One of the items on the agenda that didn’t see action was a tabled resolution dealing with local labor. Last month, Legislator Bob Whitney (D-Jamestown) had introduced a resolution that called for any project that receives financial assistance from the county IDA – be it a tax break or a low interest loan – to be required to use at least 90 percent of local labor and supplies, whenever possible. The definition of local labor under the resolution includes workers from not only Chautauqua County, but also the four adjacent counties. The resolution was modeled after one already in place in Erie County, NY.

The resolution did not receive enough votes to be pulled from the table during last night’s meeting – it needed 13 but only received 8. The failure to act on the resolution effectively killed it.  However, Whitney told WRFA following the meeting that he intended to reintroduce it during the legislature’s October meeting.

Another resolution that failed was one introduced by Timothy Hoyer (D-Jamestown), which called for changing the rules by which committees are created and chairs are appointed. Hoyer said his intention was to remove political influence from the process. He also wanted to make it easier to train new legislators on the budget process by requiring an informational meeting for any new lawmaker voted into the legislature. However, his resolution was defeated with 16 “no” votes.

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In August, Legislator Bob Whitney (D-Jamestown) brought the resolution to the floor. If approved, the law would require that 90 percent of labor and suppliers come from the local area when the county provides financial assistance – such as tax abatement or low-interest loans – for development projects. Workers could be pulled from five counties in the region, including Chautauqua County along with Erie and Cattaraugus Counties in New York and Warren and Erie Counties in Pennsylvania.

However, Legislator George Borello (R-Irving) was one of the members against acting on the measure, saying that there are several things that need to be looked into, including whether or not it violates any federal commerce laws. As a result, lawmakers voted to table the resolution. It will return to the floor tonight for possible discussion and action.

Tonight’s meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. and is open to the public.

Legislator Bob Whitney (D-Jamestown) – who also serves as the minority leader – introduced the resolution in July. It calls for 90 percent of labor and suppliers to come from the local area when the county provides financial assistance (such as tax abatement or low-interest loans)  for development projects. Whitney said that under his proposed resolution, workers could be pulled from five counties in the region, including Chautauqua County along with Erie and Cattaraugus Counties in New York and Warren and Erie Counties in Pennsylvania.

During last month’s regular meeting of the legislature, Whitney said a similar law is already on the books in Erie County, New York.

“Everything’s covered in here. This is about putting local people to work that are paying the taxes – local contractors to work and local suppliers to work. Plain and simple, that is all this is about.”

So far, the resolution has yet to be acted on. It has been tabled on two separate occasions by the legislator’s Planning and Economic Development Committee and also on the floor of the legislature during the August regular voting session.

Legislator George Borello (R-Irving) was against acting on the measure, saying that there are several things that need to be looked into, including whether or not it violates any federal commerce laws.

“There was really very little legal oversight on this to make sure it is being done properly. More importantly, there was no discussion with the IDA or the IDA board – the directors or the CEO – to formulate this. I would think they would be the first people you’d want to speak to about this,” Borello said.

During the August meeting, lawmakers voted to table the resolution. It will return to committee for discussion and possible action later this month.

One of the other resolutions that will be introduced tonight is one dealing with the businesses that are hired to do work with funding from the Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency. Legislator Bob Whitney (D-Jamestown) – who also serves as the minority leader – will introduce a resolution tonight making it a requirement that any project that receives funding or assistance from the county needs to have local workers involved in the project.

“Ninety percent of labor has to come from the local area and not bringing in people from outside of the area so they can send the money back home. It’s local tax dollars and it should stay in the local area,” Whitney explained to WRFA. “And also the suppliers – any supplies used in a project that is assisted by the county should come from the five area counties.”

Whitney said that the five counties included in the resolution are Chautauqua County along with Erie and Cattaraugus Counties in New York and Warren and Erie Counties in Pennsylvania.

Whitney also said that a similar law is already on the books in the Buffalo area. “Erie County has a similar law, as far as labor. I don’t think that they have the building materials included – that’s something we added. But it is something that is going on in Erie County and I’m going to try and get it going on here and in Cattaraugus County and everywhere else.”

Whitney’s resolution was brought before committee last week but was tabled until next month. However, Whitney said he still plans to bring the resolution to the floor during tis month’s legislature meeting.

Tonight’s voting session begins at 6:30 p.m. in the legislative chambers and is open to the public.