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CALL-TO-ACTION - UB2020 in jeopardy!

March 30, 2010

Your immediate action is needed… Last week, the New York State Assembly released its budget plan, failing to include either the Public Higher Education Empowerment & Investment Act (PHEEIA) or similar language allowing UB2020 to progress (as the Senate’s budget resolution did). With UB2020’s promise of tens of thousands of jobs, badly-needed public and private investment in downtown Buffalo and an economic impact to our region of over $2.6 billion, we can not afford for Albany to pass up this opportunity.

Why has it stalled? New York City interests continue to oppose the proposed legislation for reasons that don’t apply anywhere else. Thus far, our state delegation has been supportive. But now that’s not good enough – we need our state reps to tell their leadership that they’re not coming home from budget negotiations without PHEEIA being passed. They need to tell their leadership that their inaction on PHEEIA is costing their constituents jobs – and that won’t be tolerated.

Passage of the 2010-11 state budget will happen within a few weeks. It is imperative that the private sector send a firm message to the WNY State Assembly delegation that we need PHEEIA, we need UB2020, and we need the jobs and economic development opportunities that come with them – and we need them now.

I urge you to send that message today!

Andrew J. Rudnick