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Home > NEWS > Email from the President > 2010 Regional Agenda

2010 Regional Agenda Unveiled
November 24, 2009

IDA “Reform” Update

Last week, we called on many of you to weigh in with state legislators on proposed IDA “reform” legislation that had reportedly been agreed upon by the governor’s office and organized labor. The proposal was described as “the worst we’ve seen yet” in regards to the IDAs – and spurred a full-court press by the Upstate business community. I’m pleased to report that Governor Paterson, in his visit to Niagara Falls yesterday, indicated that while members of his staff may have forwarded the proposal, he does not support it. Given what the proposal would have done to the IDAs in New York State (which is make them worthless to the private sector), this represents a tremendous grassroots victory – thank you to everyone who answered our call-to-action.

Yesterday evening, at our annual Public Officials Reception, the Partnership – in collaboration with our partners, Erie and Niagara Counties and the cities of Buffalo and Niagara Falls – rolled out the 2010 Buffalo Niagara Regional Agenda. I urge you to read through the agenda, as it lays out a roadmap for our region’s advocacy efforts for next year.

Again for 2010, the Regional Agenda begins and ends with UB2020 – the third consecutive year that UB2020 has been identified as the Buffalo Niagara region’s top priority. The reason is simple – while there are no economic development “silver bullets,” UB2020 likely can be the biggest single economic development opportunity in Buffalo Niagara’s future. Led by the members of our state delegation, who clearly understand the importance of UB2020 to our region, we’ll be looking to Albany to enact the policy changes – now housed in a more general SUNY bill – UB needs to move forward.

Some other items you’ll see identified in the 2010 Regional Agenda as having substantial regional economic impact include:

  • Planning for the Niagara Experience Center and the final phase of restoration to the Darwin Martin House;
  • The continued growth of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus and the surrounding neighborhood;
  • Improving Outer Harbor access with investment on the Buffalo/Lackawanna waterfront;
  • Stimulus funding for high speed rail and the Niagara Falls International Railway Station;
  • Policy changes steering the state’s economic development programs and energy agenda and national health care reform; and
  • Increased investment in creating shovel-ready sites throughout the Buffalo Niagara region.

One very important concept in this year’s agenda is its interconnectivity. We believe that passage of many of the policy issues within the agenda – particularly the energy agenda – could provide the funding necessary to achieve the other items in the agenda. As a region, we need to be thinking more strategically about where public investments are made and how budget decisions affect economic development and working collaboratively to ensure the greatest economic impact can be realized.

Importantly, the collaboration did not end last night with our press conference – identifying the priorities is just the beginning. The Partnership will work throughout the year with our municipal partners and the organizations represented in the agenda in advocating at both the state and federal level to see that the items in this agenda are implemented.

I must emphasize that despite the importance of all of the items in the 2010 Regional Agenda, it should not take away from what should be the top and immediate priority of our state legislators right now – closing the current and growing $4.1 billion state budget gap without resorting to new and increased taxes or ham-handed budget cuts such as some being proposed to health care and higher education.

Andrew J. Rudnick