Two Items

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Two recent local items worth noting (and supporting):

1). FRAMEWORK FOR REGIONAL GROWTH

On April 19 the Erie County Legislature unanimously passed the "Framework for Regional Growth."  The Niagara County Legislature previously approved this regional planning document, which Partnership staff & volunteers, led by our board member Tim Loftis, a partner with Jaeckle Fleischmann & Mugel, worked on for more than five years as a major NOW campaign initiative..

Why would the region's leading business organization dedicate so many resources, and so much time, to this issue?

Without any clarity on "what is wanted where" - that is, a section of Cheektowaga wants to facilitate growth of light manufacturing, or a section of Clarence is already saturated with retail - developers and the businesses they represent are forced to "guess" about the political viability of investments they want to make.  By having to do so they waste a lot of time and money  getting zoning variances, attending public meetings, working to get permits, rather than having pre-permitted land available and so on.

Furthermore, poorly planned growth costs taxpayers a lot, too.  Erie and Niagara Counties' unconscious growth pattern has us on the path toward taxpayer-funded new infrastructure costing more than $900 million and for a shrinking population. 

It's good news that Erie and Niagara Counties adopted the plan - now we need local municipalities to abide by it, and for local economic development agencies to tie their incentives development where infrastructure already exists, and where it makes the most sense for target industries to move or expand. 

Advocacy efforts, which already are underway, involve a network of volunteers reaching out to local elected officials and the local IDAs - contact cturner@thepartnership.org to help.

2). ERIE COUNTY DEBT REFINANCING

Since Erie County's bond rating is only slightly above junk-bond status, the Erie County Fiscal Stability Authority (ECFSA) has the opportunity to refinance debt at a much more favorable rate. As a result, the ECFSA has proposed refinancing of a portion of Erie County's debt in order to save taxpayers more than $5 million.

Unfortunately, the ECFSA cannot take action on the refinancing without being formally requested to do so by the county.and the administration and comptroller have yet to do so.

The Partnership advocated for the refinancing in a letter of April 10, and since then, the county legislature, which had previously expressed no interest in the refinancing, passed a resolution asking the State Comptroller to look into the idea.

We consider this a no-brainer - tell the County Executive and Comptroller you agree with the ECFSA's role here.  Urge them to save Erie County taxpayers $5 million with a quick email via: www.thepartnership.org/Home/GetInvolved/Advocate  

Sincerely,

Andrew J. Rudnick