Buffalo has long been known as the City of Good Neighbors. Perfect strangers stop to push cars that are stuck in snow during the winter or shovel out the driveway of a neighbor, just to be a good neighbor. Those selfless acts foster a sense of community throughout the region. The same can be said for people who volunteer their time to support organizations/people in need.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, about 62.8 million people volunteered in the United States through or for an organization at least once between September 2009 and September 2010. In the Buffalo Niagara region, more than 246,000 volunteers gave an average 29.3 hours per resident. That equates to $554.7 million of service. Those are pretty impressive numbers by anyone's standards.
If you are one of those 246,000+ people from Buffalo Niagara, you know why you do it. You want to learn or develop a new skill. You want to expand your network or work with diverse groups of people. You enjoy the personal sense of achievement you get from helping others. You just want to give back to the community.
As we approach the summer season, why not think about volunteering or attending one of the many events this summer ... the Mash Bash to benefit the American Red Cross, the Ronald McDonald House 5K Run or the 3rd Annual Labatt Blue BBQ & Blues Bash to benefit Gateway Longview to name a few.
Let's face it, 246,000 people in this community are already involved ... why not you too?
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
The Details Behind NY's Property Tax Cap deal
Earlier this May, Governor Andrew Cuomo came to Buffalo State College to talk about his priorities for the remainder of this year's legislative session, and at the top of the list was enacting a state-wide property tax cap - something the Partnership and Unshackle Upstate have spent years advocating.
During the Governor's "People First" presentation, we heard some very similar statistics that Unshackle had been touting during its lobby visits on the cap. One of the Governor's staff even joked that they pulled the information directly from Unshackle's Property Tax Cap White Paper. In Upstate New York you'll find 9 of the 10 top counties in the nation when comparing property tax rates measured against home values. And Upstate isn't the only part of NY affected... Westchester, Nassau and Rockland Counties are ranked 1,2, and 5 respectively when it comes to highest property taxes paid in real dollars.
Property taxes don't just affect homeowners, though. Studies show that property taxes have the strongest negative impact on business, because they are paid regardless of profit. In New York State, the energy sector paid 17 percent of the nearly $19 billion in property taxes paid by businesses in 2009. Those taxes increase the cost of powering our homes and businesses, and those costs are inevitably passed on to the consumer.
Earlier this week, the Governor, Senate Majority Leader Skelos and Assembly Speaker Silver announced an agreement on the property tax cap - one the Partnership, Unshackle Upstate, the Business Council, and many of the other members of our statewide coalition pushing for the cap have all given the "thumbs up" - that would cap property taxes at 2% or the rate of inflation, whichever is less. This hard cap, which some are arguing is the strongest cap in the nation, is the first step towards relieving the tax burden in New York State.
There are stipulations to the cap that help appease some detractors, mainly local municipalities that will be hamstrung by unfunded mandates, that allow for the cap to be "pierced". There needs to be a 60 percent voter override, either by voters in a school district or governing body, to increase property taxes or a major legal settlement that takes up more than 5 percent of a district's budget. There also is a slight carve out for municipalities can account for pension payments - but even then, only a percentage of the increase is allowed to be applied towards piercing the cap.
While we fully agree with the concerns of the local municipalities, we believe that a property tax cap will be the driver to attaining mandate relief from New York State. Any attempt to combine the two issues will lead to another legislative session of lots of talk and no action on a cap OR mandate relief, which will not help anyone. In recognition of the need for mandate relief as a parallel goal of our statewide coalition, Unshackle Upstate submitted a letter of recommendations to the Governor's Mandate Relief Redesign Team and has been vigorously working on recruiting support in the Assembly and Senate for their recommended legislation. Read more about that effort download a copy of Unshackle's mandate relief letter here.
With the above stipulations and next year's projected numbers, it is estimated that the average maximum allowable increase for next year's property taxes by local governments would be 2.9 percent, with that number dropping in subsequent years. According to the state Comptroller, NYS property taxes rose 73 percent from 1998 - 2008, more than twice the rate of inflation. This hard property tax cap will effectively halt that annual increase - allowing New York State's tax burden on homeowners and businesses to begin to return to a sense of normalcy.
During the Governor's "People First" presentation, we heard some very similar statistics that Unshackle had been touting during its lobby visits on the cap. One of the Governor's staff even joked that they pulled the information directly from Unshackle's Property Tax Cap White Paper. In Upstate New York you'll find 9 of the 10 top counties in the nation when comparing property tax rates measured against home values. And Upstate isn't the only part of NY affected... Westchester, Nassau and Rockland Counties are ranked 1,2, and 5 respectively when it comes to highest property taxes paid in real dollars.
Property taxes don't just affect homeowners, though. Studies show that property taxes have the strongest negative impact on business, because they are paid regardless of profit. In New York State, the energy sector paid 17 percent of the nearly $19 billion in property taxes paid by businesses in 2009. Those taxes increase the cost of powering our homes and businesses, and those costs are inevitably passed on to the consumer.
