I’m a single mother of two children, and a member of PUSH Buffalo, located in the West Side of Buffalo. People in my neighborhood and across the city are struggling to find good jobs and support their families. I too understand this struggle firsthand. Our neighborhood needs economic development that prioritizes people over profit.

Unfortunately, Industrial Development Agencies are giving huge tax breaks to developers and subsidizing hotels, empty office buildings in the suburbs, and retail jobs that pay poverty level wages. The way we practice economic development in Buffalo isn’t working for neighborhoods like mine. The fact that public dollars are being spent on economic development without taking into account the interests of the community should make people not just scratch their heads but be down-right angry.

A job is supposed to get you out of poverty, not keep you in it! We have to create a new bottom line for development agencies in order to build an economy that works for working people.

The New York State Legislature needs to pass IDA reform right now that has living wage standards, green building requirements, and anti-sprawl provisions in it to put our economic development priorities back in the right order. No more rewards without reforms!

Julie C. Boody
Buffalo

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