1. NEW YORK STATE ECONOMIC SURVIVAL GUIDE
ISSUE Reform Economic Development
TOO MANY PROGRAMS AND
AGENCIES ARE ATTRACTING
TOO FEW JOBS.
If success in economic development were measured The Rochester Business Alliance supports the proposal
by volume of effort, New York would be a winner. by Governor-elect Cuomo to create regional councils
Our state has 28 government agencies, 115 industrial that review economic development plans and reduce
development agencies, 618 local development unproductive local competition. We especially support
corporations, 72 Empire Zones, 50 business districts, his announced plans to place economic development
49 urban renewal agencies and 10 regional councils authority in the hands of someone who understands
with staffs and programs designed to promote the challenges of the upstate economy—our new
economic development.17 lieutenant governor and Rochester’s outgoing mayor,
Robert Duffy.
Attracting and retaining jobs is the real measure—
and unfortunately, New York’s job growth has been
far slower than other states. Over the past 20 years,
the number of private-sector jobs in New York has
increased by only 4 percent, while jobs nationwide steps to
have increased 18 percent.18
SURVIVAL
Economic development incentives are not the only
Centralize responsibility for
reason that employers choose to expand, or to locate economic development initiatives
in one state over another. It is more important under the lieutenant governor,
for government to get the basics right—strong ensuring a statewide focus with
an understanding of upstate needs
infrastructure, efficient services, good schools,
reasonable taxes and a friendly business climate. Ensure that the new regional
councils have real authority, with
But in a nation and a world where governments the ability to approve or deny
economic development grants
compete with each other to attract jobs, New York and loans
needs to do better. The hundreds of state and local
organizations involved in economic development Support sectors and institutions
with track records of creating
are not pursuing a coherent strategy. To the contrary, globally competitive jobs that
they often pit neighboring communities against each add value to the economy
other, creating a shell game that moves jobs around
without creating new ones.
17 From multiple sources cited in
The New New York Agenda: A Plan
for Action, Andrew Cuomo, p. 95
18 U.S. Department of Labor,
Bureau of Labor Statistics
19 National Center for Education
Statistics, 2009
20 U.S. Census Bureau