The Facts:

• In June 1997, 384,000 Monroe County residents had jobs. In June 2015, 352,400 Monroe County residents had jobs—a loss of 31,600 jobs and a tragedy for Monroe County.

• Average wages for those with jobs has not kept pace with inflation. In the fourth quarter of 2010, average quarterly wages were $11,603 and in the fourth quarter of 2014 (most recent available) they were $12,150—an increase of 4.71%. Meanwhile, the Consumer Price Index rose from 218.056 to 236.736, an increase of 8.57%. The cost of living has increased nearly twice as much as income for the average employed Monroe County resident.

• And thus poverty has worsened in Monroe County.

• The County has entities to promote economic development including the County of Monroe Industrial Development Agency (COMIDA) and the Monroe County Industrial Development Corporation (MCDC).

• These entities have resources. At December 31, 2014 they had $11,393,000 of unrestricted fund balances.

• COMIDA gives out huge amounts of tax exemptions that directly cost taxpayers money. Total net property tax exemptions in 2014 were $3.3 million; sales tax exemptions were $4.0 million; and mortgage tax exemptions were $2.5 million.

• COMIDA operates in near secrecy. Board members almost never attend required public hearings. Board meetings are held at noon in a downtown location with limited available parking.

• Some high tech industries in the “new economy” report an inability to recruit qualified, needed workers locally.

• There are many residents who are unemployed or underemployed and do not have the skills required in the “new economy.”

• We have an untapped asset in the plentiful supply of fresh water with 25% of the world’s fresh water flowing past our northern boundary. The Monroe County Water Authority had an unrestricted fund balance of $64.4 million at Dec. 31, 2014.

The Problem:

The County hasn’t changed its approach to economic development in decades. There is no focus to the County’s economic development programs. The current efforts are based almost solely on tax exemptions that are tossed at virtually anyone who applies at a very high cost to our local governments. Entities do not meet their job promises and nothing is done. There are cases where employers have reduced their employment and gotten tax exemptions.

The Solution:

County Executive Frankel build on her proven record of success in Brighton to make job creation and economic development top priorities in her business-friendly administration. Her 21st Century Jobs and Economic Development Program will include:

• Focusing efforts on entities that have real ability to create good paying jobs in Monroe County. Efforts will coordinate with the plan carefully designed by the Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council which is focused on:

• Emphasizing the County’s focus on job creation by changing the name of the Planning and Development Department to the Jobs, Economic Development and Planning Department.

• Creating an advisory board to the Jobs, Economic Development and Planning Department comprised of leaders from the business and labor communities and other stakeholders to make sure that the Department stays focused on achievable efforts to create good jobs.

• Enhancing small business opportunities by working with the City of Rochester to set comparable minority and women business enterprises (MWBE) contract participation percentages.

• Creating a $5 million low interest loan program for small manufacturing and high tech entities to expand and create good paying jobs to be funded by COMIDA and MCDC reserves. The program will align with the Small Business Administration’s loan programs.

• Creating a forgivable low-interest loan program for students (“Monroe County Skilled Scholars”) learning employable skills at MCC who commit to work in targeted local industries for a five year period. Employers benefiting from Monroe County Skilled Scholars would be asked to make tax-deductible contributions to MCC of up to one half of the value of the loans and provide sustainable jobs for program graduates.

• Focusing tax exemptions granted by COMIDA on developing and expanding jobs in the “new economy.”

• Requiring that jobs created pursuant to tax exemption programs focus on medium to high skill jobs that pay a living wage and that the use of local labor be reinforced for all permanent and construction jobs created as part of the county's tax exemption and abatement programs.

• Having COMIDA pursue an active accountability program for entities that promise job creation in exchange for tax exemptions.

• Making COMIDA’s activities transparent and open to the public. Board members should be required to attend public hearings before exemptions are granted. COMIDA’s board meetings should be held in the evening at convenient locations.

• Having the Water Authority create a discounted water program for businesses creating new or expanding existing operations that need large volumes of water. The discounts would phase out over a ten year period. Many of the entities in the targeted industries have a need for large quantities of water. This could truly separate us from much of the rest of the country.