Tag: Buffalo Billion

Jan 19

2017

Heaney talks ‘Billion on ‘Pressroom

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Susan Arbetter of The Capitol Pressroom interviews Jim Heaney on Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposed second phase of the Buffalo Billion. Heaney’s take: It doesn’t have much to do with economic development. He also discusses Howard Zemsky, the state’s economic development czar and Buffalo civic leader.

Posted 7 years ago

Jan 11

2017

Heaney talks ‘Billion on WBFO

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WBFO reporter Michael Mroziak interviews Investigative Post Editor Jim Heaney on Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposal to extend the Buffalo Billion program with an additional $500 million in funding. Heaney previously provided analysis to WGRZ on the topic.

Posted 7 years ago

Sep 20

2015

Heaney: Probe should focus on Kaloyeros

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U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara’s investigation into contracts awarded under the Buffalo Billion program can’t help but scrutinize the actions of Alain Kaloyeros, who is quarterbacking the program, Jim Heaney has told Maryalice Demler of WGRZ. Heaney also said the investigation has statewide implications because Kaloyeros has emerged as Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s point man on major economic development projects in Rochester and Utica. Heaney said Kaloyeros has operated in a non-transparent manner in Albany for years, exported that approach to Buffalo and will likely do likewise elsewhere upstate unless challenged.

Posted 8 years ago

Aug 20

2015

Heaney talks SolarCity with WBEN

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Investigative Post Editor Jim Heaney fields questions from WBEN News Radio regarding SolarCity and plans to open a large solar panel manufacturing plant at Riverbend in South Buffalo. Heaney discussed SolarCity’s mounting financial losses and described the project as “high risk, high reward.”

Posted 9 years ago

Mar 24

2015

Cuomo still stonewalling on Buffalo Billion

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The Cuomo administration has redoubled its efforts to suppress the release of documents that disclose how it is selecting developers and spending money on the Buffalo Billion program. The Fort Schuyler Management Corp., charged with managing the program, is still refusing to release information sought by Investigative Post despite a legal opinion recently issued by the State Committee on Open Government that concluded the agency is subject to the Freedom of Information Law. “In my opinion, it is cut and dried,” said Robert Freeman, the committee’s executive director. “It is, in essence, a governmental agency, that it is required to[...]

Posted 9 years ago

Oct 9

2014

SolarCity’s shaky foundation

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Gov. Andrew Cuomo is investing $750 million of taxpayer funds and the hopes of a community desperate for an economic recovery in a company that is losing money, weathering two federal investigations and facing, by its own admission, an uncertain economic future. To hear Cuomo tell it, the construction of a solar panel manufacturing plant operated by SolarCity Corp. will be a “game changer,” a catalyst to reviving the Western New York economy. Indeed, the company is regarded as a leader in the burgeoning solar energy industry, has acquired promising technology to manufacture solar panels and has enjoyed soaring stock[...]

Posted 9 years ago

Sep 23

2014

SolarCity deal is a rich subsidy package

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My first blush impressions of the SolarCity deal announced Tuesday by Gov. Andrew Cuomo: It’s a rich package. The state is committing $750 million – $350 million to build a manufacturing plant and $400 million in potentially forgivable loans to equip it – in exchange for creating 3,000 jobs, half of which would be employed by SolarCity, the other at firms in their supply chain. That works out to $250,000 to $500,000 per job, depending on how you do the math. By comparison, the subsidy package cobbled together to lure the Yahoo! data center in Lockport five years ago involved[...]

Posted 9 years ago

Sep 18

2014

SolarCity shakedown?

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Gov. Andrew Cuomo last fall pledged $225 million to build and equip a clean energy hub along Buffalo’s waterfront. It was good enough for Silevo, a solar panel manufacturer, and Soraa, the makers of high-efficiency light bulbs. It apparently isn’t good enough for SolarCity, however, which bought Silevo in June. Cuomo has subsequently suggested it’s going to take a richer incentive package to bring SolarCity into the fold and press reports indicate at least two other states are in the hunt for the solar panel plant that is penciled in for Buffalo. Given the track record of SolarCity Chairman Elon[...]

Posted 10 years ago
Investigative Post

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