New coalition of builders and organized labor formed

Local contractors and private industry companies, labor leaders and organized laborers have joined together to announce a new coalition "Building a Better Rochester." This coalition focuses on ensuring that the greater Rochester community has a unified voice when it comes to asking New York State to invest more resources for improvements to infrastructure of critical public projects in the Rochester area. "We are excited to hear about Governor Cuomo's plan to invest $1 billion in upstate New York through economic development in Buffalo," said Aaron Hilger, president of the Builders Exchange of Rochester. "However, there are critical economic development projects right here in Rochester that our leaders in Albany are also aware of. Infrastructure, health care, and building projects all represent critical needs here to build a better Rochester. We hope that Governor Cuomo and our legislative leaders will recognize the need to invest in projects that will stimulate economic activity and job growth right here in Rochester." Research clearly shows two things: 1) There is evidence across Upstate New York that smart, public investment from the state can greatly stimulate private sector activity. 2) Unfortunately, Rochester only sees a return of eighty cents for every dollar the community sends to the state. In comparison, Syracuse receives one dollar and thirty cents for every dollar they send to the state. "The greater Rochester area has a long history of economic success, buoyed by innovation from private industry and important partnerships in higher education and healthcare. However, our own successes have meant that we get overlooked by New York State when it comes to investing in public improvement projects," said Rufus Jordan, president of the Pike Companies. "For years, Rochester has been forgotten in comparison to other Upstate New York cities. This collective effort will ensure that the construction industry speaks with a unified voice when it comes to working for a fair share of state funding for these critical public projects." The coalition acknowledged that while the local economy has undergone significant changes, particularly against the backdrop of national economic challenges, Rochester still has many unique characteristics and strengths that have provided a good deal of insulation from the major swings that other communities around the state and nation have suffered. Eugene Caccamise, president of Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers Local 3 said, "This is an exciting day for Rochester trade unions. By working together we can stimulate new economic activity and create local jobs and opportunities. I look forward to putting the tremendous resources of the building trades unions to work collaboratively to get Rochester the state resources that we deserve."