Jennifer Dloughy writes in the Times Union - “Researchers at X-Ray Optical Systems Inc. in East Greenbush have developed an analyzer that can instantly measure the amount of lead and other toxic metals in body fluids — a big improvement over current blood tests that can be expensive and time consuming.

But even with a demonstration product in his hands, CEO David Gibson says his company doesn’t “have the cash to take it from that to the marketplace.” Instead, “we’re sitting there in the valley of death,” Gibson said, referring to the time span between product development and commercialization — where sometimes even the most promising ideas go to die.

Legislation before Congress seeks to bridge that gap for a select group of entrepreneurs, such as Gibson, who have recently used federal dollars to develop new technologies. The measure, sponsored by Rep. Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam, would create a new grant program for companies whose federal research and development dollars are drying up — just as they begin focusing on pushing new products to market.

Right now, Tonko said, “We just take people halfway through the journey.”

To read more click here.

“The latest numbers on job losses show that New York must cut spending and lower taxes to spark economic recovery in our state,” said Kenneth Adams, president and CEO of The Business Council of New York State, Inc.

According to the New York State Department of Labor’s (DOL) revised year-end job loss report, the recession deepened significantly in New York in 2009. The state’s average annual unemployment rate was 8.9 percent, the highest since 1992. It was up from 5.3 percent in 2008.

“Last year Albany politicians tried to tax and spend their way out of this crisis by raising taxes and fees by $8 billion. That only made the situation worse. In 2009 we lost 209,900 private sector jobs in New York and next year’s state deficit is now projected to be $9.1 billion,” said Adams.

“New York’s economy needs relief in the form of lower taxes and lower government spending in order to recover. Any new taxes will slam economic recovery and new job creation,” added Adams.

From April 2008 to December 2009 New York lost 352,700 private sector jobs, according to DOL.

The Sunday Washington Post ran an editorial highlighting the importance of natural gas in the climate debate.

“The resurgence of gas comes through the discovery of massive deposits in Appalachian shale [Marcellus Shale] formations and elsewhere — a reserve that offers the prospect of stable domestic supplies and relatively low prices. Since burning natural gas produces half the emissions of burning coal, switching the two fuels could put a significant dent in America’s carbon footprint.”

So far, despite rumors, the Administration has not backed a switch from coal-fired to natural gas-fired power plants.

Our national leaders need to embrace domestically produced natural gas and replace outdated and dirty coal-fired power plants with gas-fired plants. According to the Post piece, “existing gas-fired plants are running at only about 25 % capacity, in part because many are switched on only when demand spikes.” We know where the gas is and we have the technology to safely and responsibly harvest it. We have an infrastructure in place to deliver the gas to the marketplace. Existing gas-fired power plants, running at 25% capacity, have the present ability, without costly infrastructure investment, to support the nation’s drive for environmentally responsible energy independence. What we lack is the political will at both the national and state levels to make it happen.

Katie Klaber, the new President of the Marcellus Shale Coalition recently appeared on the Clean Skies News network to discuss the environmental issues of natural gas drilling. Ms. Klaber speaks about jobs, reuse and recycling of wastewater, water treatment, regulations in Pennsylvania and other issues related to drilling in the Marcellus. While Ms. Klaber’s discussion centers on drilling in Pennsylvania, it could just as easily be New York. It’s an informative and short piece (under 10 minutes), and worth watching.

To watch the video click here.

With unemployment in the double digits in New York State there is a potential bright spot in the Marcellus Shale. As reported by Tom Wilber in pressconnects.com, Delta Engineering & Architects in Broome County has recently moved into a larger space and continues to grow partly as a result of Marcellus Shale development in New York and Pennsylvania.

“Growth related to the Marcellus industry in New York and Pennsylvania is the focal point of a new business initiative that specializes in civil and environmental engineering and construction services”, said Robert Harner, director of the division. Harner expects as many as 20 jobs will be added in the coming years related to Marcellus business.
Once the DEC regulations are finalized and permitting begins, thousands more jobs like these will be available. These are good, skilled jobs that will allow New Yorkers to remain here and provide a good future for their families. New York is facing a huge budget gap.

