Yesterday, NYS Comptroller Tom DiNapoli released a startling, but not surprising, report, detailing how since 1991 only 1/3 of the state's Dedicated Highway and Bridge Trust Fund has actually been spent on transportation infrastructure. Startling, in the sheer amount of money that has been swept away from essential services to pay for the cost of big government in Albany. Not surprising in the sense that that attitude is status quo in Albany.
The Comptroller's announcement yesterday is nothing new for New York State taxpayers - this year's budget included just about every kind of "cash grab" initiative one could imagine (I'm being facetious, of course - I'm sure they can think of more!). From the "Bigger Badder Bottle Bill" (which kicks in tomorrow), to new taxes on health insurance and energy usage, to requiring every vehicle owner in NYS to incur the expense of a new license plate - Albany wants your money.
It'd even be a little easier to live with if the money was being used in an effective way - which it's not. We continue to support a government that has proven unable to cut (or control) costs, refuses to address expensive and out-of-control personnel costs, and hasn't put forth any plan for the future other than "we are facing a $44B budget gap over the next five years." The fact that "dedicated" highway funding is used for other things is a poster child example of Albany's lack of focus.
Today the Partnership will be presenting testimony before the Senate Transportation Committee regarding the governor's recent announcement that the state's Upstate transportation funding package is "unaffordable." This is particularly disconcerting because earlier this year, our Upstate representatives supported the $2.4B Metropolitan Transportation Authority bailout - which was unprecedented because generally the funding for Downstate and Upstate is handled at the same time. We had a promise that our infrastructure needs would be dealt with later in 2009, and now our employers and workforce are victims to a political budget battle, with Upstate's funding being held as leverage to get the state legislature to the table.
As Unshackle Upstate has pointed out many times, there are much more effective areas in which to frame the budget debate. We will be urging the governor and State Legislature to fund the Upstate infrastructure package.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009
Public Hearing Follow-up
We mentioned last week that Tuesday, October 20 was going to be a big day for public hearings - and the Partnership took advantage of all of them, testifying in three separate places on three separate issues. I wanted to share with you the testimonies that were given:
Testimony to the NYS Assembly Standing Committee on Economic Development, Job Creation, Commerce and Industry regarding "the future of economic development in New York State."
Testimony Before the NYS Senate Standing Committee on Environmental Conservation regarding proposed wetlands legislation.
In addition, the Partnership was well represented in the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation's public hearing on the Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) for the Inner Harbor "Canal Side" project. We're pleased that the comments given at the event were so positive and supportive of the work that's happening on the waterfront. A special thanks to the following Partnership members who took the time to testify:
Testimony to the NYS Assembly Standing Committee on Economic Development, Job Creation, Commerce and Industry regarding "the future of economic development in New York State."
Testimony Before the NYS Senate Standing Committee on Environmental Conservation regarding proposed wetlands legislation.
In addition, the Partnership was well represented in the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation's public hearing on the Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) for the Inner Harbor "Canal Side" project. We're pleased that the comments given at the event were so positive and supportive of the work that's happening on the waterfront. A special thanks to the following Partnership members who took the time to testify:
- Jon Dandes, Pres., Rich Baseball Operations
- Mike Sendor, Pres., Nussbaumer & Clarke
- Rick Smith, Pres., Rigidized Metals
- John Stanfill, Pres. Pres., Northrop Grumman
- Ann Mestrovich, Project Manager Buffalo Niagara 360
- Andy Kucserik, Manager, Synacor and BN360 "young professional"
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Partnership Announces Endorsements
Partnership Announces Endorsements in Erie County Comptroller, Legislature Contests
October 23, 2009
BUFFALO - The Buffalo Niagara Partnership today announced the organization’s endorsements in three Erie County Legislature races and the Erie County Comptroller election.
•In the race for Erie County Comptroller, the Partnership has endorsed Philip Kadet, who is challenging incumbent Mark Poloncarz.
•In the 10th Legislative District, the Partnership has endorsed Kevin Hardwick, who is challenging incumbent Michele Iannello.
•In the 12th District contest, the Partnership has endorsed challenger Lynn Dixon, who is facing incumbent Robert Reynolds.
•For the 5th District seat, the Partnership has endorsed Dino Fudoli for the seat that has been vacated by incumbent Kathy Konst.
In choosing to endorse Kadet, the Partnership pointed to his nearly four decades of private sector accounting experience as the driving factor.
“Phil Kadet has been a Certified Public Account and a private sector auditor for the last 30 years,”said Buffalo Niagara Partnership President & CEO Andrew J. Rudnick. “He brings the qualities of independent accounting expertise and experience that are critically important in overseeing the county’s finances. Considering the fact the county’s control board recently went advisory, it is imperative that we have such an experienced fiscal professional as Comptroller.”
Rudnick also stated that the Partnership’s endorsement of Kadet was by no means intended to disparage Poloncarz. “Mark has done a good job during his tenure,” said Rudnick. “However, given the resume of his opponent, we simply cannot ignore what Mr. Kadet brings to the table- his experience and qualifications are incomparable.”
