AURELIUS -- Cayuga County legislators are still considering a new economic development agency despite the fact that private money is now apparently off the table.
And some legislators expressed hope Thursday that the county can still secure outside funding to launch the project.
During a special meeting of the Legislature's Planning and Economic Development Committee, county officials discussed the future of local development. Legislators and members of the public heard a proposal to revive the Cayuga County Development Corporation to have it serve as a "first-stop" option for parties looking to do business in the county.
All of the committee members expressed in a straw poll at least some level of support for the proposal. But legislators also raised concerns over funding an organization that would cost an estimated $225,000 to run every year.
Those concerns were magnified this week after local organization A Call to Action: A Blueprint for Our Region's Future announced it will no longer make $500,000 available to get a development entity off the ground.
But Daniel Schuster, chair of the committee, said during the meeting that the county would still have to eventually fund such an organization. It is important to establish support today, he said.
"Is (the Legislature) willing to make that funding commitment?" Schuster asked his colleagues.
Schuster called the special meeting last week after sending a lengthy letter to county and city officials and community leaders blasting the Blueprint group and the Stardust Foundation of Central New York.
In the letter, he implied that the organizations were using private money to influence public policy, and he stated he would not support the use of private money to fund programs the taxpayers will eventually support.
On Tuesday, the Blueprint group announced that it supported Schuster's sentiments that the county alone should fund the project. Blueprint member and Stardust Executive Director Guy Cosentino said the same day that neither group had heard a different opinion from county leadership.
Yet Legislator George Fearon, a member of the planning committee, said the county needs to welcome any sort of resources it can get, which could include the Blueprint group and Stardust Foundation, he said.
For the full report, read Friday's edition of The Citizen.
During a special meeting of the Legislature's Planning and Economic Development Committee, county officials discussed the future of local development. Legislators and members of the public heard a proposal to revive the Cayuga County Development Corporation to have it serve as a "first-stop" option for parties looking to do business in the county.
All of the committee members expressed in a straw poll at least some level of support for the proposal. But legislators also raised concerns over funding an organization that would cost an estimated $225,000 to run every year.
Those concerns were magnified this week after local organization A Call to Action: A Blueprint for Our Region's Future announced it will no longer make $500,000 available to get a development entity off the ground.
But Daniel Schuster, chair of the committee, said during the meeting that the county would still have to eventually fund such an organization. It is important to establish support today, he said.
"Is (the Legislature) willing to make that funding commitment?" Schuster asked his colleagues.
Schuster called the special meeting last week after sending a lengthy letter to county and city officials and community leaders blasting the Blueprint group and the Stardust Foundation of Central New York.
In the letter, he implied that the organizations were using private money to influence public policy, and he stated he would not support the use of private money to fund programs the taxpayers will eventually support.
On Tuesday, the Blueprint group announced that it supported Schuster's sentiments that the county alone should fund the project. Blueprint member and Stardust Executive Director Guy Cosentino said the same day that neither group had heard a different opinion from county leadership.
Yet Legislator George Fearon, a member of the planning committee, said the county needs to welcome any sort of resources it can get, which could include the Blueprint group and Stardust Foundation, he said.
For the full report, read Friday's edition of The Citizen.
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Post your comment - click hereThere are 2 comment(s)
lemon wrote on Aug 1, 2008 11:37 AM:
The Blueprint Group and the Stardust Foundation own the philosophy that our country was founded upon. Don't complain about problems; take action to solve them. Mr. Schuster is probably right in that the publicly funded position has failed in the past. The job being proposed is very different in that it is not operated by any level of government. In other words, the person either does the job or is out. No red tape. No politics. Employment at will.
Investing in our future is different than throwing money at a problem.
(Incidentally, I believe the Stardust Foundation assisted the Downtown BID with some funding. How unfortunate that some bite the hand that feeds them.) "
irritated wrote on Aug 1, 2008 7:19 AM: