Very Sad... but

This kind of story makes you weep for a town that was once alive and vital like Gary Indiana. It's a mini Detroit. A mini Southside of Chicago. The blame is easy to place on the Steel Plants closing. But what didn't replace them? Why? Who failed to see what was happening? What kinds of policies resulted in this decline? I can name a few. I'll be you can too. IF I could make policy, I would put a pin in the center of the most blighted area of Gary, draw a circle of several miles around it and declare that a tax free zone. No income, sales or fee based taxes. Only property taxes. I would create a regulation free zone. Except for police and courts, no city government at all. All lawsuits settled by loser pays and arbitration is nearly always the case. I would create a no minimum wage zone. A government economic intervention free zone where no unemployment, Snap Card Redemption, AFDC or Income Tax Credit would be allowed. In other words, an economic free for all with no safety net. AND to work there you would have to live there. What do you think would happen? In 5 years Gary would become the most desirable place to live, work and set up a business. Money would flow. It would become an economic engine. This of course cannot happen because it would demonstrate the lie that Socialism really is. It would demonstrate the power of the free capitalism. That would be a catastrophe for the left. It would be a lot like the days back in 1955 that you read about in this article. Anyone want to go back? I do.

Octogenarian furniture store owner never gave up on Gary

GARY | People used to dress up in heels or starched button-down shirts before heading to downtown Gary in 1955, when Albert Cohen opened his furniture store, Union United Corp.

nwitimes.com|By Lee Enterprises