2008 Woodie Awards
PSUC economic impact huge for Plattsburgh city
Plattsburgh State, students bring millions to city, North Country, local businesses
Benjamin Pomerance
Issue date: 12/7/07 Section: News
Originally published: 12/6/07 at 6:03 PM EST
Last update: 12/6/07 at 6:51 PM EST
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Imagine having $184 million all of your own.
Now imagine letting that entire sum slip through a hole in your pocket.
That, Mayor Donald Kasprzak said, would be the effect on the greater Plattsburgh area if Plattsburgh State ever closed its doors.
"Anybody in the North Country who doesn't appreciate the importance of Plattsburgh State needs to take another look at this institution and what it brings," Kasprzak said. "People need to realize how vital the college is to our growth and development. If something happened to Plattsburgh State, this community and this area would be drastically different places to live."
The most recent campus economic impact report, compiled by PSUC's Technical Assistance Center (TAC) following the 2004-05 academic year, suggests that Kasprzak has plenty of figures to back up his statement.
Six-digit figures like $43.8 million, the TAC reported annual salary total for PSUC's 1,466 workers during the 2004-05 academic year.
Or $37.3 million, the amount the TAC report states PSUC students spent in purchasing goods and services in Clinton, Franklin and Essex Counties in 2004-05, and $21.3 million, the reported sum spent by PSUC for institutional purchases in the three North County counties during that same time period.
And even $184 million, PSUC's total economic impact on the North Country in 2004-05, according to TAC report figures.
While no formal statement of PSUC's economic impact on the North Country has been issued by TAC or any other analysis group since the 2004-05 academic year, Kasprzak said he would be surprised if the dollar figures quoted in the last report hadn't continued to increase steadily since that time.
"I don't see why you'd be seeing anything but a positive change in those figures," Kasprzak said, pointing to PSUC's increased enrollment and the college's interest in constructing a brand-new building on campus for the first time since the late-1970s as signs of the institution's increasing vitality. "The college continues to grow, and the positive impact on the community and the region is growing with it."
Now imagine letting that entire sum slip through a hole in your pocket.
That, Mayor Donald Kasprzak said, would be the effect on the greater Plattsburgh area if Plattsburgh State ever closed its doors.
"Anybody in the North Country who doesn't appreciate the importance of Plattsburgh State needs to take another look at this institution and what it brings," Kasprzak said. "People need to realize how vital the college is to our growth and development. If something happened to Plattsburgh State, this community and this area would be drastically different places to live."
The most recent campus economic impact report, compiled by PSUC's Technical Assistance Center (TAC) following the 2004-05 academic year, suggests that Kasprzak has plenty of figures to back up his statement.
Six-digit figures like $43.8 million, the TAC reported annual salary total for PSUC's 1,466 workers during the 2004-05 academic year.
Or $37.3 million, the amount the TAC report states PSUC students spent in purchasing goods and services in Clinton, Franklin and Essex Counties in 2004-05, and $21.3 million, the reported sum spent by PSUC for institutional purchases in the three North County counties during that same time period.
And even $184 million, PSUC's total economic impact on the North Country in 2004-05, according to TAC report figures.
While no formal statement of PSUC's economic impact on the North Country has been issued by TAC or any other analysis group since the 2004-05 academic year, Kasprzak said he would be surprised if the dollar figures quoted in the last report hadn't continued to increase steadily since that time.
"I don't see why you'd be seeing anything but a positive change in those figures," Kasprzak said, pointing to PSUC's increased enrollment and the college's interest in constructing a brand-new building on campus for the first time since the late-1970s as signs of the institution's increasing vitality. "The college continues to grow, and the positive impact on the community and the region is growing with it."
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Eric Klinghoshen
posted 12/07/07 @ 10:43 AM EST
Wow--I can't believe my eyes. An article praising the college presence in Plattsburgh instead of bashing it? I haven't seen such enlightenment in years! About time someone brought the positive aspects of Plattsburgh State, both economically and socially, to the surface in the media. (Continued…)
BJ
posted 12/09/07 @ 11:32 AM EST
So Plattsburgh State isn't all bad? Students aren't all a bunch of drunks and bums?? Thanks to Cardinal Points for picking up on something too many people in the public and the media of Plattsburgh, NY completely miss. (Continued…)
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