“As someone with 40 years of experience in the private sector, I understand the economic challenges facing the Buffalo Niagara business community,” said Kadet upon receiving the Partnership’s endorsement. “I want to thank the Partnership for its faith in my candidacy. I believe that I will bring strong private sector experience, financial discipline, independence and management skills to the office of Erie County Comptroller.”
The Partnership, in announcing the organization’s three legislature endorsements, pointed to the anti-economic growth records of the incumbents they are opposing.”
Said Rudnick, “Mr. Hardwick, Mr. Fudoli and Ms. Dixon have a clearer understanding of the issues facing employers in the region and are better prepared to cultivate an environment that is conducive to job creation and business growth.”
October 23, 2009
BUFFALO - The Buffalo Niagara Partnership today announced the organization’s endorsements in three Erie County Legislature races and the Erie County Comptroller election.
•In the race for Erie County Comptroller, the Partnership has endorsed Philip Kadet, who is challenging incumbent Mark Poloncarz.
•In the 10th Legislative District, the Partnership has endorsed Kevin Hardwick, who is challenging incumbent Michele Iannello.
•In the 12th District contest, the Partnership has endorsed challenger Lynn Dixon, who is facing incumbent Robert Reynolds.
•For the 5th District seat, the Partnership has endorsed Dino Fudoli for the seat that has been vacated by incumbent Kathy Konst.
In choosing to endorse Kadet, the Partnership pointed to his nearly four decades of private sector accounting experience as the driving factor.
“Phil Kadet has been a Certified Public Account and a private sector auditor for the last 30 years,”said Buffalo Niagara Partnership President & CEO Andrew J. Rudnick. “He brings the qualities of independent accounting expertise and experience that are critically important in overseeing the county’s finances. Considering the fact the county’s control board recently went advisory, it is imperative that we have such an experienced fiscal professional as Comptroller.”
Rudnick also stated that the Partnership’s endorsement of Kadet was by no means intended to disparage Poloncarz. “Mark has done a good job during his tenure,” said Rudnick. “However, given the resume of his opponent, we simply cannot ignore what Mr. Kadet brings to the table- his experience and qualifications are incomparable.”
“As someone with 40 years of experience in the private sector, I understand the economic challenges facing the Buffalo Niagara business community,” said Kadet upon receiving the Partnership’s endorsement. “I want to thank the Partnership for its faith in my candidacy. I believe that I will bring strong private sector experience, financial discipline, independence and management skills to the office of Erie County Comptroller.”
The Partnership, in announcing the organization’s three legislature endorsements, pointed to the anti-economic growth records of the incumbents they are opposing.”
Said Rudnick, “Mr. Hardwick, Mr. Fudoli and Ms. Dixon have a clearer understanding of the issues facing employers in the region and are better prepared to cultivate an environment that is conducive to job creation and business growth.”
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Brownfields Revisited
I wanted to share with you a great article on brownfield redevelopment in the Buffalo Niagara region from a magazine called Brownfield Renewal - yes they have magazines for everything! This is a neat on-line version of the magazine that you can flip through - take a look at pages 10-14. Very forward-thinking, very positive.
The idea of taking dilapidated, contaminated properties that are currently sitting devoid of use and off of the tax rolls, cleaning them up and using them for renewable energy component manufacturing is something about which we should all be excited. Take a look at this article, and you'll see there's great opportunity for Buffalo Niagara in this regard - economic stimulus we can definitely use!
The idea of taking dilapidated, contaminated properties that are currently sitting devoid of use and off of the tax rolls, cleaning them up and using them for renewable energy component manufacturing is something about which we should all be excited. Take a look at this article, and you'll see there's great opportunity for Buffalo Niagara in this regard - economic stimulus we can definitely use!
Monday, October 19, 2009
Young Professionals and Politics
Ann's great post on Friday about 360ers getting involved in volunteerism and community boards sparked some thought on what is a favorite topic of mine - young professionals and politics. As important as it is for young professionals to be engaged in their community through programs such as Buffalo Niagara 360, it's equally as important for us to know what's going on around us in politics.
As a campaign consultant in a previous life, I can assure you that when candidates and parties get in those final days of an election and start panicking over a few percentage points, it's not young adults that they target for their get-out-the-vote efforts. Election strategies are scientifically done, and are designed to put the candidates in contact the most with voters who have the best chance of bringing home the bacon - a vote. Besides the anomaly of the Obama election, young people have not shown that they are a reliable voting block, so in those final days of campaigns, targeted mail and phone calls pretty much go to everyone but.
That's a problem for two reasons: First, the fact that young people don't reliably vote means everyone else is making all of the leadership decisions for the community. Second, since that's the case, and since re-election is without question an important goal of any elected official, those who vote drive the policy debate. I would contend that's why we're hard-pressed to find any government at any level that is doing any long-term planning for the future: because the voting block most concerned about the future doesn't show up to the polls.
