Governement Affairs UpdateJune 1, 2010 The Niagara USA Chamber has been hard at work advocating for its members on a variety of topics. Working with the Niagara County Legislature to oppose the reinstatement of the "printers tax", voicing concern over omissions in the new "Power for Jobs" program, meeting with NYPA officials regarding the Great Lakes Offshore Wind" project, and discussions with area business people regarding local development are just a few of the areas we have delved into. Printers Tax As the state looks for ways to increase revenue and reduce the budget deficit, one idea that was brought to the table was a repeal of a section of tax law which provides an exemption to sales and use tax on certain printed materials produced in New York State. This exemption was created in order to allow printing firms in the state to be competitive with companies in other parts of the U.S. that have lower operating costs, and can produce items less expensively. If this repeal were to go through, the added expense would cause some printed materials in New York to be priced out of the market completely. This is a field where even a 1% difference in a bid can have major ramifications. After reaching out to Tim Freeman, President of the Printing Industries Alliance, and several of our members, we took their concerns to the Niagara County Legislature. Chairman William Ross and Legislator David Godfrey sponsored a resolution opposing the repeal which passed unanimously. A copy of the resolution will be sent on to the Governor to show our commitment to protecting Niagara County businesses and our members. Power for Jobs One of the current areas of concern we have weighed in on is the state's "Power for Jobs" program. The original program, which expired on May 15, was set to be replaced by the "Economic Benefits Power Program", a bill sponsored by State Senator Aubertine. This bill would reallocate some of the "Rural and Domestic" power, which currently provides a $70 million subsidy to ratepayers, and use it to spur economic development across New York State. However, there was no language in the bill to protect upstate ratepayers from losing to downstate. The power removed from the "R&D" program encompasses the service areas of National Grid, NYSEG, and RGE. It would seem logical that there would be a provision in this bill to protect upstate, since the potential loss of power or economic benefit would have a negative effect on this region. The fear is that without language to protect the local region, as the program expands across the state it would lead to fierce competition among state wide interests, and not be beneficial to the area. After reaching out to our local politicians to voice our concerns, the Chamber was given assurances that any permanent bill seeking to replace "Power for Jobs" would have language to protect the region. As we supported the Economic Benefit Power Program, and continue to support its current replacement the “Energize New York” program, our aim is to ensure that even a program with positive statewide potential does not adversely affect the local community. NYPA’s GLOW Project As projects develop throughout Niagara County, the Chamber continues to find ways to stay invested in their progress in order to bring relevant information back to its members. One such initiative is the New York Power Authorities "GLOW" project, or the Great Lakes Offshore Wind project. The Chamber has met with NYPA officials, including Sharon Laudisi, specialist in Energy Marketing and Corporate Affairs, and a key figure in the "GLOW" project. As NYPA continues searching for a site for its offshore wind turbines, the Chamber is following their public meetings, and has plans for NYPA officials to speak to the full membership in order to fully understand all of the issues involved in a project of this magnitude. If the "GLOW" project is developed off the shores of Niagara County, the Chamber wants to make sure that area businesses are ready to reap the benefits whether one produces parts for the turbines, pours the cement for their foundations, or enhances the shoreline off of which they are built. There are many other areas the Niagara USA Chamber has been involved in recently. Meetings with both area business owners and politicians have allowed us to hear the concerns facing Niagara County and will enable us to formulate ideas where our strong advocacy will be most beneficial. We are staying informed of issues both state wide and nationally, that will have an impact on the region; proposed new taxes, state mandates, budget issues and healthcare just to name a few. As we move forward, the Chamber will continue in its mission to be a voice for its members and live up to its motto of advocacy, opportunity and choice. |
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