♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ COMING UP TONIGHT, THOUGHTS ON MAXIMIZING YOUR 401(K) PLAN, THE GROWTH OF ONLINE ORDERS FROM LOCAL FARMS AND A WARNING: THE RISK OF BUYING VEHICLES OVER STICKER PRICE.

ALSO, OUR EXCLUSIVE WITH ONONDAGA COUNTY EXECUTIVE RYAN McMAHON.

ON THE OTHER THAN BEGINS RIGHT NOW.

ON THE MONEY BEGINS RIGHT NOW.

♪ ♪ GOOD EVENING.

WELCOME TO ON THE MONEY, WCNY'S NEW FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.

THINK OF THIS AS YOUR LOCAL FINANCIAL NEWS SHOW FEATURING SOME INTERESTING PEOPLE, BUSINESSES AND HAPPENINGS FROM ALL OVER CENTRAL NEW YORK.

HI, I'M DANIEL PLUFF AND DURING OUR SEASON, WE WILL SEE WHERE MONEY IS BEING MADE, SPENT AND LOST AND FOCUS ON PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES AFFECTING ALL OF US LOCALLY.

OUR FIRST REPORT TONIGHT HIGHLIGHTS A LOCAL SUBSCRIPTION-BASED COMPANY.

OFF THE MUCK MARKET IS A LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED GROCERY DELIVERY SERVICE.

THE COMPANY OFFERS A WIDE RANGE OF PRODUCE FROM LOCAL FARMS TO VENDORS ACROSS THE STATE.

THE COMPANY WAS FOUNDED IN 2018 BY CARL CHAPPELL.

HIS SUBSCRIPTION BUSINESS SAW A STEADY GROWTH BUT WHEN THE PANDEMIC BROKE OUT, HIS BUSINESS REACHED NEW HEIGHTS AS THE PUBLIC STARTED TO ORDER ONLINE MUCH MORE TBREK FREQUENTLY.

FIND OUT HOW OFF THE MUCK'S BUSINESS HAS BEEN OFF THE CHARTS ABOUT MARCH OF 2020 WE WERE AT ABOUT 300 DELIVERIES A WEEK IN THE IMMEDIATE SYRACUSE AREA AND WE SAW A-- IT WASN'T A BOOM OVERNIGHT BUT OVER THE COURSE OF TWO TO THREE MONTHS WE WENT FROM 300 DELIVERIES TO 2,000 DELIVERIES A WEEK.

>> MY NAME IS CARL CHAPPELL AND I'M THE FOUNDER AND OPERATE OF OFF THE MUCK MARKET, AN ONLINE GROCERY DELIVERY SERVICE FOCUSED ON LOCAL PRODUCTS.

OUR PROMISE TO OUR CUSTOMERS IS IF SOMETHING IS MADE LOCALLY, THAT'S WHERE WE SOURCE IT.

WE HAVE LOCAL QUASH HERE.

THIS IS ACTUALLY PICKED FIVE MINUTES DOWN THE ROAD.

ALSO SOME OF THE CABBAGES, WE HAVE HERE LOCAL CAB CABBAGE THIS WEEK TWO FROM WILEY FOX FARM.

>> SHIP ROUGHLY 2,000 ORDERS A WEEK AND EIGHT GROUPS THAT GO OUT FOUR DAYS A WEEK.

SO EIGHT ROUTES ON TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY AND FRIDAY EACH.

AND WE DO A LOT OF RECEIVING AND A LOT OF PICKUPS FROM LOCAL FARMS AND LOCAL VENDORS ON MONDAYS AND BASICALLY GET THE WEEK READY TO START PACKING.

WE ARE A SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE.

WE ORDER A BOX OF VEGGIES FROM US AND WE SET YOU UP ON A WEEKLY OR BI-WEEKLY DELIVERY SCHEDULE AND YOU PLACE YOUR ORDER ONLINE AND THEN GET IT DELIVERED TO YOUR HOME BASED OFF THE ZIP CODE YOU LIVE IN AND WE DELIVER TUESDAYS THROUGH FRIDAY.