Now, that's not to say that all of us have to be political wonks, reading blogs all day and falling asleep at night to CNN. But paying attention to what's going on, and most specifically, finding your way into the voting booths each November, will go a long way in ensuring that decisions made in government reflect this generation's needs.
Beyond that is "getting involved," which is an overused phrase sometimes when it comes to politics. I would say that no generation has ever had the demands on its time that we do. Investing time to build a career, then having a family where both parents work - it's time consuming. It can be a heavy lift for members in the business community to "get involved." But it's important - mainly because our generation is poised to become the caretakers of our community. Soon enough, that time will be upon us, and we need to have leaders ready to take the reins.
If you follow local politics, you know that there's not a lot of pop in this year's elections. The Mayor's race is already decided and there's not much else to get your blood flowing - the Sheriff's race is probably the sexiest one out there because of the controversies. It's in a year like this where any voting block has the opportunity to make a real impact - and there are lots of town races where good grassroots efforts can make the difference. I encourage you to start "getting involved" this November 3 - and each year you vote makes it more certain you'll show up on campaigns' radar screens in the future.
As a campaign consultant in a previous life, I can assure you that when candidates and parties get in those final days of an election and start panicking over a few percentage points, it's not young adults that they target for their get-out-the-vote efforts. Election strategies are scientifically done, and are designed to put the candidates in contact the most with voters who have the best chance of bringing home the bacon - a vote. Besides the anomaly of the Obama election, young people have not shown that they are a reliable voting block, so in those final days of campaigns, targeted mail and phone calls pretty much go to everyone but.
That's a problem for two reasons: First, the fact that young people don't reliably vote means everyone else is making all of the leadership decisions for the community. Second, since that's the case, and since re-election is without question an important goal of any elected official, those who vote drive the policy debate. I would contend that's why we're hard-pressed to find any government at any level that is doing any long-term planning for the future: because the voting block most concerned about the future doesn't show up to the polls.
Now, that's not to say that all of us have to be political wonks, reading blogs all day and falling asleep at night to CNN. But paying attention to what's going on, and most specifically, finding your way into the voting booths each November, will go a long way in ensuring that decisions made in government reflect this generation's needs.
Beyond that is "getting involved," which is an overused phrase sometimes when it comes to politics. I would say that no generation has ever had the demands on its time that we do. Investing time to build a career, then having a family where both parents work - it's time consuming. It can be a heavy lift for members in the business community to "get involved." But it's important - mainly because our generation is poised to become the caretakers of our community. Soon enough, that time will be upon us, and we need to have leaders ready to take the reins.
If you follow local politics, you know that there's not a lot of pop in this year's elections. The Mayor's race is already decided and there's not much else to get your blood flowing - the Sheriff's race is probably the sexiest one out there because of the controversies. It's in a year like this where any voting block has the opportunity to make a real impact - and there are lots of town races where good grassroots efforts can make the difference. I encourage you to start "getting involved" this November 3 - and each year you vote makes it more certain you'll show up on campaigns' radar screens in the future.
Friday, October 16, 2009
BN360: Board and Community Involvement Event
Last night, about 40 young professionals came out to learn how to become in engaged in our community by learning from and networking with young professional civic leaders. Held at the Olmsted Center for Sight, the goal of the event was to have an informal discussion about how to start your volunteer work and the benefits it can bring to your personal and professional development. BN360 is striving to provide learning and networking resources to the next generation of business leaders and sees civic leadership as a vital part of the equation.
It takes a lot of different skills to succeed in business, and many of those skill sets can be easily applied to your volunteer work. Because it’s not enough to just be a leader within your company; a good business leader sees the importance of community stewardship and engaging its employees. April Sroka, Corporate Communications Coordinator at Greatbatch explained how her company encourages employees to be active volunteers and supports various efforts from small scale "Adopt a Highway" projects to sponsoring major fundraisers like the Heart Walk. As BNHRA representative Victoria Weise pointed out, employers definitely look for community involvement and leadership in applicant resumes because those skills sets and experiences enhance the quality of the candidate.
Matt Levin-Stankevich from United Way’s Emerging Leaders Society (ELS) made an intriguing point – there are over 1,000 nonprofits within WNY and there are many are out there that most young professionals aren’t aware of. By getting involved with a program like ELS, where you are provided board governance training and networking with community leaders, or the Community Foundation’s 21st Century Fund, where members’ contributions are pooled and you can vote to fund a major nonprofit initiative, you can become really involved in a nonprofit’s work and make a difference. Even if your interest or schedule doesn’t permit you to get involved in a long-term commitment, groups like the B_Team Buffalo are here to get you to come out a Saturday morning and get involved in a major service project. As Matt Carlucci pointed out, we should give back to the community that’s given so much to us.
Biggest takeaways of the night: community engagement provides you with some serious networking opportunities and professional development. Perhaps more importantly, it gives young professionals the entrée into those leadership and decision-making roles that we need to begin indentifying for ourselves as the next generation of business leadership in Buffalo Niagara.
