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Bob's
focus for Ulster County...
For
the past few years, Bob Aiello has shared the theory that
educational research universities and economic development
are closely linked, and that their relationship is critical
if we are to compete in 21st century economies. Aiello feels
that this concept is the missing piece of Ulster County’s
economic puzzle.
Bob has modeled a plan after Research Triangle Park in North
Carolina. It is home to 137 businesses that employ nearly
43,000 people, all on a 7,000 acre research park known throughout
the world as being a place where the brightest o minds gather
to conduct cutting edge research and development. Duke University,
North Carolina State and the University of North Carolina
make up the triangle and collectively conduct over $700 million
in research each year.
Aiello has been touting the idea of a medical research university
at the former IBM facility now known as Tech City, which holds
about 3 million square feet of mostly empty space. He envisions
the center to employ about 5000 people with living wages and
benefits. Aiello feels that research would attract pharmaceutical
companies to the area as they would want medical student to
be trained with their products. Aiello feels that the regions
existing educational facilities like Vassar, Bard, Marist,
SUNY New Paltz as well as SUNY Ulster would provide the backup
support for the larger research facility.
Every region of the country that has experienced rapid economic
growth has benefited from the presence of a research university.
Bob’s vision includes Ulster County in that picture.
What has made our country great is the passion of its citizens
to invent, discover and solve the mysteries of the future.
The vision of George Eastman, who founded Eastman Kodak, Jonas
Salk, who discovered the polio vaccine, Thomas Watson, who
built IBM and Chester Carlson who invented the Xerox machine
changed the world and laid the foundation for the high-tech
age we live today. In many cases, these accomplishments were
a result of inventions and discoveries coming out of research
universities and laboratories.
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“We
need to convince residents to spend their money here, rather than
in other counties.”
Legislator Robert Aiello,
R-Saugerties, on earning tourism dollars from residents as well
as visitors. ULSTER COUNTY PRESS Wednesday, May 2, 2007
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Looking
forward... Bob Aiello presents his ideas and collaborations
Bob's Platform
Bob Aiello has said it time and time again. Saugerties was
a great place to grow up, a great place to live and he wants
it to be a great place to retire. However, Aiello feels
the spurt of new housing developments is responsible for
the tremendous influx of people that ultimately will put
a strain on the Town’s aging infrastructures and schools.
Bob feels that without a sensible economic base that would
provide a living wage and benefits, the very people that
enjoyed growing up here will not be able to retire here.
“Saugerties , in general , is growing exceedingly
fast to the point where it is beyond the planning stage,
and that no real direction or plan is in place to allow
for a gradual, graceful transition,” Aiello said.
Aiello’s said the volunteer fire department, as well
as police force are already overburdened and cautioned that
the housing developments , like the planned Barclay Heights
Condo project, will put additional strain on the infrastructure.
My vision for the future would include an economy that would
allow people to live in an environment where houses are
affordable and jobs provide a living. Presently people are
living in an area where property is too high and jobs pay
too little. And, this Aiello said is disaster waiting to
happen. When businesses want to locate in an area, they
know what they are willing to pay their employees so that
is the first thing they investigate. “If I were locating
a business in Saugerties, the first thing on my agenda would
be if my employees would be able to live here on the wages
I’m willing and able to afford,” Aiello continued.
“If they can’t, I must then look to where they
can,” he said.
The Business Council of New York State surveyed more than
1,000 graduating seniors in the SUNY system and found that
almost tow-thirds of students who came from the Upstate
region list it as their first choice place to live, but
fewer than 4 out of 10 have been able to find jobs, and
fewer that 3 out of 10 expect to be living here in ten years.
“That is a very sad statement about New York and it
needs to change, “ Aiello added.
In what Aiello refers to as “stopping the brain drain,”
he envisions a large pool of well-educated people conducting
research to developing methods to keep our young from leaving
after graduation, “ We can no longer wait for the
State to take action.” “It must and can come
from ourselves,” he said. We must look at the man
in the mirror for the solutions. In future announcements
Aiello said he plans to discussed cluster based industries.
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