Paterson, Savage, Tonko announce General Electric "Green Jobs" investment

Last Monday in Niskayuna, Governor David Paterson, Congressmen Paul Tonko and Scott Murphy, and local Democratic elected officials including County Leglislature Chairwoman Susan E. Savage, Niskayuna Town Supervisor Joe Landry, and Schenectady Mayor Brian Stratton, joined in annoucing with General Electric plans to build a $100 million battery factory in the Capital Region near its R&D center in Niskayuna. The state has promised significant investment in their proposal and is supporting GE's efforts to obtain federal stimulus dollars to create green collar jobs in the Capital Region.

This announcement comes on the heels of the major annoucement by Senators Schumer and Gillibrand that stimulus money will be going to Niskayuna-based GE Global Research to research new battery technology. Congressman Paul Tonko played a key role in shaping this part of the stimulus bill to provide for differing battery technologies. It was this key change that allowed GE to seek this investment.

It is important to remember that GE could have put these jobs anywhere in the world but is continuing their investment in the Capital Region and Schenectady County particularly. Even GE executives credit the new Democratic Majority's committment to economic growth for their decision to invest here. The Daily Gazette on February 22, 2009 quoted Jan Smith, spokeswoman for GE Energy, as saying "When the new group came in, they said we should have a climate for change. There has been an effort on [their part] to work with us and us with them." The article further stated "Smith credited the changed environment with GE's decision to locate 500 jobs related to solar and wind power generation." Now that investment continues with two more major GE annoucements only weeks apart.

Schenectady County is winning again thanks to strong Democratic leadership.