It takes a lot of different skills to succeed in business, and many of those skill sets can be easily applied to your volunteer work. Because it’s not enough to just be a leader within your company; a good business leader sees the importance of community stewardship and engaging its employees. April Sroka, Corporate Communications Coordinator at Greatbatch explained how her company encourages employees to be active volunteers and supports various efforts from small scale "Adopt a Highway" projects to sponsoring major fundraisers like the Heart Walk. As BNHRA representative Victoria Weise pointed out, employers definitely look for community involvement and leadership in applicant resumes because those skills sets and experiences enhance the quality of the candidate.
Matt Levin-Stankevich from United Way’s Emerging Leaders Society (ELS) made an intriguing point – there are over 1,000 nonprofits within WNY and there are many are out there that most young professionals aren’t aware of. By getting involved with a program like ELS, where you are provided board governance training and networking with community leaders, or the Community Foundation’s 21st Century Fund, where members’ contributions are pooled and you can vote to fund a major nonprofit initiative, you can become really involved in a nonprofit’s work and make a difference. Even if your interest or schedule doesn’t permit you to get involved in a long-term commitment, groups like the B_Team Buffalo are here to get you to come out a Saturday morning and get involved in a major service project. As Matt Carlucci pointed out, we should give back to the community that’s given so much to us.
Biggest takeaways of the night: community engagement provides you with some serious networking opportunities and professional development. Perhaps more importantly, it gives young professionals the entrée into those leadership and decision-making roles that we need to begin indentifying for ourselves as the next generation of business leadership in Buffalo Niagara.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
October 20 - Public Hearing Day
For some reason, the planets are aligning next Tuesday, and a trio of public hearings are being held in Buffalo Niagara. The Partnership will have presence at all of them.
I'll give them to you in order of time:
10:00 a.m. - The NYS Assembly Standing Committee on Economic Development, Job Creation, Commerce and Industry will host a public hearing at the UB Center for Tomorrow "to examine the future directions for economic development in New York State." To us, that sounds pretty general, so we're preparing testimony with a 30,000-foot view of economic development, and why Albany's attitude toward it is wrong. If you're interested in participating in this hearing, click here for the official hearing notice.
11:00 a.m. - The NYS Senate Standing Committee on Environmental Conservation will host a public hearing at the Buffalo Museum of Science in regards to NYS wetlands policy. There are a couple of pieces of particularly onerous legislation out there that will be under the microscope at this hearing, most specifically one sponsored by Senator Thompson that would reduce the size of a parcel necessitating wetlands review from the current 12.5 acres down to one acre (see the Partnership's letter in opposition to this proposed legislation). Click here for further information on this important hearing.
6:00 p.m. - The Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation will be hosting a hearing on the project’s draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery. This GEIS document, as you may already know, is part of the state required environmental review process that ECHDC must follow. Eventual approval of the overall GEIS is a necessary step towards the realization of Canal Side. For those of us who hope to see a thriving Buffalo waterfront, this is a very important time to send that message - as you know the opposition (and whichever flag its carrying) will be there en force. Whether you have a business interest in the Canal Side development project, or you're a WNY resident who wants to see the initiative move forward, here's your opportunity to weigh in. For more information, here's the ECHDC flyer.
Lots to do on Tuesday, October 20. I hope to see you somewhere throughout the day.
I'll give them to you in order of time:
10:00 a.m. - The NYS Assembly Standing Committee on Economic Development, Job Creation, Commerce and Industry will host a public hearing at the UB Center for Tomorrow "to examine the future directions for economic development in New York State." To us, that sounds pretty general, so we're preparing testimony with a 30,000-foot view of economic development, and why Albany's attitude toward it is wrong. If you're interested in participating in this hearing, click here for the official hearing notice.
11:00 a.m. - The NYS Senate Standing Committee on Environmental Conservation will host a public hearing at the Buffalo Museum of Science in regards to NYS wetlands policy. There are a couple of pieces of particularly onerous legislation out there that will be under the microscope at this hearing, most specifically one sponsored by Senator Thompson that would reduce the size of a parcel necessitating wetlands review from the current 12.5 acres down to one acre (see the Partnership's letter in opposition to this proposed legislation). Click here for further information on this important hearing.
6:00 p.m. - The Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation will be hosting a hearing on the project’s draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery. This GEIS document, as you may already know, is part of the state required environmental review process that ECHDC must follow. Eventual approval of the overall GEIS is a necessary step towards the realization of Canal Side. For those of us who hope to see a thriving Buffalo waterfront, this is a very important time to send that message - as you know the opposition (and whichever flag its carrying) will be there en force. Whether you have a business interest in the Canal Side development project, or you're a WNY resident who wants to see the initiative move forward, here's your opportunity to weigh in. For more information, here's the ECHDC flyer.
Lots to do on Tuesday, October 20. I hope to see you somewhere throughout the day.
WBFO Commentary: Attracting, Repatriating and Retaining Young Professionals
BUFFALO, NY (WBFO) - For all the talk of young people leaving Upstate New York over the past 20 years in search of well paying jobs, there is an interesting paradox - the number of employers in Buffalo Niagara looking for the talent those people have to fill available jobs.
