Senator Hassell-Thompson Announces Plan To Revitalize Upstate Economy

The Bronx/Westchester lawmaker noted that the Senate Democratic plan would replace more than a decade of unproductive investments by the Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC), many of which failed to meet specified job creation goals. What’s more ESDC failed to adequately monitor these investments resulting in wasted money throughout the State.

RIGHT-NY recommends the following steps:

Infrastructure investment: $175 million would be provided for development of a state-of-the-art air freight transportation system Upstate, creating up to 4,000 jobs;

Main Street areas; $75 million would be budgeted for cutting edge bioinfomatics; and an additional $25 million would fund alternative energy research programs at SUNY campuses. These initiatives would create up to 6,000 new jobs; and

“While population has declined throughout the region, what has not changed in Upstate is its unique strengths, especially when it comes to agriculture, an outstanding higher education infrastructure and the growth in high-tech industry. With a wealth of cultural institutions and tourist destinations, Upstate New York has incredible potential. RIGHT-NY takes advantages of these positives and offers a solid blueprint for the creation of 25,000 jobs,” Senator Hassell-Thompson said.