LETTER: Inland port a win for 127th

To the editor:

Recently, the 127th Assembly District representative decided to oppose the CNY inland port project that will invest a significant amount of money in the CSX Railyard in the towns of Dewitt and Manlius.

I would understand if assemblymembers Gary Finch or Pamela Hunter voiced their opposition to the chosen site (the other two possible locations, Camillus and Jamesville, were in their districts respectively) but it puzzles me that an assemblymember would fight against an economic win in their own district.

The CSX Railyard is a huge economic engine for Central New York. Enhancing its operating will only secure the existing jobs at the Railyard and has the potential for further economic development and job growth. It’s also my understanding that 3Gi CNYIP owns roughly 200 acres of land adjacent to the railyard in Manlius and has committed to developing the land for warehousing to support the inland port project. To oppose this type of investment in our infrastructure, distribution network and workers is very short-sighted and will hurt the people of the 127th Assembly District.

Estimates on the number of jobs the CNY inland port would create range from a few hundred to a few thousand, but as the Market Feasibility Study states, “no single source of data can reveal the market potential such a facility would generate.” What is certain is that this project will be an economic driver for the region and job growth is extremely likely: “Development of the Central New York inland port is likely to facilitate the growth of business and employment related to existing import and export businesses as well as new import and export businesses in the region.” This is a win for Central New York.

Lastly, the CSX Railyard in the towns of DeWitt and Manlius is the most economical and fastest way to develop the inland port. By choosing the CSX Railyard, the CNY Regional Economic Development Committee can recommit some of the dollars that were originally allocated to fund this project. This is a good example of making economic development dollars go further.

I applaud the hard work by those who made this happen. Successes like this will continue with the right leadership and vision for Central New York. I urge Assemblyman Stirpe to get on board and advocate for the people of his district.