To hear more, check out this great WBFO Listener Commentary which aired live this morning!
Friday, October 9, 2009
Unshackle Upstate meeting with DEC
Went to Rochester yesterday, where the Unshackle Upstate Brownfields Working Group had the opportunity to sit down with NYS Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Pete Grannis. It was a great opportunity to talk with the commissioner and his key staff about a number of Unshackle Upstate policy priorities, and we appreciated his time and insight.
A number of topics were discussed, but a central theme emerged - how the business community can work with DEC on a regular basis. Last year's passage of brownfields legislation in which Unshackle's brownfields team worked closely with DEC to fix a damaged (and expensive) program, Grannis described as a "model" for how the relationship should work. In dialogue about brownfields, the legislation was described as an improvement, but there (and we know this) is work to be done. The commissioner noted that we've still yet to find the proper balance between environmental concerns and economic development - how do you ensure as many contaminated properties get into the program and are remediated as possible while still being able to afford the program? He anticipates that brownfields will be addressed again in 2010.
Our group then urged the commissioner's support on a number of UU pet topics - including tax increment financing (TIF), recapitalization of the Environmental Restoration Program and regulatory reform related to items such as SEQR and wetlands review. Interestingly, Grannis noted that Governor Paterson has recently signed Executive Order 25, which calls for a review (upcoming) of DEC regulations and 60-day public input. That will be an interesting exercise - we'll definitely play a role.
The commissioner noted, through workforce attrition and "buy-outs," DEC will lose 400-500 employees statewide at the end of the year from what he describes as an already skeleton staff. He said this is a drawback when trying to fulfill the implementation of the regulations - which, of course, we in the business/development community interpret as delays. He pointed out that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the stimulus received an 18% bump in payroll - while DEC is responsible for implementing the federal programs (man, mandated costs passed down from higher levels of government are a pain, aren't they?!!!). Subtlely, I think he was trying to get us to advocate for better staffing of DEC - even as the state budget is being examined and cut. Unfortunately, that message falls on deaf ears in the business community, as "doing more with less" has become a private sector way-of-life. Truthfully, we would prefer streamlining or elimination of some anti-business regulations. Make everyone's life easier in regards to doing business in New York State.
One interesting thing that DEC is doing is the creation of the Pollution Prevention Institute, which the commissioner introduced to us. This initiative is a resource for employers offering research, expertise and even community grants aimed at making New York "more sustainable for workers, the public, the environment and the economy." Not too often that free advice is available - might want to take advantage.
It was a good meeting, we got to raise a number of issues important to the business community, and both sides agreed that consistent communication is essential. We look forward to strengthening the relationship.
A number of topics were discussed, but a central theme emerged - how the business community can work with DEC on a regular basis. Last year's passage of brownfields legislation in which Unshackle's brownfields team worked closely with DEC to fix a damaged (and expensive) program, Grannis described as a "model" for how the relationship should work. In dialogue about brownfields, the legislation was described as an improvement, but there (and we know this) is work to be done. The commissioner noted that we've still yet to find the proper balance between environmental concerns and economic development - how do you ensure as many contaminated properties get into the program and are remediated as possible while still being able to afford the program? He anticipates that brownfields will be addressed again in 2010.
Our group then urged the commissioner's support on a number of UU pet topics - including tax increment financing (TIF), recapitalization of the Environmental Restoration Program and regulatory reform related to items such as SEQR and wetlands review. Interestingly, Grannis noted that Governor Paterson has recently signed Executive Order 25, which calls for a review (upcoming) of DEC regulations and 60-day public input. That will be an interesting exercise - we'll definitely play a role.
The commissioner noted, through workforce attrition and "buy-outs," DEC will lose 400-500 employees statewide at the end of the year from what he describes as an already skeleton staff. He said this is a drawback when trying to fulfill the implementation of the regulations - which, of course, we in the business/development community interpret as delays. He pointed out that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the stimulus received an 18% bump in payroll - while DEC is responsible for implementing the federal programs (man, mandated costs passed down from higher levels of government are a pain, aren't they?!!!). Subtlely, I think he was trying to get us to advocate for better staffing of DEC - even as the state budget is being examined and cut. Unfortunately, that message falls on deaf ears in the business community, as "doing more with less" has become a private sector way-of-life. Truthfully, we would prefer streamlining or elimination of some anti-business regulations. Make everyone's life easier in regards to doing business in New York State.
One interesting thing that DEC is doing is the creation of the Pollution Prevention Institute, which the commissioner introduced to us. This initiative is a resource for employers offering research, expertise and even community grants aimed at making New York "more sustainable for workers, the public, the environment and the economy." Not too often that free advice is available - might want to take advantage.
It was a good meeting, we got to raise a number of issues important to the business community, and both sides agreed that consistent communication is essential. We look forward to strengthening the relationship.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Watch Our 2010 Economic Forecast Video and Get Informed!
