Press Release

ARCURI INTRODUCES BILL TO CREATE JOBS AND SPUR ECONOMIC GROWTH THROUGHOUT THE NORTHEAST

March 16, 2007

Washington, DC - Last night, U.S. Representative Michael A. Arcuri (D-Utica) introduced bipartisan legislation creating a Northern Border Economic Development Commission to bring much-needed job creation and economic development resources to Seneca, Cayuga, Oneida and Herkimer Counties.  

“It seems we’re constantly hearing about businesses relocating or down-sizing in our region.  That’s why I introduced bipartisan legislation to bring new jobs and economic opportunity to our communities,” Arcuri said.  “By working together as a region we can harness the power of local communities and federal resources to create jobs and grow our economy right where we need it most.”

The Northern Border Economic Development Commission, modeled after the successful Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), would be charged with investing $40 million per year in federal resources for economic development and job creation in the most economically distressed border areas of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and New York.  The commission would create a federal-state partnership to promote development through regional planning, technical assistance, and funding of projects aimed at encouraging economic prosperity.  It builds on the success of the ARC, which provides economic development assistance for Broome, Chenango, Ontario, Cortland, Tioga, Tompkins, and Otsego counties in Arcuri’s district, among others.

Projects would include transportation infrastructure, broadband development, alternative energy projects, agricultural development, health care facilities and other needs as determined by local communities.

“We applaud Congressman Arcuri’s legislation to establish the Northern Border Economic Development Commission.  The Mohawk Valley needs to have this increased federal investment in our communities to stimulate job growth in Upstate New York,” said Michael Reese, Executive Director of the Mohawk Valley Economic Development District.

“My top priority in Congress is to promote economic growth in my district, helping middle class families and small businesses get the head start they need to create growth and opportunity,” Arcuri said. “People in Upstate New York work hard, and by working together with communities across the Northeast, we can lift our whole region up to be a major economic center for generations to come.”

Arcuri was joined by Representatives Mike Michaud (D-ME), Paul Hodes (D-NH), John McHugh (R-NY), Tom Allen (D-ME), and Peter Welch (D-VT) in re-introducing this bipartisan legislation Michaud first introduced three years ago.
 
The commission created in the bill would utilize the successful ARC approach, where local development districts and other non-profits bring project ideas and priorities to the commission from the local level, making sure that actions reflect both local needs and regional economic development goals.  It also ensures that states have a deciding voice in the investment made within their borders. 

A hearing on the Northern Border Economic Development Commission bill is expected to take place in the next couple of weeks in the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of which Arcuri is a member.

###