Governor Pataki has proposed in his State Budget to double the land area of 22 upstate Empire Zones. We further recommend that this standard be put into law so that any Zone that achieves 75 percent of capacity in the future can be expanded administratively, and not require legislative approval. The impact of Empire Zones goes beyond helping just distressed areas. They have become critical economic development engines that give clear advantages to counties that have them. A level playing field should be established throughout the state by allowing a county-level Zone to be located in every county.
Sustainable growth means something different to almost everyone.
Ten years ago, those services included sewer, water, electric and telephone lines, roads, and sometimes rail access. Telecommunications companies have focused most of their initial broadband optical fiber, cellular, and satellite dish investments in the most populated areas of the state where the return on that investment is greatest. Consequently, tier 2, 3,and 4 communities, where population density is much less - have not, in most cases, been connected with even first generation high speed internet access technology. Copper wire remains their primary connective communications link. Communities that do not have high speed access to the internet will be left out of the technology and telecommunications revolution.