In an uncertain economy, our region's employers and workforce are looking for some answers.
What's next? What's to be expected? How can the challenges we face actually become unique opportunities for Buffalo Niagara and what's ahead for the regional economy?
Get informed with the Partnership's 2010 Economic Forecast video -- a "virtual event" presented by Bank of America and produced by new Partnership member emedia Studios.
Learn what economists believe is around the corner - and what local business leaders view as their biggest opportunities for growth.
To create this video the Partnership sought out the advice of economists and their fellow Partnership members who are experts in the fields of advanced manufacturing, agri-business, healthcare, higher education, life science, logistics and professional services.
To learn more about our experts, click here.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PARTNERS, RESOURCES, AND WATCH THE VIDEO HERE!
Please take a minute to check it out, share it with your colleagues and staff, and post your feedback on the Partnership's LinkedIn Messageboard to help us better serve your needs.
Partnership - Buffalo News
Big day for the Partnership and Unshackle Upstate in the Buffalo News today:
First of all, coverage of yesterday's Erie County Comptroller candidates' debate, which we held at the Smith Theatre. This was a great event - and an important discussion. From the perspective of the business community, when the state decided that the Erie County Fiscal Stability Authority (ECFSA) should become an "advisory" board, the role of the Erie County comptroller became that much more important. One of the beauties of the ECFSA was that it came with a requirement for Erie County to prepare a four-year plan in addition to the annual budget. It is imperative that the Comptroller's office - the "watchdog" of county finances - be strong in order to ensure that Erie County's finances are well-planned not only for today, but for the future.
In addition to yesterday's forum, the Partnership has also conducted candidate interviews, and will likely be making an endorsement in the Comptroller's race in the coming weeks. Stay tuned.
Also, two pieces in the editorial pages look at state government and the effects of the disastrous budget that was passed earlier this year. Our op-ed examines Governor Paterson's recent claim that "we've probably lost jobs and driven people out of the state" in relation to the state budget. And the News' editorial attacks the 18A assessments on energy usage that business are now feeling the sting of, citing examples from last week's Unshackle Upstate hearing held here in Buffalo at the downtown library. Unshackle Upstate's primary focus right now is getting these burdensome fees - which are costing Buffalo Niagara manufacturers into the hundreds of thousands of dollars - repealed by the State Legislature. We intend to keep up the pressure.
First of all, coverage of yesterday's Erie County Comptroller candidates' debate, which we held at the Smith Theatre. This was a great event - and an important discussion. From the perspective of the business community, when the state decided that the Erie County Fiscal Stability Authority (ECFSA) should become an "advisory" board, the role of the Erie County comptroller became that much more important. One of the beauties of the ECFSA was that it came with a requirement for Erie County to prepare a four-year plan in addition to the annual budget. It is imperative that the Comptroller's office - the "watchdog" of county finances - be strong in order to ensure that Erie County's finances are well-planned not only for today, but for the future.
In addition to yesterday's forum, the Partnership has also conducted candidate interviews, and will likely be making an endorsement in the Comptroller's race in the coming weeks. Stay tuned.
Also, two pieces in the editorial pages look at state government and the effects of the disastrous budget that was passed earlier this year. Our op-ed examines Governor Paterson's recent claim that "we've probably lost jobs and driven people out of the state" in relation to the state budget. And the News' editorial attacks the 18A assessments on energy usage that business are now feeling the sting of, citing examples from last week's Unshackle Upstate hearing held here in Buffalo at the downtown library. Unshackle Upstate's primary focus right now is getting these burdensome fees - which are costing Buffalo Niagara manufacturers into the hundreds of thousands of dollars - repealed by the State Legislature. We intend to keep up the pressure.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Peace Bridge - 1956
This is interesting - special thanks for Ron Reinas at the Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority for forwarding this U.S. News and World Report article from 1956 regarding the Peace Bridge.
Please note, that while this article speaks of "a border that is one of the freest in the world" and where "industry in border cities, particularly inter-dependent with industrial activity on the other side, is growing rapidly," that the piece was written a decade after World War II ended and in the heat of the Cold War. The article reports that the flow of goods back and forth "has reached a volume of $6 billion per year." For perspective, we now do over $75 billion per year at Buffalo Niagara's crossings alone!
Certainly, the U.S. faces different enemies today, and the threats are of a different nature. But the border described in this article from 1956 should be our goal - to promote the free-flow of goods and people between the world's two largest trading partners. I say "goal," because without moving to a North American perimeter security situation, we'll likely not see the kind of border freedom talked about here. But to balance the importance of trade and commerce with the need for strong border security, we need to talk about what worked.
Enjoy the article.
Please note, that while this article speaks of "a border that is one of the freest in the world" and where "industry in border cities, particularly inter-dependent with industrial activity on the other side, is growing rapidly," that the piece was written a decade after World War II ended and in the heat of the Cold War. The article reports that the flow of goods back and forth "has reached a volume of $6 billion per year." For perspective, we now do over $75 billion per year at Buffalo Niagara's crossings alone!
