Governor Coumo Launches "FreshConnect" Business Creation Program: Grants Available

The following was sent by Governor Cuomo’s' office. It relates to the launching of the "FreshConnect " program. For anyone who has been following news related to the Fresh Direct Deal, please note the subsidies and credits received by Fresh Direct, also help UPSTATE FARMERS SELL THEIR PRODUCTS. It is not just about the jobs in the Bronx but also increasing availability of food produced by upstate farmers to the Hunts Point Market and consumers Fresh Direct delivers to. The post below will help show what the Governor and his administration are up to, and how they plan on connecting the farmers and producers in upstate NY with consumers in NYC.

If you’re a food based small business, please note the grants information included in the e-mail sent below. Please note the deadlines listed.

Gregory

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“We must ensure that all of our citizens have access to fresh, healthy, and affordable food, and nothing better fits the bill than the items grown right here in our state by New York’s farmers.”

- Governor Andrew M. Cuomo

Governor Cuomo launched the FreshConnect program last year to create new farmers' markets and provide support to existing ones. In addition to providing farmers a consumer outlet, the FreshConnect program helped create local jobs for youth in urban areas and facilitated an increase in the sale of locally-grown food.

After the success of last year's program, the initiative is now expanding to include not just farmers' markets, but other innovative projects that connect underserved communities with New York farm products. Click here to learn more.

Potential expansion projects include:

• programs to increase access to farm products at food pantries
• delivery programs that send farm goods to areas in need
• programs for low-income individuals to access food directly from a farm
• new farmers' markets that are located in underseved neighborhoods
• satellite markets that purchase produce from an existing market and resell it in an area that cannot support its own market

Grants for potential FreshConnect projects will be awarded on a competitive basis and can be applied for here before April 2, 2012.

The FreshConnect program is helping to bridge the gap between farmers and underserved consumers, while creating local jobs and meeting the needs of all New Yorkers.

Together, we are building a new New York.

Education and Job Placement Grant Information

Here is some information community organizations might find useful to secure grants.

Gregory

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Deadline: May 8, 2012

The Employment and Training Administration of the Department of Labor recently announced the availability of grant funding to help provide education, jobs skills training, and employment services to disadvantaged youth. The funding comes under the agency's YouthBuild program, which aims to give students the opportunity to graduate high school or obtain an equivalency degree while also gaining occupational skills. Non-profits and other groups that are eligible to provide education or employment training are encouraged to apply.

For more information about this grant please visit the Department of Labor's website (PDF).

For more information about other federal grants please visit grants.gov.

NYC Seasonal Employment Opportunity- Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)

Here is some information related to seasonal employment.

Gregory

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The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) offers seasonal employment each year from March-October! Full-time and part-time schedules are available for sales, park operations, food service, cleaning/grounds keeping, and animal care positions at the Bronx Zoo and the aquarium.

For more information, CLICK HERE.

For a listing of current opportunities and application, CLICK HERE.

2012 ART HANDLER TRAINING PROGRAM

Here is information on a job training program run by the Bronx Chamber of the Arts. For more information please log onto the link below.

Gregory

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2012 Art Handler Training Program online applications available!
The AHTP application is available now and open to all individuals looking to pursue a career in the art handling / fine arts industry. This is an extremely competitive process. Apply now!

• Click here for more info and to apply.
• Application Deadline Extended to Friday, March 2, 2012

BCA Fine Arts & Technical Services is pleased to announce the 2012 Intensive Art Handler Training Program (AHTP). Online applications are now available. The AHTP application process is competitive and open to individuals looking to pursue a career in the art handling / fine arts industry. The program is designed as a forum, which stress the practical applications of generally accepted principles of art handling. In addition, there are externship and internship opportunities available to graduates upon completion of training.

LIU STATEMENT ON EDC’S $100 MILLION SUBSIDY TO FRESH DIRECT

I often enjoy and praise our Comptrollers positions. I also firmly believe he has been maligned in the press due to his pit bull stance in reviewing vendor contracts, protecting our tax dollars, protecting worker rights and much more.

