Advocacy of sensible public policy, enlightened infrastructure investment and strategic development is a cornerstone of the New York Building Congress mission. That mandate is particularly urgent in hard economic times when the inclination is to cut capital spending and pull back on long-term development initiatives. Following is a brief summary of recent Building Congress advocacy efforts.

Federal Infrastructure Stimulus
It is virtually certain that President-Elect BarackObama will enact a massive Federal stimulus package, including billions of dollars for infrastructure investment, soon after being inaugurated. No state stands to benefit more than New York, which relies on its vast infrastructure network to meet the needs of a growing population and the nation’s largest economic engine. Pointing out New York’s need, however, won’t be enough. To help ensure that New York receives its fair share of the money and puts the funds to use immediately, the Building Congress formulated a five-page policy statement,
which it shared with leading representatives in Washington, DC, Albany and the City in December.

“The stakes are enormous. This infusion of money has the potential to help rebuild New York’s aging infrastructure and create immediate building industry jobs, while supporting a second wave of economic activity by pumping money into the local economy,” said Building Congress Chairman Stuart E. Graham.

The Building Congress called on Governor David Paterson and Mayor Michael Bloomberg to personally lead this effort and recommended each create high-level task forces drawing input from advisors, agency heads, the State and City Comptrollers, the State Legislature and City Council, in coordination with New York’s Congressional delegation.

The task forces would quickly create a short-list of potential stimulus projects, examine the current status of each and identify all remaining regulatory approvals, procurement matters or other issues that must be addressed.

When appropriate, Governor David A. Paterson and Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg could issue Emergency Declarations to fast-track project starts. The State Legislature and City Council must also work with the task forces to shape, review and quickly pass enabling legislation.

Mr. Graham concluded, “We cannot squander this opportunity. More jobs are being lost every day. Government revenues are shrinking and yet our infrastructure needs keep growing. The time to act is now.”

MTA Financing
The Building Congress has staunchly advocated the need to find new revenue sources to fund the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s proposed five-year, $30 billion capital plan. The need has gained even greater urgency of late given the defeat of congestion pricing followed by a global economic downturn.

Thanks in part to the building industry’s urging, Governor Paterson created a State Commission on MTA Financing, headed by former MTA Chairman Richard Ravitch. The Building Congress, along with other business and labor organizations, worked with ommission members to identify new sources of financing.

During a Commission hearing, Building Congress President Richard T. Anderson warned, “Existing funding mechanisms alone are insufficient to grow, let alone maintain, the robust transit infrastructure on which the economic health of our City and State depends. The time has come for a new financing strategy, and that strategy must involve a broad spectrum of revenue sources that reflects the shared responsibility of all who use and benefit from the transit system.”

The Commission’s recommendations, released in December, ultimately called for a shared approach to funding the MTA’s needs, including an eight percent fare increase, new East River bridge tolls and a tax on businesses that operate within the region covered by the MTA.

In testimony given before the New York City Council Transportation and Finance Committees, Mr. Anderson praised the Ravitch Commission for having “devised a cohesive, balanced approach for ensuring that the many beneficiaries of a fully-functioning, interconnected transportation network pay their fair share to keep our subways and roadways moving throughout the region.”

The Building Congress, which is urging elected officials in Albany and City Hall to act promptly and consider the proposals on their merits, hosted a forum with Mr. Ravitch on December 17 to discuss the recommendations and rally industry support. It also will host MTA Executive Director and CEO Elliot G. Sander at its Annual Membership Meeting on January 29.

Building for Growth
The Building Congress is a longtime supporter of the Bloomberg administration’s extensive master planning and rezoning efforts, including successful efforts in Jamaica, Queens, Greenpoint-Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and the 125th Street corridor in Manhattan. In recent months, the organization has placed emphasis on three initiatives.

Prior to a critical November 12 City Council vote, the Building Congress sent out an eUpdate electronic news bulletin to approximately 2,000 industry leaders urging their vocal support for the Willets Point Redevelopment Plan. According to the eUpdate, the plan presents a holistic approach to improving economic conditions and holds significant promise for advancing Mayor Bloomberg’s PlaNYC 2030 initiative. Thanks, in part, to building industry support, the City Council ultimately adopted the plan by a wide margin.

During testimony on the Empire State Development Corporation’s plan for Columbia University’s expansion, Mr. Anderson said, “New York City has long been a global capital, drawing the brightest, most skilled people from all over the world. To maintain its competitive edge, New York needs to offer the best educational and institutional resources. Columbia has reached a critical point and must grow to meet its existing and projected needs so that it can maintain its position as a leading university.”

In support of a proposal to redevelop the South Street Seaport, Building Congress Vice President Laura Gallo hailed the plan’s potential to reconnect Pier 17 to the rest of Lower Manhattan’s historic community while continuing to attract residents and tourists. She said the plan would “bring much needed open space to Lower Manhattan, and the vision for a large public plaza – nearly twice the size of the existing open space – will improve access to the waterfront and enhance the social and economic vitality of the Seaport area.”

Term Limits
The Building Congress has long believed that term limits are a prescription for municipal inefficiency and shortsightedness, especially on construction matters which require multi-year public policy and budget commitments. As Mr. Anderson noted in recent testimony, “The availability of governmental knowledge and experience on the complexities of urban investment and management are essential for New York City in the years ahead.” Thanks, in part, to widespread industry support, the City Council voted to extend term limits, and the legislation was signed by Mayor Bloomberg in early November.

More information on each of these issues, including full testimony, press releases and policy
statements, may be found at buildingcongress.com.

Note: This marks the final printed edition of NYBC Update. All future Update newsletters will be available in electronic format only at the New York Building Congress website, buildingcongress.com. The website is regularly updated to include electronic versions of all Building Congress publications, information on upcoming events, and copies of press releases, government testimony, policy statements and other materials.