditions. 

Which is literally the wage McDonald's is advertising.

Edit: $15. I think I saw Hobby Lobby, Menards, Target advertising $18.

McDonald's historically is seen as setting the "market minimum wage."

 

[Cratter]

"Sorry GF is closed to all new business until unemployment numbers rise."

[Cratter]

2 hours ago, Kab said:

Where are the employees going to come from?

The 6,000 to 8,000 people that will be moving to Grand Forks the next ten years will need jobs.

Just like the previous 6,000 that moved from 2010.

[SIOUXFAN97]

40 minutes ago, 1972 said:

100% correct... i have a home on a little over 5 acres, and wanted to divided it with my brother in ln-law so we could share a larger shop, and each have a home...county said no....unless your name is greenberg or crary, you are handcuffed

why would the say no?  stupid.

[Kab]

58 minutes ago, 1972 said:

100% correct... i have a home on a little over 5 acres, and wanted to divided it with my brother in ln-law so we could share a larger shop, and each have a home...county said no....unless your name is greenberg or crary, you are handcuffed

Fargo is doing the same thing on larger parcels 

[The Sicatoka]

1 hour ago, Bison Dan said:

Same with county government.  Try building a home outside of GF and unless you have 15 acres to build on the county dictates location, driveway, etc. 

Are you in the extraterritorial controlled area of a city or pure country (township) of the county? 

Extraterritorial zone is all the misery of city zoning with none of the benefit. 

[gfhockey]

11 hours ago, Cratter said:

Weak businesses don't survive when competition arrives.

Competition drives higher wages.

If a business cannot afford to keep up maybe they shouldn't be in business.

 

Why’s the competition need millions upon millions in tax breaks when these “weak businesses” you speak of didn’t get any??

[The Sicatoka]

11 minutes ago, gfhockey said:

Why’s the competition need millions upon millions in tax breaks when these “weak businesses” you speak of didn’t get any??

Folks do realize the tax breaks we're talking about sunset after (normally) five years. That's also how ND Renaissance Zones work. 

[tnt]

30 minutes ago, gfhockey said:

Why’s the competition need millions upon millions in tax breaks when these “weak businesses” you speak of didn’t get any??

Why do we have to pay players NIL money, other players don't get it?   Yet, you would be the first to rail on the UND Athletic department when we are losing recruits because someone else is offering them something we don't.   It's the real world we live in today, so I would get used to it or trail behind everyone else.    

[UNDBIZ]

25 minutes ago, The Sicatoka said:

Folks do realize the tax breaks we're talking about sunset after (normally) five years. That's also how ND Renaissance Zones work. 

Articles mention the tax breaks going for 20 years for this project.

[Cratter]

51 minutes ago, gfhockey said:

Why’s the competition need millions upon millions in tax breaks when these “weak businesses” you speak of didn’t get any??

New buildings (houses and businesses) usually get some form of tax break all over the country.

You run a successful food trucks no physical taxes to pay. Seems unfair for the guy that rents a building for his restaurant doesn't it?

Run a construction company out of your garage and trailers: no tax. Build a showroom and offices: Taxes!

A level playing field would be zero taxes just because you want a physical building but we know that ain't gonna happen.

[Kab]

A lot of people not working are getting subsidies not to work and we wonder why there is a lack of people looking for work 

[The Sicatoka]

57 minutes ago, UNDBIZ said:

Articles mention the tax breaks going for 20 years for this project.

Twenty years would give me pause. I'd need the "why" behind it. 

[Bison Dan]

4 hours ago, The Sicatoka said:

Are you in the extraterritorial controlled area of a city or pure country (township) of the county? 

Extraterritorial zone is all the misery of city zoning with none of the benefit. 

Outside of the extraterritorial area.  If you're in the zone you are the mercy of city.

 

 

[The Sicatoka]

32 minutes ago, Bison Dan said:

If you're in the zone you are the mercy of city.

Yes, I have that scar. 

[Kab]

I hear another committee to decide where to put a new bridge

that should only take another 5 years

same as the i29 interchange

just build the damn thing and start looking at the next bridge and interchange for 30 years  down the line 

[gfNDfan]

GF/EGF do like their COMMITTEES!   sigh

[Cratter]