Partnership's "Proceeds" win is making the rounds

A big "win" for economic development in Buffalo Niagara doesn't come and go without getting noticed.

The Partnership's advocacy team - in house experts, volunteers, and our consultants - pushed for years to make Hydropower Proceeds Legislation a reality.  The net result?  Approximately $7 million in new money that will now be available to support economic development within 30 miles of the Niagara Power Project in Lewiston, NY.

Read all about it:

• Buffalo Business First: Power Windfall Generates Opportunities
• Buffalo News: Partnership pushes to start panel on hydropower cash
• Buffalo News: State needs to move

"Proceeds": Another huge Partnership advocacy win

You might not have heard of “Proceeds,” but it’s some of the best news to come to Buffalo Niagara in years.   

Moving forward, the “proceeds” from the sale of unallocated/unused EP/RP hydropower from the Niagara Power Project will be dedicated for economic development use within 30 miles radius of the Lewiston plant.  Previously, those funds were used by the New York Power Authority (NYPA) for discretionary projects all across New York State.  Funding decisions will be made by a five-member WNY Power Allocations Board, with at least three of the five members residing in the same 30 mile radius

How big of a deal is this?  In addition to the ~$7 million each year, nearly $15 million is already sitting in escrow awaiting use.  This cash comes at a time when most economic development tools (even REDC funds) are non-cash, and there are few restrictions for using Proceeds money - funds are available to private businesses for physical expansion, capital expenses, innovation, and R&D.

Getting here wasn’t easy.  The Partnership’s efforts on Proceeds go all the way back to 2001, when the concept was first conceived, as part of the our NOW campaign.  The initial legislation was drafted in 2008; a 2010 bill passed the State Assembly and Senate, and signed into law by Gov. Paterson, but was ultimately held up by technical issues and NYPA’s former CEO.  In 2011, a bill passed the Senate, but died in the Assembly at the end of the session.  This spring, Proceeds was finally included in the 2012-13 enacted budget. 

The Partnership organized and led a team of subject matter experts (that’s our “expertise@work”) who worked together over multiple years.  The core group included private sector volunteers- led by Dennis Elsenbeck of National Grid, our staff- led by AJ Wright & Hadley Horrigan, and consultants- led by Rich Tobe, Paul Tokasz and Mark Meyerhofer.  Dennis Gabryszak was the initial legislative sponsor and continuing champion of Proceeds, and George Maziarz, Governors Cuomo and Paterson, the WNY Advisory Group, and Reps. Higgins and Hochul all played important roles in seeing Proceeds through. 

What did we learn?  Perseverance and expertise count in economic development.  Facing numerous setbacks, our team stuck together to reach a long-term victory.  And the dividends are huge.

More Collaboration with Customs - Intellectual Property Protection

Recently, Partnership members had the opportunity to sit down with representatives from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations for a presentation/roundtable to discuss "Operation Joint Venture," the U.S. government's initiative against intellectual property crime and commercial fraud.

First of all, what a fascinating presentation! To understand the scope of intellectual property theft and the sheer size of the illegal operations going on around us every day is astonishing. Some of these businesses - that are putting fraudulent goods onto the streets and, many times, into our homes every day have annual revenues in the tens of millions of dollars. One of the agents presenting said the estimates are that for the average American, 30-35% of what you use or consume on a daily basis is counterfeit. Yikes!

That's why many companies - names you know - have invested heavily in brand security. That's to let their customers know when they make a purchase, they're getting the genuine article. It's also why many U.S. companies have developed a close partnership with Operation Joint Venture - because counterfeiting hurts everyone. While fraud is absolutely detrimental to companies that produce goods, the individual American might not necessarily feel the sting when buying a purse or a pair of sneakers. But put it in perspective of a counterfeit pharmaceutical product, and it sheds a whole different light on the topic.

Especially in border communities, border and customs agents often have a stigma about them that bring to mind lines at the border and trade delays. Having had the opportunity to spend more and more time talking with the men and women protecting our border, it's clear that their goals are very much aligned with the business community's as far as enhancing and optimizing legitimate trade and border crossings. That's the crux of Operation Joint Venture. Companies are signing on to be the "eyes and ears" of the national economy - because the better systems and networks we have in place to stop illegal trade, the better and more streamlined our borders will be at facilitating legitimate trade.

For manufacturers looking for help with brand protection, the Operation Joint Venture presentation can be found here.

At the core of regional opportunities

The Partnership hosted 3,700 people at nearly 100 events in 2011, and 2012 will be even bigger.  Our seminars, networking opportunities, and congressional briefings are unmatched around town.

My personal favorite?  The Partnership's Movers & Shakers series, hosted by Andrew Rudnick.  M&S brings the experts in front of a small circle of Partnership members to provide an insider's perspective on regionally important priorities.  Recent installments of the M&S series have included issues including downtown development, the growth of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, and UB2020.

