Frankie Graham Jr.s strategy to encourage economic development is made up of two parts.

The first part of the strategy is bringing jobs to the City of Reading via The Filter Holder Group., Inc. If the company would be successful in moving the factory to Reading, PA, this would provide anywhere from 150 to 200 jobs supporting a 24 hours, 7 days a week operation. The positions would vary from manufacturing, filter-holder technicians, distribution, and executive positions. For most positions the average salary would be $30,000.00 to $50,000.00 a year.

Graham has stated often to owner and CEO Joseph Henson the importance of the factory staying in Reading for a long time, as well as, giving citizens of Reading a preference in the hiring process. Stating the more people that have jobs that live in Reading, the more money can be put back in the community to support local businesses and Readings overall economy.

The second part of Grahams strategy to economic development is improving and creating more attractions for people to come to Reading by developing a tourism industry. Tourism would help bring capital into the City of Reading. The great advantage of the tourism industry is that its enormously labor intensive. Many local businesses, mostly small, would greatly benefit from increased tourism. This would allow for every dollar coming into the city of Reading having a quick impact on business owners and residents. If the City of Reading became a tourist destination, there would be an enormous array of benefits. For the average travelers, a booming tourism industry in Reading offers a lot of things to do, many places to stay, and as a product, additional tourists would be interested in coming to the city.

In Grahams document, in the section suggestions to improve tourism he discussed various ideas such as:

Make clear/clean blacktop paths along the sides of the Schuylkill River for runners and bikers, with solar powered lights to ensure safety.

Clean out, and dig up the riverbed of the Schuylkill River along the city, and put a minor dam, to raise the water level slightly, and restock the river with fish.

Have Lenni-Lenape tree log canoes to have tourist ride up and down the Schuylkill River.

Build a Japanese village around the pagoda. Make it a Japanese culture hub that educates children about culture differences.

Take a part of Reading with the most vacant lots and vacant homes, and convert it in to Asia Town.

Create as many places for people to park their cars around the City of Reading (Free Parking or $1.00/hour).

The Reading Municipal Government must work with Amtrak to bring back the train line in to the City of Reading.

The Reading Municipal Government must work with BARTA, and Berks county officials to start using the renovated train station on Franklin Street to create a tourist attraction called, Ride the Reading Railroad.

Due the current affairs in the City of Reading under Act 47, getting funding from the Reading Municipal Government will be extremely difficult. In order to get funds for improving tourism in the city, it would take donations from local citizens and local business, as well as, fundraisers and federal grants. Once the City of Reading is able to be released from Act 47 in 2019, the Reading Municipal Government should have additional funds to improve the tourism industry in Reading, PA.

If elected Mayor of Reading, Frankie Lee Graham Jr. would like to donate a portion of his annual salary to making some of the tourism improvement plan possible.