A Helping Hand

Dear Neighbor,

Earlier this year, we encouraged Secretary Perez to support the Ready to Work Partnership Grant, which will help transform workforce development in New York State and help get folks back to work, with programs that will help expand our workforce and care for our neighbors who are seeking long-term employment.

Recently the U.S. Department of Labor announced $169,771,960 in grants to expedite the employment of Americans struggling with long-term unemployment. The grants are part of the Ready to Work Partnership initiative to support and scale innovative collaborations between employers, nonprofit organizations and federal job training programs to help connect ready-to-work Americans with ready-to-be-filled jobs.

SAVING TAXPAYERS THROUGH EXPANDING USE OF LOCAL BANK QUALIFIED BONDS

We visited Jamestown High School to discuss his Municipal Bond Market Support Act, which would expand the availability of bank-qualified bonds, a cost-effective method of financing widely used by local governments and financing authorities. Bank qualified bonds save tax dollars. Using local bonds also keeps the control, financing and benefits of capital improvements right in the local economy. These types of bonds can be used for a variety of improvements to facilities like the one in the Jamestown School District.

TALKING HEALTH INSURANCE TAX WITH LOCAL SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS

Yesterday we met with small business owners for a roundtable discussion about the health insurance tax, or HIT, and its impact on New York small businesses and their employees. The HIT is a discriminatory tax that will weaken a vital sector of our economy. Small businesses are the ones which will lead the way in creating jobs and the HIT will raise the cost of health insurance on two million small businesses and in turn tens of millions of employees. I’ve been concerned about the financial strain it will impose for some time and it’s time we take action to ensure we aren’t inflicting an additional hurdle on small business owners.

LIHEAP FUNDS FOR WESTERN NEW YORK

The Administration for Children and Families has announced the release of $3.05 billion in LIHEAP block grants to states for the first quarter of FY2015. The funding was provided through the Continuing Resolution that funds the government until December 11th. We advocated for a return to the original intent of the energy assistance program with our Low Income Heating Improvement Act designed to give financial assistance to states that need it most. The winter months bring rising energy costs that low income families and individuals often struggle to meet. This boost in heating assistance ensures that New York families, in most need of help heating their homes, are treated fairly during the winter months.