PRIOR TO COVID WE HAD ABOUT 500 SUBSCRIBERS DOING ABOUT 300 DELIVERIES A WEEK.

WE'VE JUMPED TO ABOUT 4,000 ACTIVE CUSTOMERS DOING ANYWHERE FROM 1800 TO 2200 ORDERS PER WEEK.

WHEN COVID HIT AND THERE WAS THE LOCK DOWN, OUR REFERRAL NETWORK BLEW UP.

YOU COULD SEE IT ALL OVER SOCIAL MEDIA AND FACEBOOK GROUPS, AND THAT'S WHEN WE SAW IT BLOW UP AND IT WAS A SPIRAL EFFECT.

>> FOR 2021 WE ARE SCHEDULED TO GROW 26% OVER 2020 AND 2020 WAS 10 FOLD INCREASE OVER 2019.

AND 2021 IS GOING TO BE 25 TO 30% HIGHER THAN 2021 WILL BE.

THE OBSTACLES CURRENTLY, THE LABOR SHORTAGE IS AN ISSUE.

SO WHEN COVID HIT, WE HAD ABOUT THREE EMPLOYEES AND NOW WE ARE UP TO AROUND, IT DEPENDS ON THE WEEK, BETWEEN 30 AND 35 EMPLOYEES CURRENTLY.

FOR US IT'S MORE SO SOURCING LOCAL PRODUCTS.

WE WANT TO FIND MORE AND MORE LOCAL FARMERS TO WORK WITH AND WE ARE HELPING TO SUPPORT AND GROW THAT INFRASTRUCTURE OF LOCAL PRURS PRODUCERS BECAUSE WE SEE A NEED AND WANT FROM OUR CUSTOMER BASE.

NEW YORK STATE AGRICULTURE IS PRIME TO GROW.

I'M REALLY EXCITED BY THE AMOUNT OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND TIME AND MONEY THAT THE STATE HAS PUT INTO NEW YORK STATE AGRICULTURE.

WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING A PART OF THAT GROWTH STORY OF AGRICULTURE IN UPSTATE NEW YORK.

>> I KNOW YOU ARE PROBABLY SICK ABOUT HEARING ALL THE PROBLEMS THE PANDEMIC HAS CAUSED OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS BUT IF YOU ARE IN THE MARKET FOR A NEW CAR OR EVEN USED, YOU KNOW HOW DIFFICULT THAT CAN BE LET ALONE HOW EXPENSIVE IT CAN BE.

PEOPLE ARE PAYING STICKER PRICE AND IN MANY CASES, ABOVE STICKER.

TO HELP US WITH THAT AND TO TALK ABOUT THE RISK OF THAT SITUATION, MICHAEL ROMANO, CO-OWNER OF ROMANO DEALERSHIPS REPRESENTING SEVEN AUTOMOTIVE DEALERSHIPS THROUGHOUT CENTRAL NEW YORK.

AND ASIDE FROM IT BEING A LITTLE TOUGH ON THE WALLET, YOU ARE SAYING BUYING OVER STICKER HAS SOME PROBLEMS?

>> WELL, THERE ARE A COUPLE THINGS TO CONSIDER, DAN.

FIRST OF ALL, IN MY OPINION, IT'S PRICE GOUGING.

IT'S NO DIFFERENT THAN WHEN WE HAVE A TOTAL STORM IN THE AREA AND PEOPLE ARE MARKING UP GENERATORS 75% EXTRA.

IT'S PRICE GOUGING IS WHAT IT IS.

AND WHAT PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE, IF THEY PAY $10,000 OVER STICKER FOR A NEW CAR, WHEN THAT CAR STARTS TO DEPRECIATE WITH NORMAL DEPRECIATION, THAT FIRST 10,000 THAT IS GOING TO GO IS THAT 10,000.

SO THERE IS GOING TO BE A BIG SPREAD BETWEEN A TRANSACTION PRICE OF A $10,000 OVER STICKER AND WHEN A CAR STARTS TO DO ITS NORMAL DEPRECIATION WHICH WILL BE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 12 AND 15 MONTHS AFTER THE NEW CAR IS SOLD.

THAT'S THE BIGGEST ISSUE.

