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Lamar County — Paris Economic Development Plan <br />However, there is likely an abundance of available labor for higher paying jobs. If a potential <br />employer placed an advertisement in the local newspaper, stating the business would pay <br />$31,000 per year, the company would likely receive more than 3,000 applicants. Additionally, at <br />that wage scale, workers would also be available from all of the surrounding counties. <br />As previously mentioned, the problem Paris has relative to labor is the availability of trained or <br />trainable labor; supply is not the issue. <br />Recommendations: There is no specific action the community needs to take regarding this <br />issue relative to economic development. <br />Transportation Systems <br />The cost of moving products and people has always been an important issue relative to economic <br />growth, for the nation and communities. The cost of transporting products to market, via land, <br />sea, and air, has always been one of the determining factors of most manufacturing businesses. <br />Sometimes high transportation costs can be overcome by other geographic economic features of <br />an area such a low taxes, utilities, and wage rates. <br />Transportation Systems <br />RESEARCHER <br />Community <br />Highway system external to area. <br />1.0 <br />2.9 <br />Roadway system internal — Commuting time <br />4.0 <br />3.9 <br />Railway <br />2.5 <br />3 <br />Commercial airport <br />3.5 <br />3.5 <br />Seaport — cargo /container <br />1.0 <br />1.4 <br />Motor carriers <br />4.0 <br />3.7 <br />Highway System External to Area: <br />Virtually every rural area in the United States which does not have access to the Interstate <br />Highway System and is not adjoined to a metropolitan area has been on economic decline for the <br />last 10 to 30 years. Their remote location has been a deterrent to the expansion of their existing <br />production employers and to the recruitment of new companies. <br />Since Paris is not located near an Interstate Highway, it is placed in a significant competitive <br />disadvantage with rural areas which have access. Served principally by two lane roads in all <br />directions, it is a relatively remote location. <br />Recommendation: Paris should continue its long term efforts to connect the county via a limited <br />access four lane roadway west to Sherman on highway 82 or south to I -30 on highway 24. Paris <br />will also have to use business incentives to overcome this problem. <br />Paris Economic Development Corporation Page 24 <br />