Funke Calls on Governor to Guarantee Funding for Rochester Photonics Institute

Senator joins Congresswoman Slaughter, bipartisan leaders in supporting the transformational project; Urges State funding regardless of results of federal competition 

Senator Rich Funke today called on Governor Cuomo to guarantee funding for a Rochester-based Integrated Photonics Manufacturing Institute, adding his voice to a chorus of bi-partisan leaders supporting the establishment of the nation’s first and only such project. Specifically, Funke has requested a State commitment of $200 million to fund the transformational effort, regardless of the outcome of a federal competition underway to award one U.S. city with start-up monies.

“An Integrated Photonics Manufacturing Institute would capitalize on our rich history in optics to revolutionize the local economy and create highly-skilled, good-paying jobs along the way,” said Funke. “Home to Kodak, Xerox, Bausch & Lomb, and world-class colleges and universities, Rochester isn’t just a leader in optics – we’re the best there’s ever been. I’m calling on the State to commit funding to this project so we can bring it home to Rochester, where it belongs.” 

The Rochester Integrated Photonics Manufacturing Institute is one of three finalists in the U.S. Department of Defense’s Federal Competition on Photonics, part of President Obama’s National Networks for Manufacturing Innovation program. The winning consortium’s bid will receive $110 million in start-up funding from the federal government to establish an Integrated Photonics Manufacturing Institute in its respective community. In his letter to Governor Cuomo, Funke echoes Congresswoman Louise Slaughter (D-NY) in urging the State to guarantee a commitment to the Rochester-based project, regardless of the outcome of the federal competition slated to be finalized in June.

“I thank Congresswoman Slaughter for her support of Rochester’s Photonics Institute and I join her in calling for the State to fund the project no matter what happens in the federal competition,” said Funke. “When it comes to innovation, Rochester can compete with anyone, anywhere, anytime, but a strong State commitment to this project will go a long way toward showing the Department of Defense we are in it to win it.”

The Rochester Integrated Photonics Institute is a Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council (FLREDC) priority project, a plank of the Rochester Community Coalition’s Community Agenda for the 2015 State Legislative cycle, and is supported by a broad coalition of bipartisan local leaders.

A copy of Funke’s letter to the Governor is attached. 

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