The "Next Step" in the long process to advance this area both economically and socially, as well as to increase population, a concept of growth known to enhance the best of communities, is to recognize some very easy steps that will turn against all of our self-serving politicians. Those steps may therefore not be so easy, nor politically correct, but if correctly implemented, will certainly help Utica, as well as this region.
Eliminate the local sales tax. All sales taxes hurt industry and commerce. Then force our state legislators to propose, on our behalf, the elimination of the state sales tax. If we were the only major Northeastern state to have tax free purchases, that in and of itself would promote this state and the regions within. It would lower the price of gasoline. If our county and its cities dropped their local sales tax, that would attract buyers from everywhere. That brings people into the area, and many of them will be attracted to our surroundings, and settle here soon thereafter.
But that strategy must be coupled with the intent to lower all property taxes to the lowest in the state. If we could get property taxes in the range of less than $1,000 per year on homes that are worth hundreds of thousands, as is so in the areas of the South, that will promote this area immensely. Reverse the trends that have killed our region, reverse the high taxes in this area, and watch it begin to grow again. If given the choice of the lowest taxes in the nation or warmer weather with numerous hurricanes, where do you think people will choose?
Force our elected officials to hold utilities accountable to the people they are obligated to serve.
We have a Public Service Commission that is supposed to protect us, but who allow the utilities to rape us.
If National Grid, or the oil companies, or the telephone companies, wish to do business in New York then use their competition to force down prices.
Utica is a prime example. National Grid has the monopoly over gas and electric here. Allow residents to secure purchases of gas and electric from hundreds of other sources and then watch what happens to National Grid.
The Mohawk Valley Water Authority is the monopoly in this area. Verizon is the other monopoly. Force the state of New York to own all of a utility's land and its facilities if they do business in this state.
The intent here is to force them out, and then solicit any who want to do business here to come in, set reasonable rates, but the lowest in the country, and then grant them incentives to do business here. The vicious cycle of dependency must be broken first if we are to become a leader in the country, the state, or the region.
The way we give national stores free taxation for periods of 20 years, and then allow them to move out when its time to pay, is wrong. Allow employers with over 200 employees as many incentives as can be encouraged to attract them to this area, but structure those incentives in such a manner as to encourage their employment here for many more years beyond the usual 20. Over time, the longer they remain here the more enticing the incentives are to remain here.
Promote our work force to be competitive. We do not have a competitive work force if 40 percent of our people are living in poverty. More than likely that 40 percent are highly unskilled and uneducated. If we are to reverse that trend then we must force our schools to be more competitive, to be more diligent, and to be more apt to successfully do their jobs. In Utica alone, almost $10 million more in state aid must be secured. We have almost 3,000 of our 9,000 students in programs that are extremely costly. To reverse their constant trend of failure the money is essential. No politician from the state legislature should be reelected while allowing this failure to continue.
More importantly, in fact absolutely essential to our growth and future welfare, is the point that Utica is being allowed to die a slow death from the ineptitude of leaders who can't see the forest from the trees. If the city has the highest unemployment in the state, and the highest illiteracy in the area, and the highest poverty in the region, then how do its people get to the jobs in Rome, in New Hartford, in Oneida, or other communities outside of the city?
Simply put, they cannot, because they do not have the necessary transportation to do so. But, that is part of the plan for this city. As the other communities take the "Next Step" forward, Utica is going to continue on the Next Step Further Back. That is a foregone conclusion.
Utica has been relegated to its back seat position by those who want it to remain there, by those who do not want to live next to the poor, the illiterate, the unemployed, the socially negligent, and the rest who cannot "make it on their own." Those who have participated in the "vision" to move "the Mohawk Valley" forward live in the areas that will be promoted, will be affected, and are intent upon having the jobs brought to them, not to "those" in Utica.
When our city leaders ever come to their senses about how their failed actions have contributed to those leaving this area, then maybe we can participate in the "Next Step." But if that never happens then just leave us alone, let us ignore the wishes of those who have caused our demise, and we can spend our necessary time improving our city, enhancing our employment opportunities, and becoming as selfish as those who have left for the exurbs. At least we can be honest about our "Next Step."