Earlier this week, the Governor, Senate Majority Leader Skelos and Assembly Speaker Silver announced an agreement on the property tax cap - one the Partnership, Unshackle Upstate, the Business Council, and many of the other members of our statewide coalition pushing for the cap have all given the "thumbs up" - that would cap property taxes at 2% or the rate of inflation, whichever is less. This hard cap, which some are arguing is the strongest cap in the nation, is the first step towards relieving the tax burden in New York State.
There are stipulations to the cap that help appease some detractors, mainly local municipalities that will be hamstrung by unfunded mandates, that allow for the cap to be "pierced". There needs to be a 60 percent voter override, either by voters in a school district or governing body, to increase property taxes or a major legal settlement that takes up more than 5 percent of a district's budget. There also is a slight carve out for municipalities can account for pension payments - but even then, only a percentage of the increase is allowed to be applied towards piercing the cap.
While we fully agree with the concerns of the local municipalities, we believe that a property tax cap will be the driver to attaining mandate relief from New York State. Any attempt to combine the two issues will lead to another legislative session of lots of talk and no action on a cap OR mandate relief, which will not help anyone. In recognition of the need for mandate relief as a parallel goal of our statewide coalition, Unshackle Upstate submitted a letter of recommendations to the Governor's Mandate Relief Redesign Team and has been vigorously working on recruiting support in the Assembly and Senate for their recommended legislation. Read more about that effort download a copy of Unshackle's mandate relief letter here.
With the above stipulations and next year's projected numbers, it is estimated that the average maximum allowable increase for next year's property taxes by local governments would be 2.9 percent, with that number dropping in subsequent years. According to the state Comptroller, NYS property taxes rose 73 percent from 1998 - 2008, more than twice the rate of inflation. This hard property tax cap will effectively halt that annual increase - allowing New York State's tax burden on homeowners and businesses to begin to return to a sense of normalcy.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Make the Most of a Job Fair
Buffalo Niagara has its fair share of job fairs coming up in the next few weeks. If you are looking for a job, you well know that job fairs are excellent places to learn, network and oftentimes, land a job. But the bigger the job fair, the more overly-crowded, competitive and confusing they can be. That is why preparation is key to having a successful job fair. Here are few tips to help you down the right path.
Before the Job Fair:
Research participating companies, if possible. This will help you to "target" companies that will be a good fit for you and your career goals, as well as help you to prepare a thoughtful answer to that dreaded interview question, "Why do you want to work for us?". Prepare questions that show interest and knowledge about the organizations.
Prepare a resume that presents your skills, experience and education. Proofread your resume. I'll say it again PROOFREAD your resume. Your resume is a reflection of you and what skills you will bring to the company. Plan to take at least 25 crisp resumes to a job fair, 40 or so if it's a huge event (in a scannable format if possible).
Develop and practice a "one-minute commercial" including a brief summary of your experience, education, skills, interests, strengths and goals. Be prepared to quickly sell your skills, talents and experiences. Even though a job fair tends to be a more casual environment, attire, body language and manners still count. Dress sharp, act professional and display enthusiasm.
Prepare to fill out a job application on the spot. Unless you're otherwise directed, it's best to turn it in right away. Taking it home first allows your better-prepared competitors to beat you to it.
At the Job Fair:
Arrive a few minutes early to register if required and plan your "attack." Visit your targeted employers first with resume in hand, but remember that they have many more job seekers waiting, so don't try to hog all their time or be offended if they cut it short. Once you've hit all of your targets, "shop" other employers' booths and do some networking.
When wrapping up your conversations with employers' representatives, ask them what the next steps are. Ask if it is OK to contact them to follow up, and if so, when.
Keep track of what employers you have spoken to and take notes about the conversation. Collect business cards or contact information as you go.
After the Job Fair
Treat this as if the interview had been at their company and follow up within 24-48 hours with a thank-you letter to each of the representatives with whom you spoke. Doing so might make you stand out in their minds and help you land a follow-up interview.
If you were given the green light to follow up with a company representative, follow through.
When you are not at jobs fairs, don;t forget about two great tools the Partnership offers for jobs seekers: http://www.buffaloniagarajobs.com/ (a free website for job seekers) and our "Jobs" website LinkedIn page (http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=2885861) which offers information for job seekers.
Before the Job Fair:
Research participating companies, if possible. This will help you to "target" companies that will be a good fit for you and your career goals, as well as help you to prepare a thoughtful answer to that dreaded interview question, "Why do you want to work for us?". Prepare questions that show interest and knowledge about the organizations.
Prepare a resume that presents your skills, experience and education. Proofread your resume. I'll say it again PROOFREAD your resume. Your resume is a reflection of you and what skills you will bring to the company. Plan to take at least 25 crisp resumes to a job fair, 40 or so if it's a huge event (in a scannable format if possible).
Develop and practice a "one-minute commercial" including a brief summary of your experience, education, skills, interests, strengths and goals. Be prepared to quickly sell your skills, talents and experiences. Even though a job fair tends to be a more casual environment, attire, body language and manners still count. Dress sharp, act professional and display enthusiasm.
