2 articles of note in the news on future economic development. Both talking about changing our regions focus to support small business development and not giving huge tax subsidies to Big Business that costs taxpayers more than they get in return for their communities.
First is the article with Sue McCartney of the Small Business Development Center.
http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/buffaloerie/story/169332.html
where she talks about "Entrepreneurialism is the new economy,"
"She wants small-business entrepreneurialism to define and drive the Buffalo Niagara economy much the way hightech does for the Silicon Valley, tourism does for Orlando, and gambling does for Las Vegas. McCartney has the plan and an idea on how to pay for it: use proceeds from the sale of low-cost hydropower that now flow to Albany. "
Many small businesses already survive and thrive in WNY. They do not get the huge tax breaks that Big businesses get. Small business owners like simple homeowners pay property taxes and sales taxes at the full rate. It is time for Big Business to pay their fair share. High Property taxes for homeowners is what is driving people south more so than Businessess going south. A home may have $4000/ year in Property taxes in New York with the same style home in South Carolina or Tennessee having only $800 in property taxes.
The second article in the News highlights an important Economic summit taking place at the Hyatt Regency this Thursday and Friday.
Among those scheduled to attend include Greg Leroy author of "The Great American Job Scam", an expert on job subsidy reform. The books subtitle is "Corporte Tax Dodging and the Myth of Job Creation". His book should be required reading for all IDA Board members and County Economic Development personnel.
He documents how Corrupted Economic Develooment brings our communites; Layoffs; outsourcing; overcrowded schools; runaway sprawl and Higher Taxes.
http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/buffaloerie/story/170177.html
Buffalo will be the site of a national conference on progressive economic development strategies that is planned Thursday and Friday in the Hyatt Regency Buffalo, Two Fountain Plaza.Organizers of the two-day conference include Cornell University, the University at Buffalo Law School, the Coalition for Economic Justice and the Baldy Center for Law and Social Policy.
Speakers from around the country are scheduled to attend in an effort to explore how economic development can benefit communities, create living-wage jobs, protect the environment and reduce poverty and inequality. The conference will also explore how decisions regarding economic development can be made openly and democratically.
Among those scheduled keynote speaker Bill McKibben, author of "Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future."
The conference will run from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. both days.
The question is will Niagara County politicians attend and wake up to a new way for Economic Development. Or will they continue to bring us Political sweet heart deals for their political connected friends like AES and the $95 million Tax giveaway to their Somerset Coal plant with no new jobs and no new construction.
Economic professionals and IDA's across the State can not belive that Niagara County allowed this to continue when they could have fired the IDA members for bringing Niagara County the largest financial scandal in the County's history.
The Niagara County Legisature and the Taxpayers they represent were defeated this week in the Court as the Pilot lawsuit was dismissed. AES was also defeated as their Assessment lawsuits were dismissed as well. At this level it means that the Town's Assessed value for the Plant is correct at $667 million.
Chairman Clyde Burmaster haspreviously stated that AES should pay its Assessed value. Then Mr. Burmaster should appeal the PILOT decision and continue to protect the interests of the taxpayers by directing the attorneys to continue the case in order to save taxpayers millions of dollars in higher tax rates due to the "illegal" AES PILOT