Schumer: Expansion At Rome DFAS An Economic Development Turning Point For Entire Region

Schumer: Expansion At Rome DFAS An Economic Development Turning Point For Entire Region

Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer cheered the expansion at the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) facility in Rome, NY and the meeting of federal, state, local and military officials to discuss future job growth. Schumer said today's dedication signals a recommitment to ensuring all the jobs promised by the Department of Defense after the Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) decision in fact come to DFAS and that federal, state, and local officials spin this growth and momentum into new economic development opportunities for the entire region. "Today is a turning point for DFAS and the entire community here in Rome," Schumer said. "We must now all work together to build on this momentum and extend job growth to other industries, both in the private and public sectors. For the last few years, I've been making the case to companies, site selectors, and anyone who would listen, that our workforce is ideal for companies looking to relocate or start new businesses. Today's rededication is our first step in what will be a marathon to make the most of this golden opportunity."

In the days after the BRAC decision to expand, rather than reduce, the workforce at Rome DFAS, Schumer laid out an ambitious plan to help the region accommodate the influx of jobs and leverage new economic development possibilities. Schumer then called on state, local, military officials and business leaders to come to together to find ways to build upon the BRAC decision, which is one of the topics discussed at today's meeting.

After the initial BRAC decision and a visit to the Rome DFAS, Schumer unveiled several initiatives to harness the momentum from the recent BRAC decision and leverage the job growth for additional economic development. Specifically, Schumer has lobbied the Defense Department and other governmental agencies to choose upstate New York to establish new facilities and expand existing ones, and reached out to site-selectors and company CEO's saying that, in choosing the expand DFAS, the government recognized the value of workers in Rome and its potential to grow. Schumer said today's rededication and meeting was an important step in coordinating federal, state, and local efforts toward achieving this goal.

According to local estimates, the job growth in Rome alone could mean an $80 million boost in economic impact. Currently, the Rome Research Site's Economic Impact Analysis for Fiscal Year 2004 estimated the total economic impact to the Utica-Rome NY to be $211.6 million. Schumer said today he wanted to expand this momentum throughout Central New York and all of Upstate, where the BRAC Commission resoundingly praised New York's first-rate labor force.

http://schumer.senate.gov/SchumerWebsite/pressroom/record.cfm?id=266857&&year=2006&