ESD Upstate - Buffalo Niagara Partnership

Let's get one thing straight - we like and respect Upstate Empire State Development (ESD) Chairman Dan Gundersen. He has been an effective advocate for Upstate and an invaluable resource for us on state issues such as brownfields, IDAs and the budget.
More importantly than the person, however, we like the notion of Dan Gundersen - the idea that there needs to be someone in charge of state economic development programs in and for Upstate, with the power and authority to do the job. For the first time in decades, Albany now has a person dedicated to that purpose, and we've benefited as a region. This is precisely why we were alarmed and disappointed to learn that Governor Paterson is giving strong consideration to eliminating the position of Upstate ESD Chairman.

Today, the Partnership is sending a letter to the governor's office in support of Upstate ESD, and I urge you to send a message to Governor Paterson, as well, through our VoterVoice technology. From our perspective, it is vital that Upstate New York be represented in ESD by someone with the same powers that currently are given to Gundersen. Specifically, the Upstate director must have the authority to hire and fire staff, to make resource allocations and to approve projects. If, in any proposed change to one ESD head that cannot be accomplished, then ESD's current configuration is far and away the best option for Upstate economic development and must be maintained.

There is little argument that Upstate ESD has been an invaluable tool for economic development in a region that severely needs the attention. I don't need to remind you how ESD's previous approach treated Upstate. Reverting to the state's failed strategies of the past would be a definitive step backward for our region, and an unfortunate detriment to our economy.

Moreover, Upstate ESD has offered hope that there is, finally, a real focus in Albany on restoring Upstate's economic vibrancy - a demonstration that the governor's office is actually listening and paying attention. The elimination - or diminution of the role - of the Upstate ESD chair position will be stark and disheartening evidence to the contrary.

So, I again urge you to get involved by sending a message to Albany that the attention that has been given to Upstate since the naming of Dan Gundersen as Upstate ESD Chairman and the opening of the Upstate ESD office has been an effective component of our economic development efforts, and must be maintained.