Slaughter Tells GM, Don't Close Former Delphi Manufacturing Facilities

(WASHINGTON) - In response to reports from local workers concerning negotiations with General Motors (GM), Western New York Congresswoman Louise Slaughter (Democrat-28th District) is promising to work closely with GM and local officials to help prevent any effort to close the former Delphi plants in Rochester or Lockport.  Slaughter has written to General Motors Chairman and CEO Ed Whitacre expressing her serious concerns about plans for the former Delphi sites.  GM purchased these facilities last year from Delphi and began contract discussions with the plants' hourly employees earlier this year.  Because the Rochester plant is close to GM's Honeoye Falls research facility, where the ground-breaking fuel cell technology was developed, Slaughter argued that the two facilities should stay linked.  "It is paramount that the Rochester manufacturing facility remains open to produce the fuel cell's components. It makes sense to manufacture the fuel cell in Rochester to keep the production in proximity to the research and development professionals who pioneered this technology," the Congresswoman said.  Earlier this year, GM brought good news to the workers of the Tonawanda GM Engine plant with a combined $825 million in investments to produce three new engines.  Slaughter has urged Whitacre to consider the cost-advantages of the nearby Rochester and Lockport plants which provide parts and support for the engines assembled in Tonawanda.

Slaughter Announces Continued Federal Commitment To Accelerate High-Speed Rail

(WASHINGTON) - Congresswoman Slaughter has announced a major step forward for high-speed rail following a meeting between public and private rail interests who were joined by state and federal officials in a renewed effort to bring about progress in building high-speed rail in New York.  Following a meeting with Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, in which he pledged his support for the New York project, Slaughter said she was confident that the rail initiative was moving full steam ahead.  "This is exactly what we need on this project," Slaughter said. "The Secretary said that he was assigning one of his top deputies to focus on New York and I'm thankful for all the help Secretary LaHood has given us.  He told me he was one-thousand-percent behind New York because he understands, like I do, what a major economic benefit this will be to the people and businesses across the state.  I'm pleased that convening this meeting and bringing all the parties together."  After the meeting, LaHood said: "I promised Congresswoman Slaughter that FRA (Federal Railroad Administration) Deputy Administrator Karen Rae will work with the state and do whatever it takes to make high-speed rail happen for New York."  Federal officials said that Deputy Administrator Rae would assume a larger role in the project. Until last year Rae was Deputy Commissioner Policy & Planning at New York's Department of Transportation.  Besides meeting with LaHood and Rae, Slaughter spoke with Deputy Secretary John Porcari, FRA Administrator Joe Szabo, along with officials from CSX and the New York Department of Transportation.  The meeting took place at the Department of Transportation in Washington.  "When I formed the Upstate Congressional Caucus last year, we made bringing high-speed rail to the Empire Corridor our first priority.  Together we secured four-point-six-million dollars in funding through the appropriations process and (this) is one more milestone.  High-speed rail in New York will be a reality," Slaughter said.  In February, New York State learned it would receive $151 million in funding from the Recovery Act to begin building a dedicated third track to passenger rail that would stretch from Buffalo to Albany.  The improvement of existing tracks and the creation of a third track dedicated to passenger rail will allow people to move efficiently back and forth across the upstate region, improve commerce, generate new tourism opportunities and spark revitalization in our region for years to come.

Slaughter Says Energy Efficiency Bill Will Be Good For WNY Economy

(WASHINGTON) - Congresswoman Slaughter supports passage of legislation that will create Green Jobs and make it more affordable to improve your home's energy efficiency.  The Home Star program will provide up-front rebates of up to $3,000 for improvements such as insulation, duct sealing, windows and doors, air sealing and water heaters and incentives for complete home energy-saving renovations.  "So many of the jobs that we've lost are not coming back.  We have to build a new economy," said Slaughter.  "One of the best opportunities we have to get our assembly lines moving again is to harness the power of clean technologies and energy efficiency."  The Home Star Energy Retrofit Act, which passed the House by a 246 to 161 vote, authorizes the creation of a Home Star program that will increase home energy renovations by providing rebates to homeowners who install energy-saving products.  Over 90% of energy-saving products, including insulation, windows, doors and heating systems, are manufactured in the U.S.  The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy estimates that the Home Star program will create approximately 168,000 new American jobs.  "These are jobs that are good for America and good for Western New York.  These are the types of jobs that cannot be outsourced overseas," Slaughter said.  Slaughter also noted the legislation's impact on reduced energy bills through efficiency and weatherization incentives.  The Center for American Progress estimates that more than three million families will participate, saving $9.2 billion on their energy bills over the next 10 years as a result of this bill.  "We not only spark the clean technology industry, we increase our energy security and independence and turn to a more sustainable energy future through these measures," the Congresswoman added.  The Home Star Energy Retrofit Act is supported by a broad range of business, Organized Labor, environmental and consumer groups including the National Association of Manufacturers, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Home Builders, Owens Corning, Home Depot, Laborers' International Union of North America, Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, Environment America, Alliance to Save Energy, and U.S. Green Building Council along with the Home Star Coalition which has over 1,000 business and organization members nationwide.

