Unshackle Upstate Reacts to State of Upstate Address
For more information:
Kate Lewis Torok, Travers Collins & Company
716-842-2222, ext. 320 (office); 716-903-5283 (mobile)
Amy Schmit, Buffalo Niagara Partnership
716-852-7100, ext. 453
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
January 16, 2008
***NEWS RELEASE***
Unshackle Upstate Coalition Encouraged by
Governor's First State of Upstate Address
Leaders of the Unshackle Upstate coalition said they were encouraged that several key items on their policy agenda were included in Governor Spitzer's first State of Upstate Address, delivered Wednesday in Buffalo.
"The governor specifically cited in his speech three central issues that are in the coalition's 2008 Policy Agenda - creation of shovel ready sites to promote economic development, reducing taxes and securing affordable energy," said Andrew J. Rudnick, president and CEO of the Buffalo Niagara Partnership. "We're looking forward to working with the governor and the legislature to ensure that these proposals become reality."
Governor Spitzer's address offered the first available details on his proposed $1 billion Upstate Revitalization Fund that was unveiled last week. Given Unshackle Upstate's policy agenda, the items of particular interest are:
- A $350 million Regional Blueprint Fund that will include money to clean up brownfields throughout the region and establish infrastructure such as sewer and water that will make the site ready for development.
- Formation of a bipartisan commission to study the root causes of high taxes, and the introduction of a cap on local school taxes, the major component of property taxes. Unshackle Upstate has pledged to work to reduce the high cost of living and doing business in our region - particularly property taxes which are among the highest in the nation. High costs and high taxes are significant impediments to much-needed job creation and economic growth, and a major reason why businesses leave New York State.
- A commitment to enacting a new power plant siting law that will help utilities looking to build new, cleaner generation facilities while protecting our communities from the adverse environmental effects of power plant construction and operation. Securing affordable energy is a key item on the Unshackle Upstate agenda because it is one of the most important concerns to businesses across Upstate.
"Businesses do want to be in Upstate, but find there are too many barriers including costs and development," said Sandy Parker, president and CEO of the Rochester Business Alliance. "So we are pleased to see that brownfields and site development are part of the funding plan because such economic development is the basis for the creation of much-needed jobs in our region."
The Unshackle Upstate coalition doubled in size during 2007, and now represents more than 32,000 employers and more than 1 million workers.
The coalition's website, http://www.unshackleupstate.com/ provides a direct way for citizens to send a message to elected officials in Albany. To date, over 145,000 email messages have been sent, and the coalition encourages voters to tell Albany "We want our economy moving. Not our people."
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Editor's Note: Unshackle representatives available for interviews or comment include: Andrew Rudnick, president and CEO, Buffalo Niagara Partnership; Sandra A. Parker, president and CEO, Rochester Business Alliance; Darlene Kerr, president, Greater Syracuse Chamber of Commerce; Randy Wolken, president, Manufacturers Association of Central New York; Frank Elias, president, Mohawk Valley Chamber of Commerce; and Catherine Glover, president and CEO, Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce
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