THAT YOU ARE NEVER GOING TO GET THAT $10,000 BACK AND YOU ARE GOING TO LOSE THAT FOR SURE PLUS THE NORMAL DEPRECIATION.

>> I MIGHT ASK YOU TO COME BACK AND VISIT US LATER IN THE SEASON TO TALK ABOUT OTHER ASPECTS OF CAR BUYING BECAUSE IT'S A BIG EXPENSE FOR ALL OF US, MAYBE LEASING VERSUS BUYING, ET CETERA.

MICRO MAN OWE, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FROM ROMANO DEALERSHIPS.

>> ANY TYPE.

>> UP NEXT, TECH BITES WHERE WE FEATURE NEW TECHNOLOGIES BEING DEVELOPED OR USED IN CENTRAL NEW YORK.

WOMAN OWNED I.T.

SOLUTIONS AND PROVIDER COMSOURCE INCORPORATED OUT OF FRANKLIN SQUARE HAD THEIR SHARE SHARE OF CHALLENGES DURING THE PANDEMIC.

WE'LL SEE HOW THIS CENTERSTATE C.E.O.

BUSINESS OF THE YEAR RECIPIENT IS HELPING TO CREATE JOBS AND PROMOTE ECONOMIC GROWTH FOR THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE.

>> PILOT AND C.E.O.

OF COMSOURCE, VALUE ADDED RESELLER OF TECHNOLOGY, DESIGN, TELL, IMPLEMENTATION OF TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS DATA CENTER, NETWORKING, SECURITY, COLLABORATION, CLOUD SERVICES, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES MANAGED SERVICES AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES PARTNERED WITH OVER 75 COMPANIES WORLDWIDE, SYSCO, H.P., DELL, I.B.M., MICROSOFT.

WE HAVE A PRETTY WIDE CUSTOMER BASE AND WE ARE CONSTANTLY OR DEALING WITH A CHANGE, ESPECIALLY OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WITH OUR CUSTOMER BASE.

2019 WE HAD AN UNBELIEVABLE OFF THE CHARTS YEAR.

NUMBERS WERE OUTSTANDING.

WE JUST STARTED 2020 AND BANG, THE COVID CRISIS HITS.

OUR CUSTOMERS WERE CAN LOOING FOR HELP IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

THEIR NORMAL BUSINESS PRACTICES CHANGED IN SOME CASES VERY DRAMATICALLY AND WITH THOSE CHANGES, YOU KNOW, WE HAD TO MODIFY AND MAKE CHANGES TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THEM I THINK COVID REALLY DID A JOB ON THE ACTUAL BUYING CYCLE, THE PURCHASING CYCLE.

THE SENSE OF URGENCY IS NOT THERE.

SPLAIN CONSTRAINTS IS ANOTHER THING WE ARE DEALING WITH TODAY.

THERE ARE HUGE COMPANIES AFFECTED BECAUSE THEY CAN'T GET EQUIPMENT.

THEY CAN'T GET CHIPS.

THEY CAN'T GET TO WHAT THEY NEED FOR THEIR COMPONENTS.

MANY COMPANIES WERE CLOSING OR MODIFYING THEIR HEAD COUNT.

THEY WERE LAYING PEOPLE OFF.

WE DID EVERYTHING WE COULD TO MAINTAIN THE STAFFING THAT WE HAD AND WE DID AND WE DID WELL.

WE ARE NOT A GOOD COMPANY WITH THE THE PEOPLE.

>> MY NAME IS TRACEY STAUFFER.

I'M THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER OF COMSOURCE.

WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY INVESTING FROM THE OUTSIDE.

REALLY EVERYTHING THAT WE DO IS SFRJ STRATEGICALLY PLANNED WITHIN COMSOURCE.

>> WE REMAIN TO BE PRODUCTIVE AND SUCCESSFUL THROUGH 2020 AND 2021.

WE MADE MONEY TO THE TUNE OF OVER A MILLION.

>> WE HAVE BEEN BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO HIRE 15 PEOPLE IN 2021 AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE DOUBLED IN SIZE FROM A NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES PERSPECTIVE SINCE 2017Y WITH.