State Senator William Stachowski & Fellow Senators Pass Legislation Increasing Transparency at SUNY, CUNY & State Boards

(ALBANY) - As part of the ongoing effort to establish greater transparency and responsibility in state entities, Senator William Stachowski (Democrat-58th District/Lakeview-Buffalo) and the Democratic Majority have passed a pair of bills (S-5585C, S-7369) that makes information about state education boards more readily accessible to the public.  One of the top priorities of Senator Stachowski is providing the public with an open look into the on goings of state government and its entities so taxpayers know how their dollars are being spent.  For too long, there has been little transparency for the meetings of Boards of Trustees at higher educational institutions in New York State.  To remedy this, the first bill (S-5585C) deals with opening up meetings to public viewing by requiring that the Board of Trustees at SUNY, CUNY and HESC make resolutions, actions, attendance, and voting records available online no later than seven days after the meeting.  Recognizing that for many New Yorkers, it is difficult, if not impossible, for them to understand the composition, purpose and legal responsibilities of state boards, the second bill (S-7369) will bring New York in line with a majority (41) of states across the U.S. that provide a full compilation of the membership and meeting information of all state boards.  Currently, only 35% post public meeting notices, and only 45% publicly post contact information.  "Shining light on the darkest areas of our state government and publicly-funded entities has been a priority of myself and the Majority Conference," Stachowski said. "Our higher education programs are vital to a sustainable future for our state.  These institutions mold the minds of our future leaders and the public has the right to know what their Boards of Trustees are doing."  These bills follow several good government reforms championed by the senator, including ending "shadow governments" through groundbreaking Public Authorities Reform, as well as a new Open Meetings Law which requires all governmental entities to make meetings at which decisions are made to occur with public knowledge and opportunity for participation.

State Senator Stachowski & Senate Task Force Target Department Of Transportation Suspicious Overtime

(ALBANY) - Along with his colleagues on the Senate's Task Force on Government Efficiency, Senator Stachowski has unveiled a recent tip submitted to the Task Force whistleblower website regarding suspicious overtime pay at the New York State Department of Transportation (DOT).  The Task Force then immediately held a public forum to probe DOT officials on this issue and other potential findings of excessive spending.  Late last month, the Task Force released the third in its series of investigative reports, this one citing $60 million dollars in potential cost-savings at the New York State Department of Transportation, and more than $200 million in funds the Department has already wasted. Following the release of the report, the Task Force received an anonymous tip on its whistleblower website that DOT's motor vehicle inspectors, seven of whom fall into the top 10 overtime earners overall at the Department, may be inspecting vehicles not required to be inspected under New York State Transportation Law.  "Under no circumstances should New York taxpayers be footing the bill for these kinds of unwarranted expenses at the state level," said Stachowski, who serves Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business.  "I'm pleased to see that conscientious New Yorkers are already taking full advantage of our whistleblower website and joining our fight to cut government waste."  At the hearing, the Task Force heard testimony from DOT Acting Commissioner Stanley Gee; Tom Comanzo, Vice President of the Public Employees Federation (PEF); and Jay Simson, Executive Director of American Council on Engineering Companies.  In its latest report, the Task Force uncovered close to $60 million in potential cost-saving measures at DOT, ranging from moving some of its contracted services in-house ($46.5 million) to speeding up its typical contract close-out time frame ($10 million) to decreasing overtime spending ($3.5 million) or cutting back on night work ($360,000).  The Task Force report also outlined more than $210 million in wasted funds that have already been spent, including $150 million on contract management and further rising contract costs associated with changes in DOT specifications.  In 2006, DOT revised its specifications for the type of reflective sheeting used on orange construction signs, requiring full compliance by January 2009. Although DOT claimed this change would come at no cost to the state, contractors statewide had to pay nearly $27 million to replace the 2.7 million existing signs, a cost they are now passing onto the state in the form of higher contract prices.  In an effort to stem further wasteful spending and mismanagement of taxpayer dollars at state agencies, the Senate Task Force has also announced the launch of a new webpage where state employees and other interested New Yorkers can anonymously submit their ideas, suggestions and feedback on how the state can conserve resources in this tough fiscal time, as well as report any suspected wasteful government spending or abuse of tax dollars.  The bipartisan Senate Task Force on Government Efficiency was created with the goal of uncovering inefficient government spending and developing productive solutions to put taxpayer dollars to better use. 

