Dear Members,
Thank you to all our members and elected officials that attended our State of the State Breakfast this past Tuesday at the Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center.
The Otsego County Chamber of Commerce (OCCC) is pleased to announce its 2014 Public Policy Agenda.
The OCCC board of directors adopted the Agenda which details issues of most importance to the business community for the 2014 fiscal year. This agenda serves as the framework of the Chamber’s Mission in support of the development of a strong business climate in Otsego County. Our member- driven Chamber is the leading advocate for economic development, prosperity and the improvement of the quality of life for all residents in Otsego County. The public policy agenda has four core initiative priorities:
- Improve Regulatory Environment & Business Climate
- Environment & Energy
- Healthcare
- Education & Workforce Development
The Otsego County Chamber of Commerce will proactively work with our elected officials and decision makers at the local, state and federal levels to impact decisions that will positively affect the business climate of Otsego County, as it relates to regulatory concerns. With the help of our members and partners, we can utilize the framework for guiding responsible public policy decisions that foster economic growth, job creation and a strong quality of life for our communities. To view this document please go to our website otsegocc.com
Thank you ISD for honoring The Otsego County Chamber of Commerce website for the “website of the month”. Please check out our new website if you have not yet been on it at otsegocc.com also like us on facebook!
This Friday Morning Bagels and Benefits
We invite you to join us for a small gathering of business representatives like yourself on Friday, January 10, 2014 at 189 Main Street on the 5th Floor at 8:30 am.
Enjoy a complimentary bagel and coffee and meet the President/CEO, Barbara Ann
Heegan. She will explain the benefits of Chamber membership and how it can help your business grow and in turn helps strengthen the economy in Otsego County.
We invite you to share with us what your company does and encourage you to mingle and meet the other business representatives in attendance. Walk ins Welcomed!
Homeowners Save Money and Energy 2
State financing program can help lower utility bills. Help fight the frigid weather, get a free audit now!
As the winter months approach and the weather grows colder, many homeowners, especially those living in drafty houses, begin feeling the pinch of high home heating prices. Fortunately, a new program from the New York State Energy Research Development Authority (NYSERDA) can help people increase the energy efficiency of their houses and save money on their utility bills.
The Home Performance Energy Efficiency Program offers free energy assessments of homes by accredited contractors. After the assessment, the program helps homeowners through the process of financing their home improvements with grants (up to $5,000 that eligible homeowners do not have to pay back), or low-interest loans.
“We can help people make their homes cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, while saving money on their utility bills,” said Euphemia Martin, the program’s Regional Outreach Coordinator for the Southern Tier. “And people often find that their health improves after an energy retrofit, because ventilation problems, gas leaks, mold and mildew are also taken care of in the process.”
For more information or to sign up for a free energy assessment, call Euphemia Martin at (607) 723-0110 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. You can also email Martin at emartin@ppefny.org.
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Call 865-384-9884 for details”
Sustainable Otsego is pleased to announce the upcoming event:
Lecture by Bruce Seifer: Sustainable Communities: Creating a Durable Local Economy
Wednesday January 15, 2014, 7 pm, Otsego County Courthouse, 193 Main Street, Cooperstown, NY
Seifer’s lecture will be based primarily on his recent book, Sustainable Communities: Creating a Durable Local Economy, Routledge, 2013.
The lecture will examine a framework for local sustainable economic development.
What is a durable economy? How is it created and what does it take to sustain it over time? This lecture will provide insights and answers to these questions. The framework provides a starting point for exploration of the various influences on a community’s economy. These include locally-focused, social, cultural, environmentally sustainable, political and inclusive economy components. Taken together, these components can lead to the formation of a durable local economy.
All are welcome, including community members & business people interested in developing a local sustainable economy; policy leaders; community & economic professionals; teachers; college students; and the general public. Admission is free.
Bruce Seifer is a consultant with deep experience in economic development. He led the City of Burlington Vermont’s Economic Development efforts for three decades, providing technical assistance to 4,000 businesses and numerous non-profits. Bruce frequently speaks at national forums on policy and strategy, city revitalization, and program design and evaluation.
Nominations are now being accepted for the following awards and will be accepted until January 31, 2014.
The Distinguished Business Award sponsored by NBT Bank is given to an Otsego County business that has made a sustained and substantial impact in the community.
The Eugene A. Bettiol, Jr. Distinguished Citizen Award, established in 2002, is given to a citizen of Otsego County who has made a long-term impact on our region and who gives back to the community through their business. Please go to our website to download nomination forms.