Prepare to fill out a job application on the spot. Unless you're otherwise directed, it's best to turn it in right away. Taking it home first allows your better-prepared competitors to beat you to it.
At the Job Fair:
Arrive a few minutes early to register if required and plan your "attack." Visit your targeted employers first with resume in hand, but remember that they have many more job seekers waiting, so don't try to hog all their time or be offended if they cut it short. Once you've hit all of your targets, "shop" other employers' booths and do some networking.
When wrapping up your conversations with employers' representatives, ask them what the next steps are. Ask if it is OK to contact them to follow up, and if so, when.
Keep track of what employers you have spoken to and take notes about the conversation. Collect business cards or contact information as you go.
After the Job Fair
Treat this as if the interview had been at their company and follow up within 24-48 hours with a thank-you letter to each of the representatives with whom you spoke. Doing so might make you stand out in their minds and help you land a follow-up interview.
If you were given the green light to follow up with a company representative, follow through.
When you are not at jobs fairs, don;t forget about two great tools the Partnership offers for jobs seekers: http://www.buffaloniagarajobs.com/ (a free website for job seekers) and our "Jobs" website LinkedIn page (http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=2885861) which offers information for job seekers.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Want to Accelerate Upstate?
We’re hosting a two-day conference in Buffalo August 4-5 to develop an action plan for accelerating priority projects and economic growth in the 40,000 square miles that compose Upstate New York. Upstate leaders (and that includes YOU) with diverse perspectives are being invited to focus on how Upstate can thrive given the state’s particular political balance and the resulting limited political clout Upstate.
Within six weeks of the conference, the Accelerate Upstate action plan will be distributed to event attendees and delivered to the capitol in Albany.
Partnership President and CEO Andrew J. Rudnick was joined by Erie County Executive Chris Collins and Buffalo Mayor Byron W. Brown at a press event yesterday to invite leaders from across New York to the conference. Some of what they had to say:
“What’s different about this conference?” asked Rudnick. “Rather than rehash and focus on the challenges we face, the two-day dialogue will focus on agreeing upon solutions and positive steps that the Upstaters can take – together -- moving forward.”
Erie County Executive Chris Collins said, “For too long, Upstate New York has been at the mercy of Albany politics dominated by Downstate interests. We all know too well the impact that has had on our Upstate communities. I commend the Buffalo Niagara Partnership for organizing this conference to develop an action plan for moving vital projects and policies forward for the benefit of every Upstate New Yorker.”
“I look forward to welcoming leaders from across Upstate New York to Buffalo to discuss issues that are affecting our communities,” said Mayor Byron W. Brown. “The conference provides Upstate with a stronger voice and the opportunity to present regional concerns to state lawmakers. This collaboration will make New York State stronger as a whole.”
The Partnership organized the Accelerate Upstate conference after encountering universal frustration – expressed by Upstate business leaders, labor leaders, municipal and school leaders, environmentalists, not-for-profits, farmers and more – over the region’s inadequate political clout, and the negative impact of it.
Consider the following:
To learn more about the panel topics, speakers and registration, please visit www.thepartnership.org/accelerateupstate
Within six weeks of the conference, the Accelerate Upstate action plan will be distributed to event attendees and delivered to the capitol in Albany.
Partnership President and CEO Andrew J. Rudnick was joined by Erie County Executive Chris Collins and Buffalo Mayor Byron W. Brown at a press event yesterday to invite leaders from across New York to the conference. Some of what they had to say:
“What’s different about this conference?” asked Rudnick. “Rather than rehash and focus on the challenges we face, the two-day dialogue will focus on agreeing upon solutions and positive steps that the Upstaters can take – together -- moving forward.”
Erie County Executive Chris Collins said, “For too long, Upstate New York has been at the mercy of Albany politics dominated by Downstate interests. We all know too well the impact that has had on our Upstate communities. I commend the Buffalo Niagara Partnership for organizing this conference to develop an action plan for moving vital projects and policies forward for the benefit of every Upstate New Yorker.”
“I look forward to welcoming leaders from across Upstate New York to Buffalo to discuss issues that are affecting our communities,” said Mayor Byron W. Brown. “The conference provides Upstate with a stronger voice and the opportunity to present regional concerns to state lawmakers. This collaboration will make New York State stronger as a whole.”
The Partnership organized the Accelerate Upstate conference after encountering universal frustration – expressed by Upstate business leaders, labor leaders, municipal and school leaders, environmentalists, not-for-profits, farmers and more – over the region’s inadequate political clout, and the negative impact of it.
Consider the following:
- Only 81 of the NYS Legislature’s 212 members represent Upstate constituents
- All major statewide elected offices are held by Downstaters
- The leaders of both legislative houses hail from Downstate districts
- The 17 New York State counties that showed a population decline in the 2010 census are Upstate
To learn more about the panel topics, speakers and registration, please visit www.thepartnership.org/accelerateupstate
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