More Power More Jobs Plan Attracts Business, Empowers Employers to Hire Knowing Program will Not Expire - Says Senator Stachowski

(ALBANY) - Following the recommendation of Energy and Telecommunications Committee Senator Stachowski and his colleagues in the State Senate have moved to pass legislation to create a permanent Power for Jobs Program that will streamline and improve the state's low cost power for economic development efforts.  "Passing this legislation, based on the recommendations of employers and economic development experts, with bipartisan support, we are demonstrating the Senate's commitment to preserving and creating jobs statewide.  This is legislation that will expand an already successful program and foster the economic growth we need to emerge from these difficult times stronger," Stachowski said.  The new Economic Benefit Power Program (-7573-A) would continue to protect more than 250,000 jobs statewide that are covered by Power for Jobs and would include additional power allocations to maximize the program's potential.  It would also make the program permanent, with available seven-year contracts, giving businesses the certainty they need to make long term investments and create jobs.  The bill was crafted with the input of employers and economic development experts around the state through the Powering New York's Future Initiative, a series of statewide discussions with businesses and other stakeholders used to determine actions the Legislature could undertake to better use the resources of the New York Power Authority to make New York more business-friendly.  "More power means more jobs for Buffalo and Western New Yorkers. Expanding job creation and economic development resources by lowering energy costs attracts the businesses we need to move our economy forward to get New Yorkers working again.  'Power for Jobs' has proven to be a real winner, by making the program permanent, we can insure that jobs created will be protected in the long-term," Stachowski said.  This bipartisan Senate bill takes a comprehensive approach to using low-cost power and the resources of the New York Power Authority to maximize the retention and creation of jobs across New York State.  It would build on previously successful programs such as Power for Jobs by incorporating the needs of employers to ensure even better results.  "Employers enrolled in this program and economic development groups have long said that the state's resource of low cost power from NYPA could do more for our economy.  All too often, we pass legislation and ask businesses to back into it and tell us what they think after it's already law. In this instance, we took this important legislation and brought it to the people and businesses of this state to make sure we got it right," Stachowski said.  Critically important is that the program will no longer require annual approval of the legislature and provides for a mutual "evergreen" option for the state and businesses to sign one-year extensions to be added to the end of a seven-year deal for job retention and investment.  The current programs would remain in place until July 1st, 2011 - at which point they will be phased out and replaced by the new program.  The legislation also makes an additional 455 megawatts of power available to help create jobs, while limiting the impact on Rural and Domestic Power allocations that subsidize farms, businesses and homeowners in communities receiving hydropower benefits.  Those benefits would remain at 2009 levels of up to $70 million for 2011 and 2012, with the cap dropping to $60 million in 2013, $50 million in 2014, and $40 million in 2015, where it would be frozen moving forward.  The new program would be open to businesses (except retail) and non-profits, including current NYPA participants that are in substantial compliance with contractual commitments.  Among the criteria for eligibility that will be factored in are: The significance of power costs for the employer; The extent that benefits will result in new investment and the willingness of applicant to commit to new investments; Size of applicant's payroll, jobs created or retained and willingness to commit to job targets; Risk that facility could close or relocate, causing job loss and the facility's local economic significance; Whether the not-for-profit provides critical services or substantial benefits to community; Prior energy audits and/or efficiency investments and a willingness to become more efficient; and Consistency with the state's energy plan, performance under prior NYPA programs, and state and local development plans.  No single criteria, standing alone, would determine if an employer receives benefits, but each shall be weighed in a consistent manner into a comprehensive review of all relevant factors.  The bipartisan legislation would expand the existing four-member Economic Development Power Allocation Board to nine members, to determine eligibility and enroll employers in the new program.  Energy efficiency also remains central to this legislation, beginning New York Power Authority free energy audits to recipients to improve efficiency and perform weatherization worth at least $10 million annually.