Harrisburg:  Scott Sheely, Executive Director of the Lancaster County Workforce Investment Board, was a guest on Smart Talk, a weekly public affairs program, on WITF on December 11.  Sheely joined Bill George, President of the PA AFL-CIO; Dr. Matthew Woessner, Associate Professor of Political Science and Public Policy at Penn State Harrisburg; and Dr. Mark Price, Labor Economist with the Keystone Research Center along with host Nell McCormack Abom to discuss the proposals of the Obama Administration to encourage job growth.  Click here to see more information on the program.

In the midst of a lively policy debate by George and Woessner, Sheely talked about the low rate of entrepreneurial activity that seems to make this recession different than others.  "Entrepreneurs typically turn to the equity in their personal homes as the first source to capitalize new ventures but this recession has also seen falling home values and resulting tight credit," he commented.  Also, Sheely spoke to the investments in upskilling the dislocated workforce that have been made through the public workforce system.  "These investments will pay off in a couple of years as we see our companies being able to maintain their competitivenss in the global economy as a result for their reskilled workforce."

For information on the effects of Stimulus spending in Lancaster County, click here.