Economic Development Can’t Happen in a Vacuum
Over the past year our County Executive called for suing Indian Point’s owner for announcing they would close the plant and he held a press conference calling on Amazon to move to Westchester. In addition, he continues to try “selling” the county airport and a handful of other notions. Others in the county and state, from a state senator to county legislators have stood by him in these publicity stunts, offering nothing more than photo opportunities for what should be very serious discussions.
When the city of Boston asked Amazon to come to town, it offered a comprehensive and public report on what makes Boston special, when Indian Point’s closure was announced, Cortlandt Town Supervisor, Linda Puglisi announced a plan of what would be needed to overcome the economic loss, the County Legislature stopped the initial airport deal as one that was bad for our citizens and the list goes on.
Our county does indeed need economic development and job creation, but to do that successfully, there has to be both public and private investment in infrastructure so that business and jobs can make a go of it in the county. This is true for Putnam and Dutchess as well. Without 21st Century transportation, internet and communications capabilities, we remain at a disadvantage that can’t be made up with tax concessions and other backward offers of support.
In the past 8 years in Westchester and similarly so in the other counties, there has been little or no real infrastructure. Our roadways, constructed in the 19th and 20th Centuries remain largely unchanged, yet tens of thousands more people live in the region, leading to congestion and bad driving conditions. Our public transportation is practically nonexistent and mass transit (if we can call it that) is getting so costly that for many it isn’t a serious option.
Our cell phone service across the region is haphazard and seemingly changes from day to day and the lack of real competition for cable, internet and other essential services for the business of today and tomorrow is inadequate. The lack of public investment, the lack of public-private partnerships alarming and the absence of any strategic plan to move us forward has led to young people moving away in droves and industry following them.
Where once our counties had giants of industry, we have empty office parks, warehouses and buildings. Our lack of truly affordable housing and transportation keeps those employers who need entry level positions, or unskilled, young or part-time workers away and those are often the people who move into a community in starter homes or apartments and build careers and go on to purchase homes in more established communities, paying taxes, raising families and supporting other local businesses.
Back in the 1800s a young state senator in Illinois called for public investment in rail, canals and other vital infrastructure. He understood that without the tools, there could be no growth. That young man was none other than Abraham Lincoln, arguably our nation’s greatest president.
If our current leaders in our counties, in our state and in our nation’s capital have not learned lessons Mr. Lincoln understood almost 200 years ago, we are in great need of different leaders. A great nation like ours, a great state like ours have never rested on our laurels. We have understood that we must continue to do better, or we will indeed fall behind. It is time for change, it is time New York regains its place as a global leader. Good policies brought Abraham Lincoln from obscurity to the White House, and good policies and a strategic vision will do great things for our state as well.
Robert Kesten, Candidate for NYS Senate 40
