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Regional Agenda Priorities Announced
November 25, 2008

You’ll notice a couple of different things about the 2009 Regional Agenda, which was rolled out to the WNY federal and state delegations, the media and over 200 people last night at the Partnership’s Public Officials Reception at Pettibones Grille in Dunn Tire Park.

First, you’ll notice that the Agenda is being released in November, not January as in past years. We are in an extraordinary economic situation right now, one quite different than that of the past seven years in which our region’s top priorities were compiled into the annual Regional Agendas. Financial crises in both Albany and Washington, DC and the necessity for our elected leaders at all levels of government to cut spending significantly make it important for our region to announce our priorities early – specifically with Governor Paterson due to release his proposed 2009 state budget in about three weeks.

You’ll also notice that this year’s agenda is policy-heavy. With fewer dollars to go around, now is an especially timely opportunity for our state leaders to take on no-cost, big impact policy changes to stimulate economic development efforts throughout the state and in Buffalo Niagara, in particular. That’s not to say that the 2009 agenda is without funding requests – it does include those projects that have the highest economic impact for our region, as they need to be in the front of the minds of our elected officials if and when allocations of scarce dollars actually are determined.

First among all of the priorities in the 2009 agenda – with the unanimous agreement of our partners – is the UB2020 program. We are pleased with this support, as last year the Partnership Board of Directors took an aggressive step in naming the UB2020 program as the Partnership’s top state advocacy priority. It is encouraging that our government partners share this regional vision. UB2020 is an initiative with a potential impact that this community - in fact, all of Upstate - has not seen before. Indeed, it likely can be the biggest single economic development project in Buffalo Niagara’s history!

No one can deny that aspects of UB2020 will need funding – but that’s down the road a bit. Right now, however, there are policy changes that the state can and must make to propel UB2020 forward – as I mentioned, high-impact, no-cost. If implemented, they would allow UB the flexibility not only to grow as a university, but also to serve as a much bigger-picture part of the Buffalo Niagara regional economy and community, especially in our urban core.

I want to mention a few other project or policy priorities included in the 2009 agenda which we believe – just like UB2020 – also can be “transformational,” taking the Buffalo Niagara region from its “rust-belt” past to a competitive place in the 21st century economy.

• Further investment in the growing Academic Health Center in Buffalo;
• Taking advantage of tourism opportunities with the construction of the Niagara Experience Center in Niagara Falls;
• A comprehensive energy program in New York State; and
• Federal support for the priorities of the Great Lakes Business Agenda to strengthen the Great Lakes region as a whole.

I want to thank our municipal and community partners who helped in the development of the agenda. We look forward to working as a region to advocate aggressively on behalf of the 2009 Regional Agenda items into next year.