Plan of Attack

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Plan of Attack

What will it take for Buffalo Niagara to have a truly competitive business climate?  At the Partnership, it hasn't been hard for us to figure out what the barriers to your growth are; you've always been forthright with that information.  And so have companies who've considered relocating here, and decided against it.

Below is the run down of what we need to do.  I'm pleased to tell you that, so far, approximately 25 Partnership members have stepped forward with nearly $200,000 to fund a more aggressive approach to how we accomplish it.

And what exactly do we have planned? I hope you'll join me, a number of our board members and our NOW Campaign volunteers as we roll out our advocacy "plan of attack" for 2007.  February 28, 2007 at 5 p.m. at the CTG Mansion (800 Delaware Ave.)

(I hope you'll also stay from 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. for our "Hobnob," an event that is anticipated to be the networking event of the year -- register at www.thepartnership.org/events)

What the business community demands:

1). Fix Albany-born policies that make New York the second most expensive state in which to run a business in the U.S. Unshackle Upstate calls for an overhaul of Workers' Comp, Scaffold Law, high energy costs and high taxes caused by laws like Wicks and Taylor, and the fact that our state spends more on Medicaid than California and Texas combined.

2). Economic development incentives exist to somewhat offset the sting of the above, and that is why, at least until the state business climate improves, incentives are important.  But they must be administered in a highly-coordinated, customer-friendly and development-savvy fashion.  Similarly, workforce development programs and region-wide development/growth strategies (including the availability of shovel-ready land) must have the same focus on coordination and "the customer" as incentives, in order to achieve the desired outcome: more private sector investment and jobs.

3). A Buffalo Niagara asset that should entice economic development - low cost hydropower and associated proceeds - must be protected and expanded, and allocated via more realistic criteria and by a local body under the auspices of Empire State Development's Upstate office.

4). When it comes to local government, the business community must take a leadership role - and, often must be defensive - in fighting future tax and fee increases, and in trying to reduce existing locally-born costs to business and red tape.

5). Finally, a better solution than the Departments of Homeland Security and State's "passport" requirement at our border must be found, and likewise, Shared Border Management (inspections by US customs and Border Patrol in Canada) must be concluded so the Peace Bridge Process can proceed.  An expedited, safe and uncomplicated flow of goods and people across the Canadian/US border in Buffalo Niagara is vital to the growth of the region's economy.

Hope to see you February 28, where we'll share how you can help us achieve what's listed above.

Sincerely,

Andrew J. Rudnick
President & CEO