Via Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin

The Broome County Industrial Development Agency, aka “The Agency,” seems to me to be missing the two biggest challenges to local economic growth: the lack of affordable housing and a severe labor shortage. Instead, they continue to pursue unpopular developments that do little to help the community as a whole.

Companies will not relocate here without access to qualified workers no matter how many industrial parks there are. And those already here cannot expand without employees. I propose that the Agency address those issues by leveraging the area’s low house prices with a program to help people buy houses. Even at today’s interest rates, the cost of buying a house is less than that of paying rent. The problem for first-time homebuyers is the down payment, around $33,000 for a median-priced house, a lot for someone to raise while paying the area’s inflated rents.

The Agency should consider a program to make low or no-interest downpayment loans to qualified applicants. In five years, say, if the person still owns and lives in the house and it passes an inspection, that loan should be forgiven. Economic development is not just about creating jobs, but also about filling them.

Leo Cotnoir

Johnson City

Being a good citizen: A hard, but pleasant journey

In response to Eileen Patch’s question, “What does it mean to be a good citizen?”

Be adamant without being rude or vulgar. Without name-calling or disrespectful body language or gestures. Treat and speak to everyone as you do to your grandmother or granddaughter, or your religious leader. Listen to those offering their thoughts. Respect others and encourage all to do the same. Follow the spirit and guidance of laws and regulations as well as the letter of the law.

And when you err, admit it and apologize. Remember, saying, “I’m sorry” means you never intend to repeat the behavior. Is this an easy path to follow? No, but doing so makes the journey more pleasant and that is the meaning of being a good citizen.

Jerome Henehan

Windsor

Banning CO2 fracking would protect public health and safety

A key reason to ban CO2 fracking is to protect public health and safety. A company called Southern Tier Solutions proposes to drill hundreds of gas wells to inject CO2 (carbon dioxide) into shale rock deep underground in order to produce natural gas, and then burn it in power plants it intends to build across three Southern Tier counties.

This would risk a massive release of a ground-hugging, rapidly spreading, dense cloud of CO2. Even people who may not think climate change is a pressing problem might be alarmed about the increased risk of suffocation, being permanently disabled, or dying from a possible rupture of a CO2 pipeline, storage tank or other CO2 processing equipment. A healthy person can die in a minute if overcome by a cloud of CO2 that is more than 17% in concentration (per U.S. EPA).

The CO2 pipeline rupture experience of Satartia, Mississippi, in February 2020, provides lessons about the grave risks of transporting high-pressure CO2. Please contact Gov Hochul and ask her to sign the CO2 fracking ban into law.

Valdi Weiderpass

Endicott

Legislature did the right thing by delivering fracking bill to Hochul

New York has led the nation in protecting our health and environment from the dangers of fracking. Now, as the article “New York lawmakers push to strengthen the state’s ban on fracking” reports, the legislature has once again taken swift, critical action by passing a bill to ban drilling and fracking for gas using carbon dioxide (CO2).

CO2 fracking poses many of the same unacceptable risks as hydraulic fracking − it could contaminate our drinking water, threaten public health with toxic air pollution and pipeline leaks, and perpetuate climate-destroying fossil fuel extraction. It’s an industry attempt to exploit a loophole in our fracking ban.

Thankfully, Sen. Webb, Assemblywoman Kelles, and our state representatives heeded the call of New Yorkers and moved quickly to close this loophole. Having passed both houses, and with bipartisan support in the Senate, this bill now sits on Gov. Hochul’s desk.

It’s time for all New Yorkers to raise their voices. Call Gov. Hochul today at 518-474-8390 and urge her to immediately sign the CO2 fracking ban into law. With your action, we can stop this dangerous, polluting practice before it starts. Our health and climate can’t wait.

Michael O’Hora

Germantown

NY needs to invest now in outpatient behavior health

New York’s children are in crisis.

The lack of behavioral health care providers has families waiting months and sometimes years to connect to outpatient services. As a result, children are cycling in and out of emergency rooms and hospitals, and for many, their lives are being cut short by suicide.

Our state must take immediate action to invest in the children’s outpatient behavioral health care system.

We need an outpatient system that attracts and retains the workforce needed to serve children. As called for by the Healthy Minds, Healthy Kids Campaign, New York must invest in child-specific outpatient clinic rates that reflect the complexity of serving children, reimburse providers for coordinating services with a growing array of care managers, ensure home and community-based service rates reflect actual costs, and keep pace with inflation. In total, $195 million must be invested in children’s outpatient behavioral health care system.

Acting now would reflect the state’s true commitment to address the children’s behavioral health crisis and ensure New York’s children are set up to thrive today and long into adulthood. Anything less would be unacceptable.

Carol Murdie

Apalachin

Healthy Minds Healthy Kids Council Member