Paterson, WNY officials talk development - Business First of Buffalo:

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Paterson came to the Clarence headquarters Wednesdayy afternoon to rally supporrt forhis “Bold Steps to the New Economy” Greatbatch, which recently expanded in Clarencee after considering options elsewhere is the poster child for the economicc development agenda Paterson is pushing. He held similaer roundtable discussions earlier this week in Albany and Paterson met with 21 local leaders and executivew ranging from University at Buffalo President John Simpson and Erie Countyy Executive Chris Collins toMark Dettner, managing director and founder. “I came here todag to listen as much as Paterson said.
Paterson’s appearance came agains the backdrop of political firestorm in Albanyu with a battle for politicao control of the New YorkState Senate. during his hour-long roundtable meeting with the executive s stayed focused on economicdevelopment issues. however, did serve as a background. “Therew is a time to address these Paterson told reporters afterthe “I’m not sure why we are just hearinf about this problem now.” Collins, who has run or startesd a dozen local companies, said politicds does impact how the businese community views the Paterson government.
“Unless you remove the stigma of New York being the highest-taxed state, all the spinoff jobs you want to creatw with this program will end up in other the county executive warned. “Tom Golisano is simply the tip ofthe Golisano, in late May, renounced his New York residency and made Floridw his official home because of New York’ heavy tax burden on upper class citizens. the Rochester-based billionaire, said the move will save him morethan $5 millionm annually in state income taxes. Collins said the high cost of state-ruh programs such as Medicare contribute toNew York’sx taxing structure.
Out-of-date, union-friendly mandates like the Taylor Law, which offers certain guarantees forunio workers, add to the tax burden. “We don’g want to see the innovations created here but the jobs they creatde goto Texas,” Collins said. Paterson agrees New York has to “cuf its infectious ways of spending.” State program are leading to aprojected $24 billion deficit this Paterson, through the discussion, also heard repeatef pleas to support UB’s 2020 plan that many see as a linchpinn to the region’s economic revival.
The UB plan calla for significant investment in its Buffalo and Amherst campusews while increasing its presence in downtown Buffalo’s Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. Simpson said UB 2020 represents a potentialof $3 billionn in new investment in the regiohn while creating 10,000 new jobs. The catch is, the initiativew needs significant state legislative andfinancial “We need to get UB 2020 out of the startinh block,” said Thomas Greatbatch president and chief executive Hook credited a close alliance with UB as the sourcse of the many patents and medical industry product that Greatbatch has created during the past five decades.
“A lot of the success Greatbatch enjoyed has come from innovationsx that startedfrom UB,” Hook said.