With Caveats, Downstate Legislators Prepare to Back Spitzer’s Upstate Plan
Developing divisions appear more partisan than regional
Mon, 11 Feb 2008 14:27:00
In the first-ever “State of the Upstate” address, delivered Jan. 16 in Buffalo, Gov. Eliot Spitzer outlined his reasoning behind pumping $1 billion into upstate cities and towns.
“It was just a few short decades ago—in the late 1970s—when New York City was in crisis,” Spitzer said in the speech. “Yet when the people of New York City asked for help, the people of Upstate did not look the other way.”
Spitzer is counting on that spirit of unity now helping move money in the other direction, to help upstate communities which are continuing to hemorrhage population, jobs and money.
Spitzer’s plan calls for $350 million for the construction of industrial parks and infrastructure upgrades, including brownfield cleanup and water and sewage improvements. The governor also wants $10 million put into a venture capital fund to provide seed money for small business expansion and $50 million steered toward upstate agriculture businesses.
That is too much of a tilt northward for New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (Unaff.).
“In balancing this budget and in promoting the state’s economy, we see no need to pit downstate against upstate or shortchange one area of New York while subsidizing others,” Bloomberg said in testimony before the Assembly Ways and Means Committee on Jan. 28.
Assembly members and state senators from the five boroughs, however, were more open to supporting Spitzer’s upstate plan—so long, they said, as the governor take care to attend to the needs of their communities as well.
“There’s no doubt that upstate has gone through an economic decline over the years,” said Assembly Member Keith Wright (D-Manhattan). “There’s also no doubt that some areas of downstate haven’t even gotten out of the starting blocks.”
Wright cautioned that shortchanging the city would in turn worsen conditions for upstate communities.
“As Shaquille O’Neal said back in the day,” Wright said, “if the big dog don’t get fed, the house goes unprotected.”
State Sen. Ruth Hassell-Thompson (D-Brooklyn) said she remembers the days when every budget cycle saw new fights between upstate and downstate legislators.
“The politics of fractionalizing our state into segments is counterproductive,” she said in a statement provided by her office.
The city’s needs are vast, she said, and must be included in any plan to improve the whole state’s economy.
One of the few downstate Republicans, State Sen. Serphin Maltese (Queens), said his first action upon hearing of Spitzer’s plan was to ask how it would benefit his constituents. With an expected tough re-election fight ahead of him this fall, Maltese will need to show results to voters in his district.
“Everyone feels that they want to help their own first,” Maltese said. “And I’m one of them.”
But he acknowledged that even upstate investment could benefit downstate indirectly, providing a reason for downstate legislators to back Spitzer’s proposals.
“There’s no question the whole state benefits from tourism, economic development and other programs,” Maltese said.
Meanwhile, upstate lawmakers said they are cautiously optimistic about the prospects of Spitzer’s plan to pass with downstate support, even at a time when money is in short supply.
Spitzer’s budget, while earmarking $1 billion for upstate revitalization, slashes health care spending and scales back plans for new education aid and property tax relief, in an effort to close a $4.4 billion budget deficit.
“The approach of sending added state dollars to upstate understandably engenders an envy from other ‘family members’,” said Assembly Member Robin Schimminger (D-Erie/Niagra). “I would think the other siblings would not begrudge the one that needs extra help and assistance.”
State Sen. David Valesky (D-Madison/Onondaga) said the argument in favor of Spitzer’s plan is borne out by noting the amount of jobs lost across upstate New York and the number of young people leaving for other areas.
“There’s always tension in the budget adoption process,” Valesky said. “There very well may be that same kind of tension as it relates to this proposal.”
State Sen. John DeFrancisco (R-Onondaga) was more skeptical.
“The situation now has been bad for a long period of time,” he said. “I don’t think just infusing money to promise that jobs are going to be created really is enough anymore.”
At the moment, divisions developing over the upstate revitalization plan appear to be more Democrat versus Republican rather than upstate versus downstate.
E.J. McMahon, director of the conservative Empire Center for New York State Policy, argued that Spitzer’s plan does nothing to create a more favorable tax climate for upstate New York.
“It’s a plan built on the premise that the State of New York is going to figure out how to jump-start investment upstate with its own money,” he said.
Regardless, downstate legislators may be fooled into thinking they are being passed over, McMahon said, even though the governor’s plan is largely similar to past, failed plans to stimulate upstate New York.
