There's Still Hope For Upstate New York
While the national and local perception of the region is bleak, with the right strategy and mindset, Upstate New York could revive its economy.
Urban research scholar William Fulton argues that the current economic development strategy proposed by Gov. Elliot Spitzer is short-sighted, and suggests several techniques for sparking a renaissance in the region.
"Reviving Upstate will necessarily involve more than just cutting taxes and reforming workers comp and providing more aid to Upstate cities, although those are important."
"Instead, revising Upstate has to be a long-term, consistent effort that is based on understanding Upstate's economic assets and retooling those assets to meet the economy of the 21st Century."
"For 125 years, from the opening of the Erie Canal to the advent of the jet age, Upstate New York stood at the center of the world's industrial economy. The assets created during that era are still extraordinary. Chief among them, as Spitzer has acknowledged, is the region's rich endowment of educational institutions - not just Syracuse and Cornell, but Rochester Institute of Technology, SUNY Buffalo and others."
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Right on, William!
William Fulton is right on the money. I moved from California to Upstate New York in 2005. I love this area, but I can see how taxes and the overwhelmingly negative worldview prevalent within the region repel residents and potential investors.
Unfortunately, the population has been beaten down for so long by self-serving politicians (see the Politics of Decline by Jay Gallagher) that it is almost too much to ask them to "look on the bright side."
For example, even though taxes are sky-high, the cost of housing is less than half of what it is in California. The historical resources within the region are incredible, the climate is good, and natural beauty is abundant. Educational quality is qood, and the people (aside from the inferiority complex associated with 'not being smart enough to leave') are friendly and resourceful.
In order for Upstate to see a new dawn, however, the new Governor needs to: 1) lower property taxes AND income taxes on the middle class; 2) fix the "business-busting" worker's comp regulations; 3) reduce the duplicative layers of city, town, village and county governments to county and city only; 4) fix the land use system -- which is a joke and wastes hundreds of millions of dollars per year as a result of "stupid" growth; 5) fix the medicaid system; and 6) fix the self-serving mess in Albany where closed government prevents real reform.
That's a tall order for Mr. Spitzer, probably much more difficult than what he accomplished on Wall Street. My suggestion: Hire Mr. Fulton, Governor. Pay him $500,000 per year and appoint him state development czar. Then follow his advice.
Bob
Rochester, New York