Dear Fellow New Yorker,
In the past three years, under Governor Cuomo’s leadership, the state has reversed decades of dysfunction to become a model for the nation, and demonstrated the impact an effective and responsive government can have on the lives of its people. The state has established real fiscal discipline by limiting spending to 2% and passing on-time budgets, added over 380,000 new private sector jobs since 2010, and reduced taxes for middle class New Yorkers to the lowest rates in 60 years. Additionally, we have made significant reforms in our state’s education system and made New York a fairer and safer state for our citizens.
Today, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo delivered his 2014 State of the State address – a sweeping agenda that builds on the immense success we have achieved over the past three years. To read the full plan, click here.
The State of the State highlighted the Governor’s efforts to:
- Continue New York’s successful job growth strategy through property tax relief, business tax cuts, and innovative job creation initiatives;
- Transform New York’s schools to provide the highest quality education for all of our children;
- Create more progressive, safer, cleaner and fairer communities; and
- Reimagine New York State in the wake of recent disastrous storms by improving our disaster response capabilities and hardening our infrastructure to protect against future severe weather.
Under the Governor’s leadership, we have gone from a $10 billion deficit to a $2 billion surplus. Rather than using this revenue to increase spending, the Governor instead proposed to provide additional tax relief for New Yorkers, including significant property tax relief for homeowners and a tax credit for renters; reduced taxes on businesses to make our state more competitive and create jobs; and additional tax cuts designed to help New Yorkers. Click here to read details of the Governor’s tax relief plan.
The number one priority for New York State continues to be jobs. Through the Governor’s tax relief plan, New York will become more competitive to attract business and investment. The Governor will also continue to encourage targeted investment in New York businesses through key industry initiatives and our Regional Economic Development Councils. Additionally, he proposed to host the Global NY Summit on World Trade and Investment to reach foreign investors to increase investment in New York. His agenda will also further revitalize upstate communities by continuing to invest in tourism, bringing world-class destination resorts to Upstate NY, and eliminating the corporate income tax rate for Upstate manufacturers. He also outlined a plan to quickly and efficiently modernize LaGuardia and JFK airports – these gateways to New York are major economic engines and New York deserves globally-renowned, 21st century airports.
Our next step in transforming our schools is to reinvent our classrooms with new technology – to do this, the Governor proposed launching a $2 billion “Smart Schools” bond referendum to help bring all of New York schools into today’s high-speed, high-tech world. Additionally, the Governor will build on his programs to reward our most effective teachers, encourage students to study in math, science and engineering, and make full-day pre-K universal in NYS.
The Governor also understands there is more to do to make New York communities more progressive, safer, cleaner, and fairer. The NY Youth Works program has helped 13,000 inner city youth find work, and for 2014, the Governor has proposed increasing the program to further combat the unacceptable unemployment levels in our communities. To ensure New Yorkers have safe, clean, and decent housing, the Governor’s agenda includes preserving or creating 3,000 more units of affordable housing. New York remains one of only two states in which the age at which youths are treated as adults in the justice system is 16 – nearly 40,000 16- and 17-year-olds had their cases handled in adult or criminal court in 2012, which is why the Governor proposed establishing the Commission on Youth, Public Safety & Justice to provide concrete, actionable recommendations regarding youth in New York’s criminal and juvenile justice systems. Medical research suggests that medical marijuana may help manage the pain and treatment of cancer and other serious illnesses, which is why the Governor has proposed launching a medical marijuana research program at 20 hospitals to evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of a medical marijuana system.
To further protect New Yorkers against drunk drivers, the Governor is proposing a three-strikes-and-you’re-out rule. He will also continue to crack down on youth texting while driving.
New York means justice for ALL, which is why the Governor will continue to fight for the Women’s Equality Act. His agenda also includes protection for students against discrimination and harassment, because New York’s tolerance for racism and discrimination is ZERO.
The Governor has also made restoring New Yorkers’ trust in state government a top priority. This year, he will continue to fight for reforms to ensure New Yorkers have confidence that their elected officials are serving them faithfully. He proposed new anti-bribery and corruption laws, public financing of elections, independent enforcement and oversight at the Board of Elections, and disclosure of outside clients with business before the State.
Understanding that extreme weather is the new reality, we need to reimagine New York for a new reality. Vice President Biden credited the Governor’s storm plan as a model for future recovery efforts. The Governor proposed a $17 billion strategy that will transform New York’s infrastructure, transportation networks, energy supply, coastal protection, weather warning system, and emergency management to better protect New Yorkers from extreme weather. Click here to read more about the Governor’s broad strategy to protect New Yorkers from future extreme weather.
To read the Governor’s full plan, click here. Visit www.NYGetInvolved.com to learn more about the Governor’s agenda and view full coverage – video, photo, presentation – from the 2014 State of the State Address.
Only together, can we make these proposals reality.
Sincerely,
Office of the Governor
