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Our legislative agenda considers the following Development Issues affecting Niagara County businesses: |
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Regional Economic Development Council
The Niagara USA Chamber is represented on Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Regional Economic Development Council, as well as on several Working Committees. There are ten Regional Councils throughout the state that seek to build partnerships between the State and the private sector and higher education. The goal is to develop strategies for regional growth, provide competitive state funding grants, and to ensure that state funding aligns with local priorities. The Regional Councils will help drive regional and local development across the state for years to come.
New York Power Authority (NYPA)
The Chamber continues to recognize the importance of the Niagara Power Project and the economic impact its resources have on the Niagara Region. We understand the necessity of low cost hydropower to create and retain jobs in the manufacturing sector.
Action Steps
- Economic Development Fund
- Earnings from the sale of unallocated expansion and replacement power from the Niagara Power Project would be placed in a Western New York Economic Development Fund
- Millions of dollars from the sale of low cost hydropower would remain within a thirty mile radius of the Niagara Power Project.
- Economic Benefit Power Program
- Would protect more than 250,000 state wide
- Create additional power allocations to gain economic impact
- Become permanent with seven year contracts to create long term certainty for business expansion
- NYPA Board of Trustees
- Seek the placement of a Niagara County resident on NYPA’s Board of Trustees to gain better local representation for residents and businesses alike.
The New York Power Authority now has the Recharge New York power program that replaced Power for jobs. Recharge New York improves upon Power for Jobs by allowing businesses to enter into seven-year contracts and by opening it to new participants when power is available. Under Recharge New York, companies will be awarded power contracts based on capital investment commitments, job retention and creation, consistency with regional economic development council priorities, and other factors. Businesses participating in the program must also demonstrate a commitment to maximizing energy efficiency.
NCCC Culinary School/Rainbow Mall Redevelopment
The Chamber will continue to be supportive of the arrangement which brought NCCC’s Culinary School to the shuttered Rainbow Mall in Niagara Falls. While the school has outgrown its present location on the college’s Sanborn campus, this new initiative will allow the school to grow and attract more students.
Action Steps
- Support an arrangement that will allow the former Rainbow Mall to be redeveloped with an array of businesses.
- Seek to ensure there is smart planning with an eye toward businesses that will not only attract more people to that location but will create a revitalization of the surrounding area.
- Highlight this arrangement as a prime example of urban redevelopment.
We are pleased to see this project moving forward. Redevelopment has begun on the old mall and there is a clear plan for reuse of the remaining space, including a satellite office for the Small Business Development Center.
Homestead/Non-homestead Tax Structure
The current tax structure in Niagara Falls, with a 2011 projected homestead rate increase of $0.46 per $1000 assessed value versus $1.01 per $1000 for non-homestead, imposes an unfair burden on businesses and discourages economic growth and job creation. The four towns that make up the Niagara Wheatfield School District (Niagara, Lewiston, Wheatfield, and Cambria) use homestead/non-homestead rates for school taxes.
Action Steps
- Work with area business leaders to seek a repeal of this tax structure
- Support a fair and equal distribution of the tax burden
- Pursue reforms on the local and state level to protect residential rate payers from drastic increases in taxes while restraining the growing burden on businesses
The Niagara Falls 2012 fiscal budget proposal sees a 2-cent per $1000 reduction in the commercial tax rate and a modest increase of only 16 cents per $1000 for residential properties. This trend hopefully highlights the equalization of the current uneven tax structure in Niagara Falls. We will continue to push for a fair distribution of the tax burden.
Niagara University Economic Development Implementation
Niagara University employs over 1000 people making it one of the largest employers in Niagara County. They have an estimated annual economic impact of $178 million on the region. In keeping with their goal of community revitalization, 25% of NU full time faculty members are involved in community based research.
Action Steps
- Support funding for community based initiatives
- Participate in a study to identify target industries and partnerships than can move NU’s community development ideas forward