Certainly, the U.S. faces different enemies today, and the threats are of a different nature. But the border described in this article from 1956 should be our goal - to promote the free-flow of goods and people between the world's two largest trading partners. I say "goal," because without moving to a North American perimeter security situation, we'll likely not see the kind of border freedom talked about here. But to balance the importance of trade and commerce with the need for strong border security, we need to talk about what worked.
Enjoy the article.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Full Circle Studios Highlight the Next Generation of Business Leaders
Two weeks ago, the Buffalo Niagara Partnership’s Buffalo Niagara 360 young professionals program celebrated its first anniversary with fanfare. The fall weather was beautiful and the views of the downtown Buffalo waterfront were breathtaking, but the most awe-inspiring part of the evening were the more than 500 local young professionals who came out to celebrate living, working, playing and staying in the Buffalo Niagara region.
For those who missed the party, experience the evening in stunning detail courtesy of Buffalo Niagara 360’s electronic media sponsor, Full Circle Studios. Their highlight video can be viewed in high definition at: http://www.vimeo.com/6835803
Many of the beautiful waterfront shots were courtesy of the moondanceCat, a local catamaran boat that offered tours during the event. Thanks go out to Full Circle Studios for capturing the essence of the party beautifully and for their continued support of the Buffalo Niagara 360 program.
You can also check out great event photos courtesy of New York West Photography posted on Facebook.
The next young professionals program event will occur on October 15th. The Board and Community Involvement event features an evening of networking with community leaders and is an opportunity for Buffalo Niagara 360 members to learn how they can assess their strengths and skills and apply them to their own community engagement. This is an introductory event for young professionals who want to become civic leaders but are unsure of how to make the right connections.
Panelists will include young professionals from United Way’s Emerging Leaders Society, Community Foundation of Greater Buffalo’s 21st Century Fund, B_Team Buffalo and other young professionals.
Olmstead Center for Sight 1170 Main Street, Buffalo
6:00- 7:00 p.m.: Informal panel discussion with young professional civic leaders and HR professionals
7:00- 8:00 p.m.: Networking with BN360 members and civic leaders
www.thepartnership.org/events to register.
To learn more about the Buffalo Niagara 360 young professionals program and attend upcoming events, check out the website http://www.buffaloniagara360.org/ or find the group on Facebook or LinkedIn.
For those who missed the party, experience the evening in stunning detail courtesy of Buffalo Niagara 360’s electronic media sponsor, Full Circle Studios. Their highlight video can be viewed in high definition at: http://www.vimeo.com/6835803
Many of the beautiful waterfront shots were courtesy of the moondanceCat, a local catamaran boat that offered tours during the event. Thanks go out to Full Circle Studios for capturing the essence of the party beautifully and for their continued support of the Buffalo Niagara 360 program.
You can also check out great event photos courtesy of New York West Photography posted on Facebook.
The next young professionals program event will occur on October 15th. The Board and Community Involvement event features an evening of networking with community leaders and is an opportunity for Buffalo Niagara 360 members to learn how they can assess their strengths and skills and apply them to their own community engagement. This is an introductory event for young professionals who want to become civic leaders but are unsure of how to make the right connections.
Panelists will include young professionals from United Way’s Emerging Leaders Society, Community Foundation of Greater Buffalo’s 21st Century Fund, B_Team Buffalo and other young professionals.
Olmstead Center for Sight 1170 Main Street, Buffalo
6:00- 7:00 p.m.: Informal panel discussion with young professional civic leaders and HR professionals
7:00- 8:00 p.m.: Networking with BN360 members and civic leaders
www.thepartnership.org/events to register.
To learn more about the Buffalo Niagara 360 young professionals program and attend upcoming events, check out the website http://www.buffaloniagara360.org/ or find the group on Facebook or LinkedIn.
Border Event is a Success
For the past two days, the Partnership has co-sponsored a border related event put on by the Border Trade Alliance - a conversation about border issues featuring experts and participants from the Buffalo Niagara region and from across both the U.S. and Canada. It was a good event and a great discussion from a number of different perspectives, including border-crossing, the effects of regulation on trucking and a topic that is near and dear to us here in the Buffalo Niagara region - border infrastructure.
The Partnership specifically hosted the final session of the day yesterday, with a panel discussion centered on the a report crafted by Christopher Sands of the Hudson Institute and commissioned by the Brookings Institute titled "Toward a New Frontier: Improving the U.S. Canadian Border." Special thanks to John Austin from the Brookings Institution, Kathryn Freidman from the U.B. Regional Institute, Jack Ampuja, co-Chair of the Partnership's Logistics Council and president of Supply Chain Optimizers, and Larry Fontaine of Fontaine Transport Inc. in Port Colburn, Ontario, for engaging attendees in a terrific conversation bringing both academic and real-life private sector perspectives.