This morning, Canadian Consul General-Buffalo Marta Moszczenska and U.S. Consul General-Toronto Kevin Johnson joined Partnership members for a discussion about opportunities and challenges for Buffalo Niagara businesses associated with the Obama-Harper “Beyond the Border” plan.  M&S gave Partnership members up-close access and key insight on items like:

• expediting border crossings
• the need for increased for Can-Am cooperation
• the importance of our bi-national location
• (and this one almost goes without saying) opportunities for Buffalo Niagara businesses to leverage our Canadian neighbo(u)rs for growth 

Movers & Shakers is free for Partnership members and provides access to the key decision makers in town.  These intimate gatherings are closed to the media and are designed to put you in close contact with our region's heavy hitters.

The next installment of M&S is Friday, April 13 - three weeks from today - and features William Dudley, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of NY.  Dudley has been at the helm of the New York Fed since January 2009 and will host a discussion on the economic outlook for our nation, state and region. 

Learn more on our events page.

Korea - US Free Trade Agreement Takes Effect

On Thursday, March 15, the U. S. government implemented the Korea – U.S. Free Trade Agreement. This agreement will relieve duties on items directly traded between the US and South Korea. U.S. Customs has advised that until their system is fully updated to handle the duty free treatment of items under this agreement, full duties and taxes will need to be submitted with all entries and a post entry amendment will have to be submitted for the retroactive refund of duties paid on these entries.

The duty free treatment of items is being implemented in stages. Items that were added as a part of “Group A” received reduced or free treatment immediately. Subsequent groups will be added in the future. In addition, items will need to meet all eligibility requirements of the Korea Free Trade Agreement, which are specific to the product. Some items will require a tariff shift, others must meet minimum regional value content requirements, and some will require both. Given these complexities, it is best to seek professional advice to find out if your products are currently or will be eligible for treatment under the Korea Free Trade Agreement.

This blog was written by Damon Piatek, President & CEO of Welke Customs Brokers USA.

Rally for Roswell

Ask around, and you'll hear the statistics about the importance of Roswell Park in our community:

• 3,224 employees
• Patients from 46 states and 2 foreign countries
• 85 U.S. Patents
• 9 spin-off companies

Roswell Park is a major anchor of our economy and one of our greatest opportunities for the future. 

That's why it's so concerning that Governor Cuomo's budget proposes to essentially end RPCI's state funding in a mere 2 years. 

We understand the desire to limit spending, but Roswell Park simply holds too much potential to cut funding without a plan for an orderly separation. We strongly believe that changes must account for the complex and competitive world in which RPCI operates before moving forward with this proposal. We're asking our elected officials to implement a realistic plan allowing Roswell Park to transition from state support rather than cut it altogether. 

The stakes are high, and our elected officials need to hear from you. Yesterday, Roswell Park sent out a message to their supporters via the Partnership’s voterVOICE, an automated email system that sends a prewritten email to elected officials.  As of this morning, over 750 people have sent almost 4,000 emails to their state legislators as well as the Governor and Legislative leaders.  The message “Protect Roswell Park” is being received in Albany, as some legislators have already responded to the overwhelming influx of emails. 

It’s important that we keep the momentum going, and now; if you haven’t already, make sure you express your support for Roswell as the Senate and Assembly finish their proposed budgets for 2012-13.

Click here to use our voterVOICE technology to quickly email your representatives. To have even more of an impact, call your elected officials- voterVOICE will tell you who they are. Tell them you support Roswell and want to see New York State support it through an orderly transition away from its current status as a state-based public benefit corporation.

Business, Government, and Tourism Groups Team-Up for Easy Border Travel

Given the importance of efficient CanAm border travel at Buffalo Niagara bridge crossings, I was excited to have the opportunity to join the Peace Bridge Authority, Niagara Falls Bridge Commission, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Canada Border Services Agency, an extensive group of local trade and tourism organizations as well as Congressional and State staff representing our WNY delegation at the launch of a joint-initiative to increase participation in the NEXUS program over the coming year. NEXUS is a joint program between the U.S. and Canadian governments designed to expedite the border clearance process for low-risk, pre-approved travelers.

The NEXUS Niagara promotional effort is open to all interested individuals, customs brokers, tourism organizations, government entities, local attractions, and retail destinations directly or indirectly impacted by international travel regulations. The goal is simple but vital - enroll an increasing number of people into the program so that NEXUS one day becomes the predominant form of travel identification at area ports-of-entry.

The Buffalo Niagara Partnership is proud to be a NEXUS Niagara Ambassador! To help spread the word about NEXUS benefits a series of activities have been scheduled throughout the area. Interested in becoming a NEXUS Niagara Ambassador? Email nexusniagara@gmail.com or visit the NEXUS Niagara website for access to various marketing tools, including downloadable program brochures, posters, and web buttons for placement on individual or company websites.

NEXUS makes border travel fast - join the effort to help speed CanAm border crossings here in Buffalo Niagara!