“It’s a fantastic region with lots of opportunities,” he said. “There are some things we need to focus on and improve, the jobs situation for one.”
He wants the state to back local ideas that are already working, encourage new investments in clean energy and manufacturing, and by cutting red tape.
Standing at the entrance to SUNY Oswego, Renzi outlined a vision for creating thousands of new jobs and revitalizing communities throughout the 48th Senate District by emphasizing the region’s strengths and supporting businesses that want to invest here.
“Families are being strangled by the high taxes, rising fuel costs and an uncertain economy that is causing worry about the future for themselves, their children and their communities,” Renzi said. “I am ready to fight for the jobs our communities need by getting Albany to listen to us, support ideas that are already working and stay out of the way of people and businesses who are willing to invest in our region, create jobs and build a brighter future.”
His plan includes broadly expanding the state tax credits for businesses willing to invest in new jobs in the region.
In addition, he called for specific investment to encourage expansion of the region’s growing “new energy” industry – nuclear, biofuels, wind and hydropower – to fuel the region’s economic growth.
Expand Tax Credits For Creating Jobs
The Renzi plan includes an expansion of investment tax credits for every manufacturer and small business that chooses to grow or expand in the region.
“Right now, bureaucrats in Albany and (New York City) are making decisions about which companies to reward with tax credits and investments, when the best choices should be made right here, by people willing to invest their money in creating new jobs,” Renzi said. “New York State should support every company that’s willing to invest in new jobs in our communities, not just a select chosen few on a whim by ‘experts’ who don’t know our communities, needs and vision for our future.”
The current system is full of bureaucracy and is wasteful, according to Renzi.
“We need to have some local control over tax credits,” he said. “Cutting through that red tape is something that I’m going to focus on.”
Jobs From Energy
His plan also seeks to capitalize on the region’s growing clean and renewable energy industry, including naming an ‘energy czar.’
The person would “make sure we get our share of energy opportunities here in Central New York” by coordinating state and local efforts to win approval for a fourth nuclear power plant in Oswego, ensure a well-trained and qualified workforce to staff the facility, encourage more biofuels production, and help farmers take advantage of the growth of alternative fuel markets by providing incentives to grow biofuel crops.
Renzi said he would push hard to have a fourth nuclear power plant built in Oswego County.
He would like to see a nuclear engineering program offered at SUNY Oswego, he added. It could also help retain some more of the graduates in this area, he pointed out.
Businesses will be able to better draw from the talent pool in Oswego County, he said.
The Renzi plan also calls for enhancing the region’s hydropower resources and keeping more locally produced energy within the region to encourage additional job growth.
“The high cost of fuel has created a surge of interest in alternative fuel sources, and our region, already on the cutting edge of clean energy, is especially well-positioned to take advantage of this trend to produce to produce jobs and a stronger economy,” Renzi said. “We don’t have a moment to lose to ensure a place for our communities in this new energy revolution, and we need a senator who is prepared to bring us there.”
He hopes to make the district “an energy corridor” for the state.
Jobs on Main Street
Renzi noted that his plan would require Albany to review job-chocking and include steps to boost the bottom line of small businesses and manufactures by lowering taxes and energy costs and expanding ways for employers to find affordable health insurance for their workers.
The biggest burdens to overcome are taxes and the red tape that small business faces in the state, he said.
“Small business and manufactures are critical to the economic health of our communities, and every job they create can mean success and a better quality of life for another family,” Renzi said. “We must reverse government polices and red tape that make it tougher for these businesses to succeed and grow, and give them the support they need to create a healthier bottom line that translates into better jobs and opportunities for the whole community.”
Jobs From Tourism
Renzi’s vision seeks to redirect the state’s tourism promotion efforts, in light of rising fuel costs, to lure more tourists to spend their time and money exploring nearby attractions in this region.
This area is the most beautiful region in the world; yet little has been done to capitalize on that fact, Renzi noted.
A recent study showed how the region could double its number of travel-related jobs by increasing tourism.
“Our region boasts some of the friendliest people and some of the best four-season recreation opportunities in the world, with rivers, lakes, forests, mountains, quaint towns, villages and cultural attractions that are second to none,” Renzi said. “We need to refocus our tourism efforts to promote destinations that are closer to home for families and travelers who are feeling pinched by higher gas prices.”
It’s not going to be easy, he admits. “But there is an opportunity in front of us. I’m positive and optimistic that we’re going to make those good changes,” Renzi said.
He agrees with the governor that the state should cut spending.
Most of the wasted tax dollars is outside of this district, he said.
“We’re not getting our fair share from the state. Every year our voice is getting diminished in the senate. What we need is someone to go down there and bean affective advocate and fight to make sure we getting treated fairly. That’s not happening now,” Renzi said.
The district also needs someone who will fight for the fourth nuclear power plant, he added.
“We need someone (in Albany) not only to be a good advocate, but to be able to communicate and build alliances with other like-minded upstate legislators that are going to recognize the fantastic opportunities we have here in Oswego County and the rest of the 48th District to create an energy corridor,” he said. “And, on top of that, make sure that we are able to retain a lot of that energy on a low-cost basis here, which will naturally create other industrial opportunities.”
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