The Marcellus presents and enormous economic opportunity requiring no government program or subsidy. New York needs to move quickly on the regulations and demonstrate that the state wants to encourage job growth and opportunity for its citizens.

The Syracuse Post Standard post the following Associated Press story on the Jobs Bill.

A bipartisan jobs bill cleared a GOP filibuster on Monday with critical momentum provided by the Senate’s newest Republican, Scott Brown of Massachusetts. The 62-30 tally to advance the measure to a final vote on Wednesday gives both President Barack Obama and Capitol Hill Democrats a much-needed victory - even though the measure in question is likely to have only a modest boost on hiring.

Brown and four other Republicans broke with GOP leaders to advance the measure. Most other Republicans opposed the bill because Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada stripped out provisions they had sought and wouldn’t allow them to try to restore them.

The bill featured four provisions that enjoyed sweeping bipartisan support, including a measure exempting businesses hiring the unemployed from Social Security payroll taxes through December and giving them another $1,000 credit if new workers stay on the job a full year.”

To read more click here.

Christen Gowen of the Times Union writes - “U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer visited the Capital Region on Monday, announcing a new proposed tax cut that would benefit businesses hiring workers who have been laid off for at least 60 days.

Schumer told a crowd of people at X-Ray Optical Systems that businesses who hire unemployed workers this year will see immediate savings by not having to pay payroll taxes on that worker in 2010. The more a business pays a worker, and the longer a business has a worker on its payroll, the greater the tax benefit, the senator said. Schumer is teaming up with Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, for the proposed tax cut.
The proposal is included in a Senate jobs bill, which was approved on Monday in a procedural vote.

To read more click here.

Christian Livermore of the Times Herald-Record writes - “Sen. Chuck Schumer met with Orange County business leaders and unemployed workers Wednesday to discuss a jobs proposal up for debate in the Senate next week that would reward businesses with an upfront tax break for hiring unemployed workers.

“It’s not a panacea, but it could help,” Schumer said at the Orange County Business Accelerator in New Windsor.

Under the proposal, co-sponsored by Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, any private-sector company that hires a worker who has been unemployed for at least 60 days wouldn’t have to pay the 6.2 percent Social Security payroll tax on that employee for 2010. If the company keeps the worker for 53 consecutive weeks, it would get a $1,000 credit on its 2011 tax return. The Social Security trust fund would be made whole with spending cuts elsewhere in the budget by 2015. If a business hired a worker at $30,000 a year, that business would save $1,860.

Schumer said the proposal could create up to 3 million jobs, at a cost of $15 billion.”

To read more click here.

NewsLI.com reports - “Senator John Flanagan (2nd Senate District) recently joined with the other members of the Senate Republican Conference to announce a major new jobs initiative designed to improve New York’s business climate, reduce taxes, and create thousands of new jobs for workers across the State.

The plan’s centerpiece would reward businesses with a three-year tax credit, averaging between $2,500 and $5,000 for every new job created. It would also eliminate taxes for small businesses and manufacturers that pay the state’s corporate franchise tax and roll back the income tax surcharge that was included in last year’s budget passed by the Democrat-controlled Senate and Assembly. In addition, it also places a moratorium on new taxes, fees and regulations that are inhibiting private sector job-creation efforts in the state…”

“Private sector job creation needs to be New York’s highest priority. This plan addresses this vital need by removing barriers to job growth and giving our citizens hope and opportunity. The tax credit for job creation and the moratorium on new regulations and taxes on small business are effective tools to create jobs. New York has lost hundreds of thousands of jobs because the state spends too much and taxes too much. The spending cap in this plan is an important fiscal reform that must be enacted,” said Kenneth Adams, president and CEO of The Business Council of New York State, Inc.”

To read more click here.

Walter Alarkon writes for TheHill.com - “Democrats are lowering expectations for their jobs bill in the hopes of forestalling Republican criticism.

Lawmakers and administration officials alike have largely avoided talk of how many jobs their various proposals will create. It’s unlike last year, when the Obama administration argued for its $787 billion stimulus by saying it would keep the jobless rate from rising far beyond 8 percent. The current rate is 9.7 percent, down slightly from its 10.2 percent peak in October.”

To read more click here.