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Entries Tagged as 'economic development'

New York Stimulus Pie

February 11th, 2009 · No Comments · News

So there seems to be some talk about Stimulus spending.

Political IV is running down the Pork Items.  He helpfully reminds us of our friend Chuckie.

Let me say this to all of the chattering class that so much focuses on those little, tiny, yes, porky amendments: the American people really don’t care. (link)

Actually, I think we do care.  Some highlights include, “$39 billion slush fund for “state fiscal stabilization” bailout” and “$650 million for the DTV transition coupon program”. I’ll take a Raspberry Slushie!

Meanwhile, Brian is agonizingly cogitating about Free Trade over at The In Box – here, here, and here.  Why can’t some real economists chime in?

Anyways, with our New York State Batman and Robin leading the charge, I suppose all of our problems are over.  I thought I’d take the numbers and bake a pie.  A $17,895,000,000 pie.  Guess which special interests are represented here?  Blue=Health, Reds=Education, Green=Infrastructure, and Purple=Energy.  Click for the big chart.  Enjoy.
New York Stimulus Pie
Stimulus Pie - Legend

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Dear Everybody

January 30th, 2009 · No Comments · Destination Marketing

New York DollarsI got this suggested letter today which is being pushed as the “unified” New York State tourism message. We already know this is not the best way to fund things; it’s not even a lot of money. I’m not even defending how these dollars are actually being spent, but it’s the only mechanism we have. Decisions do actually have to be made, and time is running out.

Dear (*See Below):

I am writing on behalf of ANY COUNTY NEW YORK Tourism, the official tourism promotion agency for ANY COUNTY NEW YORK, just one of the statewide network of tourism promotion agencies designated to promote the New York State vacation product.

Our marketing efforts rely heavily upon the funding obtained through the legislatively created Tourism Matching Funds program.  And, while the legislature appropriated the funds in the 2008-09 State budget, the county tourism agencies have not been notified of their matching funds awards. The time is now for making commitments for prime spring/summer marketing efforts and each agency cannot move forward until these funds are released from the budget office.

Advertising plans are being canceled in fear that the money will not be released.  Contracts with local printers for travel guides are being held for the same reason.  Website development and improvements are being delayed, or canceled outright.

I am asking your assistance in requesting those monies be released quickly so the counties can voucher the state for them and proceed with their 2009 travel marketing efforts.  Please understand, for each dollar in Matching Funds, the average county spends an additional two local dollars.  Thus, the $4.1 million in Matching Funds is a $12.3 million marketing effort.

Now is not the time to slow, or halt, tourism marketing efforts.  In calendar 2007, the last year for which data is available, tourism generated more than $51 billion in visitor spending and roughly $8 billion in state and local taxes – tax revenue that went into health care, schools, roads and law enforcement efforts. In addition, many of those marketing dollars were invested in the local economy – with printers and commercial artists, with stationers and communication companies, and with website developers.

Final decisions about marketing plans need to be made now.  With each passing day deadlines are not met.  Opportunities are lost.  Neighboring states are enticing travelers to visit areas other than New York.  We encourage the NYS Budget office to release funds so we can best allocate our remaining resources to salvage our local tourism economies.  I have enclosed some examples of our marketing efforts.  We are proud of them and hope we can continue to spread the message about what a great place this is to visit and live.  Thank you for your time and assistance.  If you would like to discuss this further, I can be reached at Contact Me,

Sincerely,

TourPro

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Boy Scouts – Conservation or Profit?

January 30th, 2009 · 3 Comments · Adirondack Life

Boy ScoutI never was either a “Cub” or “Boy”, but I did read the handbook and completed all of the merit tasks for fun.  Punk and clubs, at least clubs for boys, don’t mix.  Anyhoo, I ran across an article this morning which lead to a whole series of stories investigating the commercial forestry practices of the Boy Scouts.

Cedarlands, a 5,000-acre Boy Scout reservation in the Adirondack Mountains, is one of several camps the Boy Scouts of America have logged in the northeastern states.

Timber harvesting of 250 acres at Cedarlands generated more than $80,000 in revenues in 2007 — as well as shock and dismay among Scout volunteers. The Scout council says it was a strategy to generate a healthy forest.

Most regular readers know that the balance between conservation and economic development is a major force in Adirondack life.  We try to live and play in one of the last areas of wild land in the Northeast.  Add a Blue Line to make things really interesting.

My past and recent experiences with Boy Scouts indicates to me that their “wilderness ethic” is more about Man over Nature, rather than harmonic interaction which “leaves no trace“.  Most Boy Scout skills are more about human infrastructure and survival.  Not that there’s anything wrong with that.  But what about this?

Logging Cedarlands

The cutting — and its extent — was necessary, the council said, because the forest’s poor health posed risks with old or diseased trees poised to possibly fall on a Scout.

Nathan Gibb, the forester who wrote the management plan, said logging was driven by campsite and forest management concerns. But, he added, the cutting would not have been quite as extensive if the council “had no income goals.”

The financial gains are obvious. The forest management plan estimates the council will net a little more than $600,000 over 10 years.

The subjective interpretation of that photo is the crux of the issue.  According to one Scoutmaster, “It looks like this site had a bomb go off.”  I’d like to see more photos of the 4 Adirondack camps in question.