WE HAD A LOT OF GROWTH AND ENERGY AND MOMENTUM HAPPENING WITHIN THE COMPANY.

WE WERE LOOKING FOR NEW SPACE AND SIGNED THE LEASE IN MARCH OF 2020.

WE HAVE CUSTOMERS AND PARTNERS IN ALL THE TIME WHEREAS WE DIDN'T BEFORE.

IT WAS A GREAT MOVE AND WE ARE REALLY HAPPY TO BE PART OF THE DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY.

>> AND WE ARE ALWAYS PUSHING, YOU KNOW, KEEP THINGS LOCAL AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE REALLY STRIVE TO ACCOMMODATE, BOTH, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO DO BUSINESS LOCALLY AND TRYING TO GET OTHER BUSINESS TO DO BUSINESS WITH US AS A LOCAL COMPANY.

IN 2020, THE YEAR OF THE PANDEMIC, COMSOURCE WAS AWARDED BOTH THE CENTERSTATE C.E.O.

BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD AND THE CNY BUSINESS JOURNAL BEST PLACES TO WORK AWARD.

THOSE AWARDS SOLIDIFIED OUR VERY INTENTIONAL EFFORT TO INFLUENCE OUR COMMUNITY, TO POSITIVELY IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY TO SERVE OUR CUSTOMERS WELL AND TAKE CARE OF OUR POIEES.

COMSOURCE LOVES TO PARTICIPATE IN PHILANTHROPIC EVENTS.

OUR RULE IS IF WE CAN HELP, WE DO HELP.

OUR FOUNDER, KEVIN HAMLIN, CO-FOUNDED COMSOURCE IN 1989.

WE ARE HERE TODAY BECAUSE OF HIM.

TRAGICALLY HE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A VERY RARE FORM OF CANCER AND PASSED AWAY.

EVERY DA I WE ARE GUIDED BY HIS STRENGTH AND HIS PASSION.

>> WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO BE THE BEST COMPANY, YOU KNOW, TO WORK FOR SO WE WANT TO, YOU KNOW, BE NUMBER ONE THERE, BE NUMBER ONE GO TO FOR OUR EXPERTISE FOR OUR CUSTOMERS AND TO BE THE NUMBER ONE WITH CUSTOMER SATISFACTION WITH OUR CUSTOMERS, WHICH IS PRETTY MUCH THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO US.

>> YOU KNOW, A LOT OF REPORTS OUT LATELY TALKING ABOUT HOW MANY OF US ARE NOT SAVING QUITE ENOUGH MONEY FOR RETIREMENT OR DOWN THE ROAD EXPENSES.

AND TO HELP US WITH THAT, SOME THOUGHTS.

JOHN BUSS, FINANCIAL ADVISER.

WELCOME TO THE SHOW.

WHAT ARE YOUR BEST THOUGHTS ON 401(K) SAVINGS.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

THE FIRST THING WE WANT TO TOUCH ON IS AN EMPLOYER MATCH.

IF YOU ARE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE ACCESS TO EMPLOYER SPONSORED RETIREMENT PLANS WHERE YOUR EMPLOYER IS GOING TO MATCH A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF YOUR CONTRIBUTION, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU ARE CONTRIBUTING ENOUGH TO CAPTURE THE FULL MATCH.

OF COURSE THAT MAKES SENSE BUT JUST UNDERSTAND EMPLOYER MATCH IS EASIEST MONEY THAT YOU ARE EVER GOING TO MAKE AND PROVIDE YOU WITH AN IMMEDIATE RETURN FOR SOMETHING THAT YOU ARE DOING ALREADY.

IT'S FREE MONEY.

THERE IS NO REASON TO GET THE FULL MATCH.

ADDITIONALLY NOW WHEN YOU DON'T REBALANCE WITHIN YOUR 401(K) AND ONE ASSET CLASS BECOMES TOO LARGE, BY DEFAULT YOU CHANGE YOUR RISK PROFILE.

REBALANCING ENSURES YOU ARE NOT PICKING UP TOO MUCH RISK BUT ENSURING YOU HAVE APPROPRIATE EXPOSURE TO YOUR TARGET ALLOCATION.

