Writings
Thursday June 7, 2007
Press& Sun-Bulletin
VIEWPOINTS
Asked: If I were ... Barbara J. Fiala
I would encourage economic development by ...
ED ARZOUIAN, JOHNSON CITY
I could encourage economic development by:
* Finally consolidating economic development offices to reduce redundancy and the duplication of services, focus
efforts and maximize available marketing and promotional funds. At the moment I am familiar with at least five
agencies doing basically the same thing here:
1. Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce.
2. City of Binghamton.
3. Broome County.
4. Greater Binghamton Coalition.
5. Greater Binghamton Convention and Visitors Bureau. I'm told there are as many as 16 agencies claiming to promote
development, marketing and promotion of Broome County.
* Create some basic signage on all the major highways entering this county. I have been coming to Binghamton for 35
years before living here. I learned only 18 months ago there was a zoo here. I spoke to an elderly woman from
Rochester on the weekend that was in Binghamton for the first time. She said, "I have driven through for 50 years but
never stopped." I'd say about 30 million people year can make that claim. Put out signs about the B-Mets and
Senators, the zoo, etc.
* Build decent visitors centers in the right places.
* Market the area to people outside of the area. Yes, this sounds like something that goes without saying, it seems to
make commons sense. Believe it or not, it is almost NEVER done. People here have blinders on. The City of
Binghamton markets itself to Clinton Street residents with banners! They're here already. I think they get it.
* Market Broome County and Binghamton in Ontario and Quebec as well as neighboring states. They all drive
through and know where it is already. Tell people in Ottawa their NHL farm team is here and offer them discounted
rates for making the trek here to see the farm team. Fans from here will go to Ottawa, and fans from there will come
here. Do the same in NYC with the Mets.
* Target specific areas of industrial development such as transportation hubs, information technology, health care,
warehousing (drop & ship) and defense contracts and subcontractors to compliment those we already have.
* Tie tax breaks, incentives and grants of those companies to residency requirements of their employees. If the new
employees arriving from a tax break or government contract come here to work, have them live here.
* Seek out alternative energy sources, probably wind power. Encourage manufacture of such technologies to move
into our empty industrial plants and warehouses. Bio-diesel fuels seem already to be growing here.
* Allow transmission lines through the county.
* Find legal barriers to limit or delay welfare recipients from major metropolitan areas re-locating here and
immediately receiving social assistance. We have become a dumping ground for the problems of others. If New York
state wants us to take on the burdens of downstate cities they should compensate us for doing so.
* Enforce current codes and laws on absentee landlords. Create new laws and increase penalties upon absentee
landlords for land speculation and flipping of properties without improvements.
* Loosen building codes in downtown Binghamton to make the renovation and conversion of upper floors of vacant
downtown buildings into housing more economically viable.
* Consolidate as many municipal services as possible.
* Break down petty bickering and puny territorial disputes, reduce the number of paid political representatives for
the many small, local municipal jurisdictions. The municipal boundaries of this area are ridiculously antiquated and
unrepresentative.
* Pay me a huge consulting fee!
Press& Sun-Bulletin
VIEWPOINTS
Asked: If I were ... Barbara J. Fiala
I would encourage economic development by ...
ED ARZOUIAN, JOHNSON CITY
I could encourage economic development by:
* Finally consolidating economic development offices to reduce redundancy and the duplication of services, focus
efforts and maximize available marketing and promotional funds. At the moment I am familiar with at least five
agencies doing basically the same thing here:
1. Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce.
2. City of Binghamton.
3. Broome County.
4. Greater Binghamton Coalition.
5. Greater Binghamton Convention and Visitors Bureau. I'm told there are as many as 16 agencies claiming to promote
development, marketing and promotion of Broome County.
* Create some basic signage on all the major highways entering this county. I have been coming to Binghamton for 35
years before living here. I learned only 18 months ago there was a zoo here. I spoke to an elderly woman from
Rochester on the weekend that was in Binghamton for the first time. She said, "I have driven through for 50 years but
never stopped." I'd say about 30 million people year can make that claim. Put out signs about the B-Mets and
Senators, the zoo, etc.
* Build decent visitors centers in the right places.
* Market the area to people outside of the area. Yes, this sounds like something that goes without saying, it seems to
make commons sense. Believe it or not, it is almost NEVER done. People here have blinders on. The City of
Binghamton markets itself to Clinton Street residents with banners! They're here already. I think they get it.
* Market Broome County and Binghamton in Ontario and Quebec as well as neighboring states. They all drive
through and know where it is already. Tell people in Ottawa their NHL farm team is here and offer them discounted
rates for making the trek here to see the farm team. Fans from here will go to Ottawa, and fans from there will come
here. Do the same in NYC with the Mets.
* Target specific areas of industrial development such as transportation hubs, information technology, health care,
warehousing (drop & ship) and defense contracts and subcontractors to compliment those we already have.
* Tie tax breaks, incentives and grants of those companies to residency requirements of their employees. If the new
employees arriving from a tax break or government contract come here to work, have them live here.
* Seek out alternative energy sources, probably wind power. Encourage manufacture of such technologies to move
into our empty industrial plants and warehouses. Bio-diesel fuels seem already to be growing here.
* Allow transmission lines through the county.
* Find legal barriers to limit or delay welfare recipients from major metropolitan areas re-locating here and
immediately receiving social assistance. We have become a dumping ground for the problems of others. If New York
state wants us to take on the burdens of downstate cities they should compensate us for doing so.
* Enforce current codes and laws on absentee landlords. Create new laws and increase penalties upon absentee
landlords for land speculation and flipping of properties without improvements.
* Loosen building codes in downtown Binghamton to make the renovation and conversion of upper floors of vacant
downtown buildings into housing more economically viable.
* Consolidate as many municipal services as possible.
* Break down petty bickering and puny territorial disputes, reduce the number of paid political representatives for
the many small, local municipal jurisdictions. The municipal boundaries of this area are ridiculously antiquated and
unrepresentative.
* Pay me a huge consulting fee!