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Home > NEWS > Email from the President > End of Session II

End of Legislative Session Push
June 17, 2008
 
As is generally the case in Albany each year at this time, many issues important to the business community remain unresolved. So, with less than a week before the end of the 2008 state legislative session, it is imperative that Partnership members weigh in on a number of specific activity proposals – some we want approved, and some we need to stop.
 
Get these done!
 
Brownfields – Momentum for reform of the state’s Brownfields Clean-up Program (BCP) continues into the final week. While there are intricate details in talks, two concepts have been embraced by Unshackle Upstate and the Partnership – (1) clarity and certainty for developers, in that, if you are wishing to remediate and redevelop a property that has been classified by the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) as a brownfield… you’re in the program; and (2) the fiscal accountability of a cap on redevelopment incentives. From our perspective, this is “low-hanging fruit” for state legislators that will have far-reaching economic impact.
 
TIF – Another item related to brownfields is tax increment financing (TIF), a powerful economic development tool utilized with great effectiveness in other states. Basically, it allows municipalities to use future gains in taxes to incentivize projects that will spur surrounding development to create those gains. The TIF bill passed the State Senate yesterday, but is mired in Assemblyman Sam Hoyt’s Local Governments Committee. To be honest, we’re confused as to why this bill hasn’t progressed in the Assembly, as it will spur greater opportunity to remediate more brownfields, and at the same time, provide effective accountability measures to protect taxpayers.
 
ECMC-Kaleida – Also before the state legislature is legislation proposed by Governor Paterson to move along the Berger Commission mandated consolidation of ECMC and Kaleida. If no progress is made by June 30, $250 million of state and federal funds for the mandated ECMC-Kaleida consolidation will no longer be available; that not only would make the consolidation financially infeasible, more importantly, it would eliminate the primary benefit of it – improved health care in Buffalo Niagara. It is imperative that this legislation be passed and the consolidation move forward.
 
Stop these!
 
IDA “Reform” – Each year, as the state legislative session winds down, Albany seems to become a primordial broth for destructive deal-making, which is why it’s vital that we keep the pressure on lawmakers to keep costly mandates such as prevailing and “living” wages away from IDA incentives. The Partnership and Unshackle Upstate have proposed two things: (1) the state legislature should correct the lapse in IDA legislation that has halted “civic facilities” – hospitals, schools and senior homes – projects statewide by passing a one-year extension; and (2) during that time, the new Empire Development Corporation chair and CEO convene IDA stakeholders to try to reach agreement on a real IDA reform bill that maintains the integrity of this critical business development program. See today’s editorial in the Buffalo News.
 
Paid Family Leave – A labor-backed bill is before the state legislature that would expand the Family Medical Leave Act in New York State, by mandating a paid family leave policy on employers – regardless of size – to provide payments for 12 weeks to workers to care for a child or a sick relative. No provisions are made to cover the costs to employers – for increased overtime, staffing gaps, etc. This one-size-fits-all legislation is detrimental to small and medium-sized businesses both in cost and its impact on day-to-day operations, and we avidly oppose it.
 
“Fix Wicks” – As you know, late in the 2008 state budget process, a secretive deal was passed in Albany on Wicks Law, adding burdensome mandates such as apprenticeship and prevailing wage requirements to an already costly and antiquated law. The Partnership and Unshackle Upstate have joined with other statewide business groups to push for a delay in the effective date of these costly mandates – to provide opportunity for more research and discussion on their impact.
 
There are only a few days left for decisions to be made on these issues that will have direct impact on Upstate economic development – either positively or negatively. You can be absolutely certain that our opponents on these issues will be weighing in heavily, which is why it is important for the business community to get involved. I urge you at this critical hour to send a message to Albany to voice your support for these priority items.
Sincerely,
Andrew J. Rudnick