I've had the opportunity to hear Dr. Sands' presentations a couple times now, and speak with him on a number of occasions, and his findings on the CanAm border are thought-provoking and pertinent. We talk often of the sentiment that a "one size fits all" border is not appropriate, but generally from the context of the comparison between the country's northern and southern borders. But that one's obvious: our border relationship with Canada and Mexico are two entirely different animals - the southern border focused on immigration, the northern on commerce between the world's two largest trading partners. But this report takes it a step further to point out that not only are the two borders very different, but the regions along those borders are very different. For example, while for the CanAm border in the Pacific Northwest, 91% of crossings are discretionary (shopping, vacation, recreation, etc.), in our region we push over $75 billion in goods across the border annually. For that reason, the "one size fits all" is often not appropriate even regionally.
In addition, Dr. Sands addresses the five categories of users - commercial, energy, commuter, amateur (those who casually use the border), and illicit. Each of these users - or purposes for crossing the border - have different needs of the system in order to reach optimal efficiency. Or, rather, the governments of the U.S. and Canada have different requirements and reasons to address each of these types of border crossers.
The suggestion is that a local influence - not control, but influence - over regional border crossings will allow the communities that are most affected to address their individual needs. Decentralization of the "one size fits all" attitude would allow region-specific best practices to optimize border crossings. We know in our region that infrastructure is a tremendous issue when it comes to commercial border crossing - at both the Peace and Lewiston-Queenston Bridges. Programs such as Nexus and FAST are not at their maximum capability simply because Nexus and FAST users can't physically get to the lanes designated for them. Allowing the Buffalo Niagara region to address that issue locally with the support of the federal government would go a long way in making the border more efficient and effective. This line from the report sums it up: "The more precisely problems at the border can be defined, the more targeted and efficient the policy response can be made."
Interestingly, speaking specifically about the Buffalo Niagara commercial crossings, the reach of improving the border is far - our region feeds trade corridors servicing the entire East Coast. We get lost in the discussion sometimes because we understand locally how important Canadian traffic is to our region, but bear in mind that for over 2/3 of the states in the U.S., Canada is the largest trade partner. It's not just us here in Buffalo Niagara that need the border to work the right way.
The link above has a .pdf of Dr. Sands report. If you'd like a hard copy, please feel free to e-mail me and I'll send it along.
The Partnership specifically hosted the final session of the day yesterday, with a panel discussion centered on the a report crafted by Christopher Sands of the Hudson Institute and commissioned by the Brookings Institute titled "Toward a New Frontier: Improving the U.S. Canadian Border." Special thanks to John Austin from the Brookings Institution, Kathryn Freidman from the U.B. Regional Institute, Jack Ampuja, co-Chair of the Partnership's Logistics Council and president of Supply Chain Optimizers, and Larry Fontaine of Fontaine Transport Inc. in Port Colburn, Ontario, for engaging attendees in a terrific conversation bringing both academic and real-life private sector perspectives.
I've had the opportunity to hear Dr. Sands' presentations a couple times now, and speak with him on a number of occasions, and his findings on the CanAm border are thought-provoking and pertinent. We talk often of the sentiment that a "one size fits all" border is not appropriate, but generally from the context of the comparison between the country's northern and southern borders. But that one's obvious: our border relationship with Canada and Mexico are two entirely different animals - the southern border focused on immigration, the northern on commerce between the world's two largest trading partners. But this report takes it a step further to point out that not only are the two borders very different, but the regions along those borders are very different. For example, while for the CanAm border in the Pacific Northwest, 91% of crossings are discretionary (shopping, vacation, recreation, etc.), in our region we push over $75 billion in goods across the border annually. For that reason, the "one size fits all" is often not appropriate even regionally.
In addition, Dr. Sands addresses the five categories of users - commercial, energy, commuter, amateur (those who casually use the border), and illicit. Each of these users - or purposes for crossing the border - have different needs of the system in order to reach optimal efficiency. Or, rather, the governments of the U.S. and Canada have different requirements and reasons to address each of these types of border crossers.
The suggestion is that a local influence - not control, but influence - over regional border crossings will allow the communities that are most affected to address their individual needs. Decentralization of the "one size fits all" attitude would allow region-specific best practices to optimize border crossings. We know in our region that infrastructure is a tremendous issue when it comes to commercial border crossing - at both the Peace and Lewiston-Queenston Bridges. Programs such as Nexus and FAST are not at their maximum capability simply because Nexus and FAST users can't physically get to the lanes designated for them. Allowing the Buffalo Niagara region to address that issue locally with the support of the federal government would go a long way in making the border more efficient and effective. This line from the report sums it up: "The more precisely problems at the border can be defined, the more targeted and efficient the policy response can be made."
Interestingly, speaking specifically about the Buffalo Niagara commercial crossings, the reach of improving the border is far - our region feeds trade corridors servicing the entire East Coast. We get lost in the discussion sometimes because we understand locally how important Canadian traffic is to our region, but bear in mind that for over 2/3 of the states in the U.S., Canada is the largest trade partner. It's not just us here in Buffalo Niagara that need the border to work the right way.
The link above has a .pdf of Dr. Sands report. If you'd like a hard copy, please feel free to e-mail me and I'll send it along.
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