Local Scouts React To Clear-Cutting

New York camp a virtual parking lot

Beloved land in N.Y. sold for profits

Chain Saw Scouting: Map

Issue Overview Slideshow

Official Boy Scout Response – Detailed Response (PDF)

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Who Started This Mess?

January 27th, 2009 · 1 Comment · News

Chucky SchumerIt’s a really good time to take a ride in the Time Machine to see where this all started.  Then head over to NYCO for a reality-check and a cool video of Cossacks.

The economic crisis has only underscored a key truth about who we are: New Yorkers are not nice people. They are, at heart — and from whatever region they hail from — proud survivalists. They are egotists. It’s why Upstaters never give an inch (at least in their own minds) to the encroachments of Downstate. It’s why the spirit of the Big Apple is that they’re God’s gift to the Universe.

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I’m not sure I like the idea, ideologically, of an all-out unholy-alliance pork-assault on Obama’s stimulus efforts (whenever they comes along). It implies a collapse of order, and too much potential unfairness if progressives (and/or Upstaters) don’t fight for their share. Self-interest can easily turn into elite self-interest. That said, at least Schumer is conscious of his own power and the potential power of a united New York. It’s why I think Gillibrand wasn’t a poor choice. But just because we’re riding with the Cossacks now doesn’t mean anyone should stop watching their back.

“Unholy-alliance Pork-assault” – That’s pretty good.

The Emperor Chuck and his Yorker Hordes

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My Morning Tax Rant

January 22nd, 2009 · 2 Comments · News

A slowish news day in the North.  But not slow enough to ignore a couple tax-related items in the local press.

Everyone is having revenue/expenditure issues.  Whether you are a business trying to survive, a state-funded organization, or simply someone facing the certainty of an unprecedented swindle of epic proportions.  I’ve heard that the money involved in “the bailouts” equals all the money ever used since the beginning of the United States – all wars, everything included – even the liberally hated “War on Terror”.  Don’t even get me started about that Inauguration again.

It kills me when Newspapers opine about economics and survival:

We’ve said all along that, in an economic crisis, everyone has to expect cuts and share the pain. We continue to believe that.

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His decision to freeze tax payments at current levels on all lands the state owns is not the same thing as cutting a service. It is nothing more than a transfer of disaster from his bailiwick to others’.

I think their minimal reporting on the history and implication of the Dillenburg case precludes them from editorial on the subject.  If you haven’t heard about Dillenburg, I recommend a thorough search and long cogitation about the actual origin of “State tax payments”.

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Tourism and Bailouts

January 17th, 2009 · No Comments · Destination Marketing

Halfpriceland – “Are you here for the nature or the exchange rate?”

I won’t bore you with too much news or a bunch of statistics.  There is no doubt that Bailoutmania is in full-swing here in the USA.  Am I the only one that thinks our current leadership (local, state, and federal) has delusions of Keynes?  I don’t trust an educated Macroeconomist, let alone political dilettantes playing with my money.

No, I’m not asking for a bailout for tourism, but it is worth considering how others value this industry.  Almost every other country in the world assigns Tourism a level of importance equal to a cabinet or ministry level appointment.  The first thing that poor or developing countries OR THOSE IN CRISIS turn to when in need of CASH – tourism.  I hate subsidies and bailouts because they distort free-market forces.  However, we must differentiate between those and the need to recognize and operate tourism as a primary part of the economy, just like banking or real estate.

I think we as New Yorkers and Americans could take a look at the Iceland situation and learn from their experience.

Iceland became an attractive destination when the house of cards that constituted its banking system collapsed three months ago. Easy credit, rapid economic growth and broad deregulation of the country’s financial sector had spurred banks to expand abroad, despite heavy exposure to market risk.

When the global financial edifice toppled in 2008, Iceland was hit especially hard. In October, its three largest banks failed. For two days, trading on the country’s stock exchange was halted. And banking — until the crisis, Iceland’s third-largest source of income, behind fishing and aluminum exports — fell off the chart. It was replaced by, of all things, tourism.

Their economy is a bit different, but some of those things sound kind of familiar.

“Our message was: We’re still here, and our waterfalls are still running,” said Einar Gustavsson, head of the Icelandic Tourist Board in North America. “This immediately started to move people. It was a very pleasant surprise for Iceland, because we need foreign currency more than anything right now.”

It’s still not the cheapest vacation, but it doesn’t sound too bad.

You can fill up your rental car for a little more than $4 a gallon. An adult entrance fee to the Blue Lagoon — a steaming geothermal spa carved out of lava rock — costs about $22; a 90-minute Swedish massage at the spa will set you back $100.

Suddenly, Iceland is affordable for Americans

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Bad Apple Season in Saranac Lake

September 19th, 2008 · 2 Comments · Destination Marketing

Bad AppleIt’s apple season in the North Country.  Did you know that I live in the McIntosh Apple Capital?  Well, it’s true, I’m surrounded by apples.  At this time of year, cider and donuts RULE.

Funny thing though, I’ve always had this silly song in my head every time bunches of apples are mentioned.  I always thought that this was just a way to get a girl on the rebound.

One bad apple don’t spoil the whole bunch girl.
Oh, I don’t care what they say
I don’t care what you heard.

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