The Adirondack Association of Towns and Villages (AATV) and Adirondack North Country Association (ANCA), recently released their Adirondack Regional Assessment Study.
You can read the Executive Summary here.
A couple of interesting points to note:
From 1970 to 2007, the number of teachers in Adirondack school districts increased by 34 percent, while the student population dropped by 31 percent.
School enrollments in the park have decreased by 329 students annually throughout the current decade, which is equivalent to the loss of one average size Adirondack school district every 19 months.
Only 7 park communities have complete cell phone coverage, while the remainder have limited or no service at all.
Park residents average just under 43 years of age, older than any state for median age. By 2020, only the west coast of Florida will exceed the Adirondacks as the oldest region in America.
The regional economy is highly dependent on correctional services. One of every 26 people counted as living in the Adirondack Park resides in a correctional facility.
Read the whole thing. We don’t need more regulations. We need lower taxes, and vision to grow and revitalize Adirondack communities.