(H/t Thomas for this link). There is a report on newgeography.com that lists Lafayette as #1 in the nation for its improvement in the “Best Cities for Jobs” rankings.
This year’s rising star is without doubt Lafayette, Indiana with an astounding – and surprising given its Midwestern location – 202-place charge up the rankings from 2008. Like three of the other top five rising stars Lafayette came from a slightly above average position in 2008 to a respectable position in the top 100. These are by no means this year’s best places but their economies are defying the pervasive decline in the national economy.
A visit to the Lafayette Commerce website succinctly tells the tale. “Greater Lafayette wrapped up 2008 with a strong showing.†For Lafayette 2008 was a good year with new capital investments of $600 million, new employment in life sciences industries associated with the Purdue Research Park, and a second new hospital on the way as Greater Lafayette expands its regional healthcare base.
Equally important, Lafayette, like many university and college towns, benefits from the stabilizing presence of Purdue University, the area’s largest employer, which also serves as a force creating new economic opportunities through research, development and access to an educated workforce.
The annual report from Lafayette Commerce concludes by focusing on two key elements of their success. “In Greater Lafayette, we’re choosing not to participate in the national recession by using this opportunity for workforce development and innovation. That’s not to say we have been immune to the troubles of the national economy, but on the whole our community is growing, it’s thriving and improving every day.â€
Lafayette went from #287 in 2008 to #85 in 2009. I didn’t dig around too much in the site to see if this information was provided, but I wonder when the data is through. Recently Lafayette has had its share of economic bad news with Caterpillar and Wabash National, in particular, having tough times. But then, I suppose other areas of the country are taking their lumps as well. From recent news reports and my own experience working the local collection beat, I’m surprised to see Lafayette doing so well, comparatively, on the job front.
Before you actually consider this site please do some homework. Lafayette is also the capital of racial profiling, has the highest rate of complaints with the justice department for excessive force, etc. Also the jobs are temporary jobs and those are even call backs from being laid off for the past year. Look at Purdue numbers, how many students graduate and actually stay in Lafayette. Think reported numbers are never the real numbers.
Don’t suppose you have a cite handy for that claim about excessive force? For the Sheriff’s Department, anyway, any excessive force lawsuit would go through me. There have only been a few filed against the Sheriff’s Department in the past decade and so far none (knock on wood) have panned out for the Plaintiff. I’m admittedly biased in favor of these guys I work for, but they honestly strike me as hard working guys who do their best under sometimes difficult circumstances.
I can’t speak directly for or about the City of Lafayette, West Lafayette, or Purdue police departments, but I haven’t heard anything that gave me the impression they had a reputation for excessive force.