REBALANCING ON A PRETTY SET SCHEDULE AS WELL TO ENSURE YOU REMOVE EMOTION FROM THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS WHICH IS BENEFICIAL, ESPECIALLY IN THE VOLATILE TIMES LIKE WE ARE SEEING NOW.

>> REALLY GOOD STUFF JOHN.

I'LL HAVE YOU BACK SO STAY BY YOUR PHONE FOR SOMETHING LATER IN THE SEASON.

JOHN BUSS FINANCIAL ADVISER WITH PINNACLE INVESTMENTS OUT OF EAST SYRACUSE.

WE FINISH UP TONIGHT WITH OUR SPOTLIGHT SERIES WHERE WHERE WE MEET WITH INTERESTING PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL THINGS GOING ON.

LOOKING BACK OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, IT'S NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND SOME PLACE OR SOME THING NOT IMPACTED BY COVID.

MOST OF US CHANGED THE WAY WE WORK AND LIVE AND MANY BUSINESSES SUFFERED.

AND WE ALL JUST TRIED TO ADAPT.

BUT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND THE SERVICES THEY PROVIDE WERE FORCED TO MAKE SOME MAJOR ADJUSTMENTS AS WELL.

AND NOW, AS WE GET BACK TO NORMAL, WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES WE FACE TO IMPROVE BOTH OUR LOCAL ECONOMY AND OUR QUALITY OF LIFE.

AND WHAT ABOUT ALL THAT FEDERAL STIMULUS MONEY?

WHERE WILL THE NEARLY $90 MILLION BE SPENT?

WHO WILL BENEFIT AND WHAT ARE THE COUNTY'S MOST PRESSING NEEDS?

ON THE HEELS OF HIS STATE OF THE COUNTY ADDRESS, WE SAT EXCLUSIVELY WITH ONONDAGA COUNTY EXECUTIVE RYAN McMAHON WHO SPOKE CANDIDLY OF THE REGION'S DIFFICULTIES BUT ALSO GAVE US INSIGHT AS TO WHAT COULD BE A GAME CHANGER FOR THE COUNTY AND ALL OF CENTRAL NEW YORK.

IN MY OPINION, THERE ARE ONLY A COUPLE OF PEOPLE THAT REALLY HANDLED COVID EXCEPTIONALLY WELL, GIVEN THE INFORMATION THAT WAS AVAILABLE.

I THINK YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE.

AND I MENTION THAT BECAUSE IF YOU HAD SOME TIME TO REFLECT ON THE LAST TWO YEARS WITHOUT BEING CLICHE ABOUT IT, WHAT HAS BEEN THE TAKEAWAY?

WHAT IS THE LESSON OF COVID?

ARE WE BETTER PREPARED NOW FOR THE NEXT BIGGUN KNOWN DO YOU THINK?

>> I DO BELIEVE WE ARE.

AND I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT WE'VE NOW HAD FOUR WAVES OF COVID.

>> I HOPE THAT'S IT BY THE WAY.

>> LET'S HOPE WE ARE DONE.

AND WE ARE ON THE BACKSIDE OF OMICRON IN A BIG WAY.

SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT EVERYTHING, YOU LEARN THROUGH EACH WAVE.

AND IN THE BEGINNING, WHEN YOU ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE DATA, THE FIRST WAVE WAS THE SCARIEST FOR THE PUBLIC AND IT WAS PROBABLY THE MOST WORK FOR ALL OF US BECAUSE WE HAD TO BUILD UP THIS INFRASTRUCTURE WE NEVER HAD TO BUILD UP BEFORE.

>> ADMITTEDLY THERE WAS NO PLAYBOOK, NOTHING TO PULL OFF THE SHELF, RIGHT?

EXCEPT FOR 1918.

>> AS THEY SAY, WE WERE BUILDING THE AIRPLANE IN THE AIR.

AND SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE STRATEGY IN EACH OF THESE WAVES, IT'S GOTTEN DIFFERENT AND SOME OF THE THINGS WE DID IN THE BEGINNING WE RECOGNIZE HAD DIFFERENT TYPES OF IMPACTS.

ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT GIVING OUT GOOD INFORMATION.

IT WAS NEVER REALLY TRYING TO MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK DECISIONS FROM THE PRESIDENT OR THE GOVERNOR AND CERTAINLY TRYING TO FIND BALANCE HERE LOCALLY BASED OFF OF THE DATA.

>> FROM A FINANCIAL STANDPOINT, IT HAD TO HIT THE COUNTY'S BOTTOM LINE.

THINGS JUST STOPPED.

YOUR SALES TAX HAD TO DRY UP, ALL THE REVENUE COMING IN.

HOW DID YOU RECOVER FROM THAT?

>> IN THE SECOND QUARTER, OUR LARGEST REVENUE STREAM IS SALES TAX.

>> SO IN Q-2 WE WERE GROWING AT 4% IN Q 1 AND Q-2, IT TANKED.

WE MADE VERY DIFFICULT DECISIONS VERY EARLY AND IT STARTED OUT WITH OUR PART TIME EMPLOYMENT.

WE HAD TO LET GO OF PART-TIME EMPLOYEES.

ALL OF OUR INITIATIVES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT JUST WEEKS BEFORE IN THE STATE OF THE COUNTY ADDRESS GOT PUT ON HOLD.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME GOOD THINGS THAT MIGHT BE HAPPENING, ONE OF WHICH IS THAT THERE IS A TON OF STIMULUS MONEY COMING TO THE COUNTY.

I DON'T KNOW-- YOU TELL ME-- I DON'T MEAN TO BE CAVALIER ABOUT IT, 80 TO $90 MILLION COMING TO THE COUNTY.

THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY.

>> YECT.

>> WHERE IS IT ALL GOING TO GO?

WHAT ARE YOUR PRIORITIES?

>> THE NICE THING IS BECAUSE WE MADE THESE TOUGH DECISIONS IN 2020 AND IN 2021, WE ARE NOT TAKING THESE RESOURCES AND PAYING OURSELVES BACK.

WHAT WE ARE-- >> WHAT DO YOU MEAN?

>> ESSENTIALLY, FOR GOVERNMENTS THAT LOST MONEY IN THOSE YEARS, THEY JUST PAID THEMSELVES BACK AND PUT IT BACK IN THE RESERVE ACCOUNT.

AND WE DIDN'T HAVE TO DO THAT.

SO WHAT WE ARE DOING IS WE ARE, AT THE SAME TIME FOCUSED IN ON CONTINUING TO RESPOND TO THE PANDEMIC, BUT WE ARE FOCUSING IN ON RECOVERY, RECOVERY WITH HUMAN CAPITAL.

MENTAL HEALTH IS A HUGE ISSUE SO WE ARE INVESTING $5.5 MILLION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO HAVE MENTAL HEALTH CLINICS IN OUR SCHOOLS, EVERY SCHOOL IN THIS COMMUNITY.

WE HAVE HOMELESS ISSUES.

WE ARE INVESTING $2 MILLION WITH NEW MEN'S SHELTER WITH CATHOLIC CHARITIES.

WE HAVE PLANS TO END THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IN ONONDAGA COUNTY THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH CENTRAL NEW YORK REGIONAL PLANNING BOARD.

WE ARE GOING TO INVEST $15 MILLION AND BRING HIGH-SPEED INTERNET ACCESS TO EVERY HOME AND BUSINESS IN THE COUNTY.

>> ARE THESE ALL PROPOSED IDEAS OR IS THIS GOING TO HAPPEN BEST YOU KNOW?

>> SO THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT HAVE A LOT OF SUPPORT.

THERE ARE A COUPLE OF ITEMS WE NEED TO GET SOME WORK DONE IN THE LEGISLATURE.

>> THE SPORTS COMPLEX IS ONE.

THAT'S SOMETHING YOU PARTICULARLY ARE IN FAVOR OF BUT THERE IS A LITTLE BACK AND FORTH ON THAT.

>> YEAH, SO WE HAVE THAT PROJECT WHAT WE CALL A CONTINGENCY ACCOUNT IN THE BUDGET.

