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Senator Bruno expresses his support for the proposed Besicorp development plan at a Capitol press conference. |
Friday, January 30, 2004
Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno and Assemblyman Ron Canestrari were joined today by Rensselaer County, City and School District officials, as well as representatives of area business organizations today to express support for the proposed Besicorp development plan in the City of Rensselaer and urge that the project be allowed to move forward.
"Municipalities all over New York are looking for opportunities to increase their tax base to take pressure off property taxpayers and they are competing for every business and job they can get," Senator Bruno said. "The City of Rensselaer has a tremendous opportunity for economic development and job creation that will not only benefit the City, but the entire region.
"This project presents a unique opportunity for the people of the City of Rensselaer. I would hate to see Rensselaer lose this opportunity, particularly when all municipalities in Upstate must be more aggressive in attracting businesses, and as the competitive climate in the Capital Region becomes more intense," said Assembly Deputy Majority Leader Ron Canestrari (D-Cohoes). "The City�s action sends the wrong signal, not only to Besicorp, but to other potential developers."
Besicorp wants to clean up the vacant BASF site, build a newspaper recycling plant and power generating facility, create more than 250 permanent jobs and 1100 construction jobs and generate an economic impact estimated to be more than $675 million, including PILOT payments to provide much-needed tax revenue for the city and the school district.
"It�s unfortunate that the actions of a few City Council members could stand in the way of a project that would provide a significant benefit to majority of people in the city, the county and the entire region," Senator Bruno said. "Acting in the common good and best interests of the majority is the cornerstone of democracy. It�s not always pretty because there are always some people who have concerns or objections, but you have to move forward to achieve a positive result for most people. It�s an important point to consider as it relates to the Besicorp project."
"The Besicorp project is critically important to the future of our city," Rensselaer Mayor Mark Pratt said. "It�s a clear choice between keeping a vacant, polluted site, or having a clean site with a business that employs hundreds of people, generates economic activity for our community and provides much-needed tax revenues to the city and school district. I�m urging the City Council to put petty politics aside and act in the best interests of the people of Rensselaer and the entire Capital Region."
"This area needs a variety of jobs, whether they are technology, manufacturing or service industry," Linda Hillman, President of the Rensselaer County Chamber of Commerce, said. "We applaud Senator Bruno for his efforts to bring everyone together for positive economic development."
"Much work has been done to help attract Empire-Besicorp to the former BASF site in the City of Rensselaer," said Rensselaer County Executive Kathleen M. Jimino. "Moving the city forward will take the kind of positive momentum that a project like Empire-Besicorp will create, and the city will earn desperately needed jobs and tax revenue. A corporation of this nature can distinguish the City of Rensselaer's reputation as a business-friendly environment with the true climate for growth that can reshape industry in Rensselaer County and the Capital Region."
"Whatever happens to the BASF site will have a major impact on the Rensselaer City School District," Superintendent Gordon Reynolds said. "We are urging the City Council to negotiate an equitable resolution that will allow the project to go forward and not walk away when times get hard."
Reynolds said that the BASF site is assessed at $2.5 million and if the Besicorp project doesn�t happen, BASF could just knock down the buildings to reduce the assessment, which would result in a 2.5 percent school property tax increase.
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