I do however strongly disagree with him on his stance related to his opposition to Fresh Direct. Besides New Jersey courting the various markets in the Bronx, Fresh Direct is a perfect match for the Hunts Point Area. ALL the businesses I spoke to in Hunts Point are excited about the introduction of Fresh Direct. Due to the business mix in Hunts Point, the synergy will be fantastic for the entire Hunts Point community. Besides the electronic trucks to be purchased by Fresh Direct from Hunts Point Based Smith Electric, besides the increase in business for all our world class markets in the Hunts Point, Fresh Direct will secure jobs for Bronx residents as well as creating new ones. It is not just the jobs created, but the tens of thousands of jobs to be saved by making sure all the markets stay in the Bronx. With all the billions given to other boroughs it’s about time the Bronx is getting something besides funding to build homeless shelters.

Gregory

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NEW YORK, NY – City Comptroller John C. Liu statement in response to questions on the Industrial Development Agency’s vote to approve a major subsidy for Fresh Direct:

“Today’s $100 million subsidy to Fresh Direct was already a done deal from the moment it was announced last week and the reality is that my vote today does not change the outcome. Nonetheless, I cannot vote for this subsidy in good conscience. There may be more ways to ensure a better return on this investment.

“For the cost of this benefits package the city could give 4,385 students full, four-year scholarships to CUNY or hire 1,458 new teachers or pay for 350,000 GED test-prep programs or launch a micro-lending program for minority and women entrepreneurs.

“The EDC has not clearly justified why this much money should be used to subsidize this company. This subsidy seems to give away too much in exchange for the jobs and economic development it promises, despite the rosy numbers provided by the EDC.

“A few months ago, the EDC attracted a world-class university by promising $100 million in capital for a project that by their own estimate will generate 30,000 jobs. Now the EDC is giving close to $100 million to create 962 jobs. The cost to the City is $93,000 for each new job.

“Fresh Direct does appear to have support from elected officials, labor leaders, and the workers and we understand and concur with the sentiment that to keep jobs in New York City and create jobs in the Bronx are high-priority objectives.

“This agreement comes on the heels of the city’s decision to have taxpayers fund the estimated $180 million Ferry Point golf course. That the Fresh Direct deal was announced before the public even had a chance to comment is symptomatic of this badly flawed process.”

Congressman Serrano Voices Support for Occupy Wall Street

For the last few days the Republican PR machine has been prophesizing that no political figure would come out in support of the Occupy Wall Street protests. Here is another U.S. Congressman who proves them wrong again. For an update from a Congressman who is not a tool of the super rich and in touch with reality, please see the following press release sent by U.S. Congressman Serrano.

Gregory
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Congressman Serrano Voices Support for Occupy Wall Street

This week, Congressman Serrano spoke out in support of the basic economic message of the Occupy Wall Street protests. The protests, which began in mid-September, are expressing opposition to an economic system that has eroded working people’s economic security while simultaneously greatly enriching a small segment of society, and to a political system that has failed to address those concerns.

“I’ve been watching the growing attention that the Occupy Wall Street protestors are garnering and have to say that I couldn’t agree with their economic message more,” said Serrano. “For years, many of us have been talking about the squeeze on working families and the favoritism toward the rich that has infected our national policies, but these protestors have helped spread that message to new and bigger audiences. This is a very welcome development. They have hit on a simple truth—the economic policies that our nation has enacted over the past several decades have made it harder and harder for the vast majority of the population to live a decent, stable life. Working families have the right to be outraged and fed up, and I believe these protestors are channeling that justified indignation.

“We just spent a very long spring and summer in Washington listening to a debate about severe cuts to government spending—spending that supports working families. Meanwhile the jobs situation was blinking red the entire time. Poll after poll showed that people across the nation cared far more about job creation than government spending, but to hear the Washington discourse it would have seemed to have been the exact opposite. Now we’ve wasted months on the outlandish debt debate and done nothing to support job creation. No wonder there is such frustration.

“The protesters ask why we are focused on rebuilding roads and bridges and schools in Afghanistan and Iraq when we have out-of-work workers, crumbling bridges, roads and schools right here at home. I take it a step further and ask why we are spending money to occupy these nations and to support a hugely bloated military budget. We should bring the troops home, and redirect a significant portion of the defense budget to social and infrastructure spending here in our nation.