OUR TEAM WILL GO OVER IN MAY AND MAKE THE CASE.

BUT WE BELIEVE THAT OUR KEY FOCUS IS OUR PIE AGENDA, POVERTY, INFRASTRUCTURE AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.

SO WHEN WE ARE FOCUSED IN ON ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, WE NEED TO FOCUS IN ON THE INDUSTRIES THAT HAVE BEEN HIT HARDEST BY THE PANDEMIC.

THAT'S OUR HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY AND THAT'S TOURISM AND SO IF YOU LOOK AT A LOT OF OUR SPECIFIC INITIATIVES, IT GOES RIGHT THERE.

CREATING WORLD CLASS ENTERTAINMENT INFRASTRUCTURE.

>> YOU MENTION POVERTY.

I'M GLAD YOU DID.

LAST NUMBER I SAW, AND I CAN'T, YOU KNOW, SAY IT'S 100% ACCURATE TODAY BUT SOMETHING LIKE 32.6% OF THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF SYRACUSE LIVING IN POVERTY FROM THE COUNTY'S STANDPOINT, ANYTHING YOU CAN DO?

YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT SHORT, MID AND LONG-TERM STRATEGIES IN KEY AREAS, HOUSING WORKFORCE, EDUCATION, EARLY CHILDHOOD KINDERGARTEN READINESS.

HEALTH.

WE FOCUSED IN ON COVID BUT THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER KEY ASPECTS OF PUBLIC HEALTH.

>> MAY I OFFER THIS TO YOU?

I ASK THIS DISCUSSION WITH CONGRESSMAN KATKO A COUPLE YEARS AGO AND HE WAS QUIT TO SAY PART OF THE SOLUTION OR A BIG PART OF THE SOLUTION IS JOBS.

>> YEAH, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A JOB AND YOU CAN DO EVERYTHING RIGHT AND TRAIN THE WORKER, BUT IF THERE IS NOWHERE FOR THEM TO WORK, THEY'RE GOING TO BE UNEMPLOYED SO FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THIS COMMUNITY IN A LONG TIME, JOBS BEFORE COVID WAS NOT THE CHALLENGE.

IT WAS GETTING PEOPLE TRAINED FOR THE JOB.

AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR AMAZON PROJECT, LARGEST INVESTMENT IN OVER 30 YEARS IN ONONDAGA COUNTY, $450 MILLION, THOSE JOBS ARE COMING ONLINE NOW.

BUT THERE HAS BEEN AN UNEVEN RECOVERY AS FAR AS ECONOMIC SECTORS.

IN THAT LAGGING HOSPITALITY SECTOR, THAT'S WHERE YOU FIND MANY MEMBERS OF THE MINORITY COMMUNITY WORKING IN THAT, WHO HAPPEN TO LIVE IN SOME OF THESE POORER ZIP CODES SO WE NEED TO GET THAT INDUSTRY BACK AND GOING.

WE NEED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOME OF THESE UNIQUE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE POTENTIALLY HERE IN OUR COUNTY.

AND WE NEED TO TRAIN OUR PEOPLE FOR THE JOBS THAT ARE HERE.

BUT ALSO WE WILL HAVE SOME POPULATION GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES TO BRING PEOPLE INTO OUR COMMUNITY.

>> SECOND PROBLEM, PROPERTY TAXES IN ONONDAGA COUNTY.

OUR TAXES ARE HIGH RELATIVE TO THE REST OF THE WORLD, YOU KNOW THAT.

>> THEY ARE AND PART OF THAT IS DRIVEN BY THE SCHOOL TAXES BUT PEOPLE LIKE THEIR SCHOOLS AND PEOPLE KEEP VOTING FOR THEIR SCHOOL BUDGETS OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT GOES UP.

WE'VE CUT THE TAX RATE NINE STRAIGHT YEARS.

THIS PAST YEAR WE ACTUALLY CUT IT TO ITS LOWEST POINT IT'S EVER BEEN.

BUT IF YOUR ASSESSMENT IS GOING UP, YOU DON'T FEEL IT.

