Even though the state Legislature is off for the summer, a hearing is planned in Albany to look at the Cuomo Administration's job creation programs.
Robin Schimminger, of Tonawanda, chairs the Assembly's Economic Development Committee. Schimminger says he is breaking with tradition and holding a hearing in August in part because there is "a big gap" between how Governor Andrew Cuomo's Start-Up NY was touted and the the only 332 jobs it created last year.
"The numbers kind of speak for themselves, so far. I'm sure they'll say these things take time. But nevertheless the law does require reporting and the law does require some detail in reporting. We don't have that yet," Schimminger said.
The numbers were made public, Schimminger said, in a footnote to a broad report. Concerns are also being raised about the costs. Companies get tax breaks, but he says that's not where the "big dollars" are going.
"Where you find the huge dollar amount is the many multiples of tens of millions of dollars that have been spent promoting the program and that causes a lot of head-scratching," Schimminger said.
Representatives from Empire State Development Corporation are scheduled to attend the August 3 hearing in Albany. Schimminger says he hopes they will provide more details about Start-Up NY at that time.