“They’ve been paying for upstate revitalization without getting much results for years,” he said. “I don’t know—once they realize there’s much less than meets the eye, maybe they won’t mind.”
“It was just a few short decades ago—in the late 1970s—when New York City was in crisis,” Spitzer said in the speech. “Yet when the people of New York City asked for help, the people of Upstate did not look the other way.”
Spitzer is counting on that spirit of unity now helping move money in the other direction, to help upstate communities which are continuing to hemorrhage population, jobs and money.
Spitzer’s plan calls for $350 million for the construction of industrial parks and infrastructure upgrades, including brownfield cleanup and water and sewage improvements. The governor also wants $10 million put into a venture capital fund to provide seed money for small business expansion and $50 million steered toward upstate agriculture businesses.
That is too much of a tilt northward for New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (Unaff.).
“In balancing this budget and in promoting the state’s economy, we see no need to pit downstate against upstate or shortchange one area of New York while subsidizing others,” Bloomberg said in testimony before the Assembly Ways and Means Committee on Jan. 28.
Assembly members and state senators from the five boroughs, however, were more open to supporting Spitzer’s upstate plan—so long, they said, as the governor take care to attend to the needs of their communities as well.
“There’s no doubt that upstate has gone through an economic decline over the years,” said Assembly Member Keith Wright (D-Manhattan). “There’s also no doubt that some areas of downstate haven’t even gotten out of the starting blocks.”
Wright cautioned that shortchanging the city would in turn worsen conditions for upstate communities.
“As Shaquille O’Neal said back in the day,” Wright said, “if the big dog don’t get fed, the house goes unprotected.”
State Sen. Ruth Hassell-Thompson (D-Brooklyn) said she remembers the days when every budget cycle saw new fights between upstate and downstate legislators.
“The politics of fractionalizing our state into segments is counterproductive,” she said in a statement provided by her office.
The city’s needs are vast, she said, and must be included in any plan to improve the whole state’s economy.
One of the few downstate Republicans, State Sen. Serphin Maltese (Queens), said his first action upon hearing of Spitzer’s plan was to ask how it would benefit his constituents. With an expected tough re-election fight ahead of him this fall, Maltese will need to show results to voters in his district.
“Everyone feels that they want to help their own first,” Maltese said. “And I’m one of them.”
But he acknowledged that even upstate investment could benefit downstate indirectly, providing a reason for downstate legislators to back Spitzer’s proposals.
“There’s no question the whole state benefits from tourism, economic development and other programs,” Maltese said.
Meanwhile, upstate lawmakers said they are cautiously optimistic about the prospects of Spitzer’s plan to pass with downstate support, even at a time when money is in short supply.
Spitzer’s budget, while earmarking $1 billion for upstate revitalization, slashes health care spending and scales back plans for new education aid and property tax relief, in an effort to close a $4.4 billion budget deficit.
“The approach of sending added state dollars to upstate understandably engenders an envy from other ‘family members’,” said Assembly Member Robin Schimminger (D-Erie/Niagra). “I would think the other siblings would not begrudge the one that needs extra help and assistance.”
State Sen. David Valesky (D-Madison/Onondaga) said the argument in favor of Spitzer’s plan is borne out by noting the amount of jobs lost across upstate New York and the number of young people leaving for other areas.
“There’s always tension in the budget adoption process,” Valesky said. “There very well may be that same kind of tension as it relates to this proposal.”
State Sen. John DeFrancisco (R-Onondaga) was more skeptical.
“The situation now has been bad for a long period of time,” he said. “I don’t think just infusing money to promise that jobs are going to be created really is enough anymore.”
At the moment, divisions developing over the upstate revitalization plan appear to be more Democrat versus Republican rather than upstate versus downstate.
E.J. McMahon, director of the conservative Empire Center for New York State Policy, argued that Spitzer’s plan does nothing to create a more favorable tax climate for upstate New York.
“It’s a plan built on the premise that the State of New York is going to figure out how to jump-start investment upstate with its own money,” he said.
Regardless, downstate legislators may be fooled into thinking they are being passed over, McMahon said, even though the governor’s plan is largely similar to past, failed plans to stimulate upstate New York.
“They’ve been paying for upstate revitalization without getting much results for years,” he said. “I don’t know—once they realize there’s much less than meets the eye, maybe they won’t mind.”
