So, Princeton got a Toyota plant, and the money gushed in, and everyone lived happily ever after. Well, not quite:
Downtown Princeton, while quaint, might strike a visitor as being just one round of layoffs away from extinction.
While the city has profited from increased tax collections and property assessments, its sidewalks are crumbling, and some of its buildings show telltale signs of distress: boarded windows, empty storefronts, degenerating facades.
Farther south in eastern Vanderburgh County sit pristine subdivisions and clusters of chain stores synonymous with suburban affluence: Target, Best Buy, Home Depot.
Nearly one-third of Toyota's work force lives in Vanderburgh County, while about one-fifth hails from Gibson County.
Economic development is a little trickier than most people think. You can't just lure the auto plant (or lakeside casino). You still have to have smart plans and people who know what to do with them.
