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Bill sponsored by North Country Sen. Griffo passes both houses; would encourage expanding NY businesses to consider upstate

Posted 7/8/14

A bill sponsored by Sen. Joseph Griffo to encourage expanding businesses from the New York metro area to look at upstate, not out of state, has been approved in both houses of the state Legislature. …

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Bill sponsored by North Country Sen. Griffo passes both houses; would encourage expanding NY businesses to consider upstate

Posted

A bill sponsored by Sen. Joseph Griffo to encourage expanding businesses from the New York metro area to look at upstate, not out of state, has been approved in both houses of the state Legislature.

The bill would establish what proponents are calling a cross-regional small business partnership program, to “encourage natural relationships between urban and upstate business,” according to a press release from Griffo’s office in Rome.

The Republican represents the 47th Senate District, which includes the towns of Massena, Brasher, Norfolk, Stockholm, Potsdam, Pierrepont, Russell, Clifton, Fine, and Pitcairn in St. Lawrence County, plus Lewis and Oneida counties.

Working with assembly members from Brooklyn and from Utica, near Griffo’s home territory, the focus has been on plans to connect a food product packaging plant in the Mohawk Valley with artisanal food and beverage makers downstate, who need more room to package their products due to increasing demand for their specialty products, the release from Griffo’s office said.

“If, say, a food business is growing downstate, that’s great,” said Griffo. “We want that business to know there are several large, fully functioning food processing plants upstate that are ready to meet their needs. This program will foster new relationships among businesses from different regions and, in turn, promote all of the wonderful foods that are grown, made or processed here in the Empire State.”

Griffo has been working with Assemblymen Anthony Brindisi (D-Utica) and Joseph R. Lentol (D-North Brooklyn).