“The protestors have done our nation a great service in restarting a conversation about the skewed economic priorities of some politicians and the nation’s wealthy who they seem to represent. I am of the firm belief that we need a fundamental re-shifting of our nation’s economic policies and tax code to ensure that they help the vast majority of Americans, and not just the wealthy few. We need to invest in our future through schools and social spending. We need to favor ordinary people, not the powerful moneyed interests. I applaud what the Occupy Wall Street protesters are doing, and I add my voice to theirs as they ask Washington to focus on the real needs of working families.”

Comptroller Lui Releases Report on the Expected Impact of Obama Jobs Bill Act on NYC

NYC Comptroller Liu released a report analyzing the expected impact on NYC if the Obama Jobs Bill is passed in its present state. For those interested in the skinny or where additional information can be found, please do review the press release sent by the Comptrollers office earlier today.

Gregory
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LIU: UPDATED IMPACT
OF OBAMA JOBS BILL ON NYC
Analysis of New Data Finds $9 Billion Boost to City
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NEW YORK, NY – The White House recently released additional information on the American Jobs Act, which was proposed by President Obama on September 8, 2011. The Office of New York City Comptroller John C. Liu has taken into account this new information and updated its September 9th preliminary analysis of the President’s plan and the resulting benefits to New York City.

While the information provided by the White House is aggregated at the state level, the Comptroller’s Office conservatively estimated that New York City will receive approximately 40 percent of New York State’s total allocation.[1]

The updated analysis finds that the Act could add more than $9 billion to New York City’s economy and create or maintain over 50,000 jobs. Also noteworthy is the fact, that most of the Act’s benefits are designed to be realized immediately in 2012.

New Financial Impacts of Jobs Bill on NYC

§ Mortgage Refinancing (NYC Impact: $1.3 billion + 6,700 jobs)
The program to remove barriers for home owners to refinance their mortgages at today’s historically low interest rates could provide $1.3 billion to New York City homeowners, resulting in an average annual savings of more than $6,000 or average monthly savings of $500 per borrower. These savings would not only help reduce the risk of foreclosure but also help stimulate the local economy by creating or preserving up to 6,700 jobs during 2012.

§ Infrastructure Investments (NYC Impact: $2.3 billion + 17,000 jobs)
Over time, the plans to improve our country’s infrastructure could provide $2.3 billion in funds to help modernize the City’s transportation, school, and housing infrastructure, thus supporting over 17,000 jobs.[2]
§ Local Educational & First-Responder Aid (NYC Impact: $700 million)
The aid to prevent the layoffs of teachers and additional support for police officers and firefighters could provide over $700 million in funding to the City to help restore 3,700 teaching positions and maintain or increase uniformed Police and Fire headcounts.

Existing Impacts on NYC Outlined in September 9th Advisory

§ Employee Payroll Tax Cut (NYC Impact: $4.8 billion + 25,000 jobs)
The payroll tax cut could provide a total benefit of $4.8 billion to New York City workers and create or preserve 25,000 jobs during 2012. Benefits will vary depending on individual salaries. For example, a worker earning $25,000 would receive an annual tax cut of just $775, while a worker earning $100,000 would receive an annual tax cut of $3,100.

§ Extension of Emergency Unemployment Benefits
Extension of the emergency unemployment benefits would help a portion of the 190,000 City residents who have been unemployed for more than 26 weeks.

Other provisions are more difficult to precisely estimate and include:

§ Employer Payroll Tax Cut
The employer payroll tax cut will reduce the employer’s payroll tax on the first $5 million in payroll from 6.2 percent to 3.1 percent.

§ Payroll Tax Holiday for Added Workers or Increased Wages
The payroll tax holiday will eliminate the employer payroll tax on increased payroll from either additional hiring or wage increases.

Comptroller Liu’s preliminary analysis clearly indicates that the Act will significantly benefit the City's employees, businesses, and government. However, what is much less clear are which specific revenue strategies will be used to finance the tax cuts and spending measures.

As discussions continue in Washington and more details emerge, Comptroller Liu will update New Yorkers accordingly.

The full analysis can be found at:
http://comptroller.nyc.gov/press/2011_releases/pdf/PR11-09-074a.pdf