Possible help from Spitzer for upstate and WNY

[Kelly the Dog]

http://www.computerworld.com/blogs/node/4399

New York State is taking an innovative approach to helping revitalize its flagging "upstate" economy --- offering near universal broadband to residents and businesses by 2010. It could be a model for the rest of the country.

 

The vast upstate New York area has been likened by new Governor Eliot Spitzer to Appalachia for its depressed economy. Spitzer is right --- that area of the state is in bad shape. According to the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle newspaper, between 1990 and 2004, national economic growth was 21 percent; in upstate New York it was 3%. In addition, the area lost a full third of its manufacturing jobs. The newspaper notes, "Both figures are among the worst in the country."

 

The paper goes on to say, "The number of people between ages 25 and 34 also declined by about 30 percent in the last decade. Since 2000, Rochester's population has dropped 3.8 percent; Buffalo dropped 4.2 percent and Syracuse 3.1 percent."

 

Broadband will be a clear spur to the economy. High-speed Internet access is as vital as electricity to a modern economy, and broadband access in the vast upstate New York region is spotty at best. Offering near universal broadband will be a big step forward.

 

Spitzer plans to offer a variety of incentives to spur broadband, such as offering discount access to providers to various state resources, such as towers, poles, and rights of way.

[Alaska Darin]

Free fast porn for everyone! That'll bring tons of jobs.

 

Try cutting taxes, spending, excess regulation, and waste. Then woo back some businesses. That'll likely work a hell of alot better than "giving" away something you can't afford RIGHT NOW.

[SilverNRed]

Free fast porn for everyone! That'll bring tons of jobs.

 

Try cutting taxes, spending, excess regulation, and waste. Then woo back some businesses. That'll likely work a hell of alot better than "giving" away something you can't afford RIGHT NOW.

No way! Why bother when we can try to create new county jobs for political operatives?

[Kelly the Dog]

Free fast porn for everyone! That'll bring tons of jobs.

 

Try cutting taxes, spending, excess regulation, and waste. Then woo back some businesses. That'll likely work a hell of alot better than "giving" away something you can't afford RIGHT NOW.

That would be too smart and easy. Let's start with the marginal stuff first.

 

I really have no opinion about Spitzer as a governor. He seems like a blowhard louse but I never spent much time watching or reading about him. I have a great affection for WNY, however, and ANYTHING that helps it, even in the smallest way, is good. It obviously becomes a problem when they do tiny things like this and then use that as examples about how they're doing everything they can for WNY, but I am going to have a wait and see attitude on what he does, even though I am quite certain there will be 92 waits for every see.

[RuntheDamnBall]

Free fast porn for everyone! That'll bring tons of jobs.

 

Try cutting taxes, spending, excess regulation, and waste. Then woo back some businesses. That'll likely work a hell of alot better than "giving" away something you can't afford RIGHT NOW.

Darin, I would totally agree with you, but there are areas out there that can't even get broadband at all, or if they can it's a really prohibitively expensive service like Satellite. My parents aren't backward-leaning yahoos that shoot coyotes for food, but they live in an area where high-speed is out of reach. If you can't even access the network, how can you really expect to be part of the game and to attract businesses? However, where you'll smile here is that the problem is because of municipalities that have cozied up to companies that are giving the customer a really bad deal and maintaining status quo. So it would be state gov't coming in to rescue bad local gov't. I can't say that's a good thing but how and when will these people wake up, or when will a good leader rise among them?

[Alaska Darin]

Darin, I would totally agree with you, but there are areas out there that can't even get broadband at all, or if they can it's a really prohibitively expensive service like Satellite. My parents aren't backward-leaning yahoos that shoot coyotes for food, but they live in an area where high-speed is out of reach. If you can't even access the network, how can you really expect to be part of the game and to attract businesses? However, where you'll smile here is that the problem is because of municipalities that have cozied up to companies that are giving the customer a really bad deal and maintaining status quo. So it would be state gov't coming in to rescue bad local gov't. I can't say that's a good thing but how and when will these people wake up, or when will a good leader rise among them?

That's the "move where the food is" argument. Should we put a Wegman's in Hunt, NY because groceries there are more expensive with less selection than "insert favorite town here"? I don't think so.

 

Giving rural areas high speed internet access is a panacea. It isn't going to create any noticeable change other than there'll be even more Traceylee's pirating crap.

[Helmet_hair]

Free fast porn for everyone! That'll bring tons of jobs.

 

Try cutting taxes, spending, excess regulation, and waste. Then woo back some businesses. That'll likely work a hell of alot better than "giving" away something you can't afford RIGHT NOW.

Dead on right! Did you know that Western New Yorkers pay the highest property taxes in the nation, bar none. Based on what upstate county you live in approx. 3 percent of your property value is paid in taxes EACH YEAR!

 

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