Issue Position: Economic Development/Jobs

Issue Position

There is nothing more important to me, and to the individual communities I represent throughout the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions comprising the 58th Senate District, than the creation of jobs and the pursuit of economic development to continually improve and sustain our quality of life.

Since the deep-rooted, nationwide Great Recession which started in 2008 (and even long before this latest, devastating economic downturn), we have understood all too well here at home what economic decline produces across the 58th District: job losses, high taxes, unfunded mandates on local governments, overregulation and too many other community burdens to mention.

Fortunately, many of our grassroots economic foundations remain strong: in agriculture, in tourism, in the wine-and-grape industry and in key segments of the manufacturing sector which has long been the critical local economic engine, but which needs attention today like never before to remain nationally and globally competitive in the modern, high-tech economy.

The Southern Tier and Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Councils have done and continue to do outstanding work to put in place short- and long-term public-private partnerships, strategies and foundations to rebuild and revitalize local economies. These comprehensive blueprints are focused on all of the assets that can produce future success, from agriculture to tourism, and from broadband expansion to workforce development.

I'm proud to have had the opportunity to be a part of, strongly encourage and support these efforts over the past several years, including the councils' successes in late 2015 in the Upstate Revitalization Initiative which truly represent fundamental and potentially difference-making victories-as well as the city of Elmira's more recent award of a $10-million "Downtown Revitalization Initiative" grant from New York State, which will continue laying the foundations for Southern Tier renewal.

It was also incredibly exciting news in late August with the official announcement that the long-awaited new contract had been finalized for Alstom Transportation Inc. to manufacture the next generation of high-speed trains as part of Amtrak's $2.5-billion program to build its next fleet, a contract that's expected to create over 750 manufacturing jobs including 400 directly at Alstom's Hornell facility.

The fact that the new Alstom-Amtrak contract has been signed, sealed and delivered is cause for celebration in Hornell and across the Southern Tier. The creation of 400 manufacturing jobs at Alstom simply can't be overstated. It's vitally important to the Southern Tier economy, for Alstom's workers and their families, and to the entire Hornell area.

It represents another, timely foundation of manufacturing on which we can continue to build job growth in Steuben County, across the region and throughout Upstate New York.

It speaks volumes about the quality of Alstom and its local workforce.

Together with many other local leaders, I appreciate the perseverance of Alstom officials, Senator Schumer, Congressman Reed, Mayor Hogan, Hornell IDA Executive Director Jim Griffin and so many others. Simply put, this job creation contract makes a huge difference for the future of economic development across the region.

But despite many of the positive steps we've taken since 2011 to try to create jobs and foundations for economic growth, control rising property taxes and enact long-overdue fiscal and governmental and regulatory reforms, this job is far from finished.

Throughout my tenure in the New York State Legislature -- first in the State Assembly beginning in 2005, and since 2011 in the Senate -- I have remained focused on marketing and developing the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions as good places to expand or locate a small business, a new manufacturing facility, a fresh tourism attraction or a diversified agricultural enterprise.

I am not just concerned about bringing any business into the area, but businesses that will create good-paying jobs and show the promise of long-term growth, expansion and sustainability. I have worked within the business community to ensure that our existing businesses, especially those that have been the backbone of local economies for decades, are complemented by new economic growth to ensure the progress of our region and jobs for the future -- and secure for us a prominent, successful and strong position in the 21st century economy.

Government does not create jobs, businesses do, but legislators can put in motion positive actions to help create a business friendly climate -- especially a business friendly tax climate -- that can lead to private-sector job creation, a growing economy and sustained economic hope and optimism for individual communities.

That's job -- and responsibility -- No. 1.

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