SENATOR STACHOWSKI SUPPORTS BILL TO PROMOTE MANUFACTURING: Measure Assists Small And Medium Sized Businesses

     Senator William T. Stachowski (D, Lake View), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business, today announced the Senate has passed legislation (S.4103) he cosponsored that would  establish a Strategic Network Partnership Program in New York State to coordinate the delivery of agency services for certain manufacturing industries and other producers of goods and services. 

     “It is true that manufacturing jobs in New York State have been on the decline, however, manufacturing and other businesses that produce goods and services are still major employers that generates good high-paying jobs here in New York,” said Senator Stachowski.  “This legislation is designed to assist these smaller businesses by linking them together in cooperative networks or clusters. The idea of using the state’s existing resources to provide cluster-based support will help groups of firms as a whole rather than only individual firms one at a time.  Grouping these businesses in this way will ultimately help them improve their productivity and become more competitive in the marketplace.”

     Senator Stachowski added that the legislation focuses  on industries that can make significant contributions to the economy of New York State.  They are small and medium sized businesses which supply larger companies with products used in the manufacture and/or assembly of a final product.

     The Strategic Network Partnership Program would organize, coordinate and integrate the delivery of relevant services from the New York State Department of Economic Development,  the State Urban Development Corporation, the Job Development Authority Direct Loan Program, and the New York State Office of
Science, Technology and Academic Research.  It is modeled after the networking program established in Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region which has regenerated what was once a depressed economy.  Similar programs have also been extremely successful in Germany and Denmark as well.   
 
     Because it coordinates pre-existing state services, the newly created program would have no fiscal implications to the State. 

     The bill was sent to the Assembly.