Schumer casts a broad net Addresses energy, health care, education in Kingston By LYNN WOODS

Schumer casts a broad net
Addresses energy, health care, education in Kingston
By LYNN WOODS

U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-NY, is onboard with the Hudson Valley’s push to become a center of clean technology.

The state’s senior senator spoke before a packed audience at Kingston’s Holiday Inn Aug. 6 at the invitation of the Ulster County Chamber of Commerce. He also shared his views on topics ranging from energy to health care to education. His comments were in response to questions from the audience, which included several Ulster County legislators, town supervisors and other elected leaders or their representatives.

“It’s a great idea,” Schumer said after March Gallagher, chairperson of the Ulster County Industrial Development Agency, described the benefits of the proposed Solar Energy Consortium, which would be located in Kingston’s TechCity, and asked for his support. “It is forward thinking. One of the great things about energy conservation is that it can create jobs in America. I will try to make sure the Senate gets appropriations.”

On the House side, U.S. Rep. Maurice Hinchey, D-Hurley, who was present at the meeting, has so far secured $4 million in funding for the TechCity project.

Schumer mentioned General Electric’s foray into renewable energies and noted it was also spurring the local economy. GE, which in past decades had moved most of its manufacturing overseas, leaving just a few thousand employees at its facilities in the Schenectady area, is now manufacturing its wind-powered turbines in the U.S., Schumer said. “The new manufacturing is very high end and needs a skilled, well-educated work force.” The project marks “the first time the work force has increased” for GE at Schenectady in many years. Schumer said he would try to use his influence to put the consortium group in touch with GE.

Schumer also said he had encouraged Iberdrola, a Spanish company that’s the largest renewable energy operator in the world, to consider establishing a presence in New York.

Schumer pointed to developments in Albany as an example of New York’s high-tech prowess and said the state was poised for more growth. The nanotech industry in the Capital District “is growing faster than the national average. I foresee a valley of technology from Westchester County all the way to Saratoga. The idea of The Solar Energy Consortium is fabulous.”

To date, the U.S. has excelled in encouraging research and development for renewable energy technologies, but lagged far behind other nations in bringing those ideas to market, he said. “Our tax breaks are deep when it comes to development. In America we have developed the best wind and PV (photovoltaic) systems, but it is poor in commercializing” those technologies, he said. As a member of the Senate Finance Committee, he said he would like to find ways to extend tax breaks for that commercialization.

In answer to concerns from an audience member about the decline in dollars from the federal Community Development Block Grant program, Schumer empathized. “CDBG is the pipes for cities, and it’s been cut by over 70 percent. Restoring that money would give Kingston an ability to bring up the area and revitalize it. I intend to give it significance in the Senate.” Another possible source of funds for urban redevelopment would be micro loans for small businesses, Schumer said, noting that the concept had taken off in Africa and other developing regions of the world as a way to help support local economies.

What can be done to establish more broadband access in communities? Schumer said a bill introduced by Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., proposes a 35 percent tax credit for installing broadband in underserved areas.

Regarding the soaring cost of health-care insurance, Schumer predicted a universal health-care system would be implemented nationally within five years. One significant shift that now makes this politically feasible is support from businesses, which five years ago were opposed to universal health care, he said. The cost of health-care insurance puts U.S. companies at a competitive disadvantage, compared with firms from Japan, Canada and other countries providing universal health care. For example, the cost of coverage “is $1,800 per car at General Motors, and that’s for retired workers,” he said. Toyota, which makes most of its cars in Japan, doesn’t incur that cost.

Schumer noted that three states are introducing health-care plans. While it’s not clear what the best plan would be for the nation, Schumer said “incremental steps” are being taken: “One is to make generic drugs more available; and two, lower the cost for kids. The Child Health Bill in the Senate would cover all kids at 400 percent of the federal poverty level.” The cost of the program would be paid for by a tax on cigarettes, he said.

In response to a question about county efforts to have federal legislators implement new safety criteria for the relicensing of the Indian Point nuclear power plant, Schumer said he’d consider it. However, he said any proposal to close the plant was unrealistic, given that it provides 20 percent of the power for the New York City area. He said finding ways to tap into the ample hydropower sources in Canada by building new transmission lines would be one way to meet the growing demand for power in New York City. Schumer cited a company in the Schenectady area that has developed a power line that has the capacity to carry eight times the amount of electricity of conventional power lines. The technology is currently being tested, with results expected in six months.

Schumer said “what worries me the most” is the decline of the U.S. educational system. He said a bipartisan bill just signed into law by the president would, among other things, provide an $11,000 to $20,000 subsidy to teachers who pass math teaching tests.

“I am for testing,” Schumer said. “Let’s have one national standard for math and reading.” But a critical component of any testing program is that “we fully fund it.” A criticism of President Bush’s No Child Left Behind program regards unfunded mandates. Schumer said the Senate education bill “provides $6 billion more in funding for education than last year.”

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