AND SO WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT IS THAT MEDICAID.

WE ARE ONE OF THE THE ONLY STATES WHERE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS PAY MEDICAID AND THAT IS $100 MILLION OUT OF OUR $160 MILLION PROPERTY TAX LEVY.

>> THIS IS A MANDATE.

>> THIS IS A MANDATE.

>> WHAT ABOUT DESTINY?

I MEAN THE SALES TAX REVENUE IS DOWN.

IT'S AN ENORMOUS PIECE OF PROPERTY.

WHAT DO YOU SEE HAPPENING THERE IN THE YEARS TO COME?

>> I THINK IT WILL BE OKAY.

WHEN THE CANADIAN BORDER GETS OPEN, IT IS GOING TO BE A DRIVER AND I THINK SOME OF THE OUT PARCELS AT THE MALL THAT TRADITIONALLY HAD BIG BOX STORES, I THINK THEY WILL BE CLEVER AND REPURPOSE THEM AND AS SOON AS WE CAN GET GOING AGAIN, WE WILL BE OKAY THERE.

>> LET'S GET INTO SOME GOOD NEWS.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING, HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO HAPPEN.

I KNOW YOU ARE EXCITED ABOUT AND I DON'T HAVE ALL THE DETAILS.

OUT IN WHITE PINE, SHIP MANUFACTURING.

THAT WOULD BE ENORMOUS ON MANY LEVELS.

>> WE HAVE A SITE ON WHITE PINE THAT WAS 300 ACRES AND NOW WE ARE AT 1300 ACRES.

OUR SITE HAS BEEN VALIDATED BY THE GREATEST TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES IN THE WORLD.

WHEN THEY MAKE A DECISION, THEY MAKE A DECISION BASED NOT JUST ON THE SITE BUT THE ECONOMICS OF THE DEAL.

SO WE HAVE BEEN COMPETING AND WE ARE A FINALLEST FOR MULTIPLE COMPANIES THAT WOULD CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY OF THIS COMMUNITY FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

>> HOW MANY JOBS WILL THAT CREATE?

>> YOU WILL LIKE LIKELY SEE DIRECT JOBS FROM THE FACILITY IN THE RANGE OF 8,000 TO 12,000.

>> DECENT PAYING JOBS.

>> THESE ARE ENGINEERS, R & D JOBS AND TECHNICIANS PROBABLY AN AVERAGE SALARY OF $120,000.

>> WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO GET 30,000 EMPLOYEES?

>> WE HAVE TO PROVE TO THESE QPS THAT YOU CAN GET PEOPLE HERE.

BUT YOU NEED TO HAVE A STRATEGY WORKING WITH HIGHER EDUCATION.

YOU NEED ANOTHER STRATEGY WORKING WITH COMMUNITY COLLEGES.

SO YOU CAN TAKE THAT PIPELINE AND TAKE THE UNEMPLOYED RESIDENTS AND GIVE THEM THE SKILLS.

YOU NEED TO HAVE A RECITING STRATEGY WHERE-- RECRUITING STRATEGY WHERE YOU ARE GOING TO PURDUE AND MICHIGAN AND RUTGERS TO BRING THEM HERE ON TOP OF OUR GREAT COLLEGES R.P.I., CLARKSON, THESE ARE ALL THINGS WE PUT TOGETHER AND WE HAVE PROVEN TO THE COMPANY THAT WE CAN GET THE PEOPLE HERE.

>> I FORMERLY CHAIRED THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

ONONDAGA CENTER.

COVID KILLED IT.

NO ONE IS DOING CONVENTIONS.

IS THAT A BIG LOSER FOR US NOW OR ON THE COMEBACK.

>> WE ARE GOING TO INVEST $5 MILLION TO CREATE MORE MEETING SPACE BUT WE ARE GOING TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THAT INDUSTRY.

THERE WERE SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES HAD BIG PLANS TO MAKE HUGE INVESTMENTS IN THE CONVENTION CENTERS.

WE HAVE TO SEE HOW IT COMES BACK FIRST, RIGHT?

AND WHAT THE REAL NEEDS ARE.

BUT WE ARE COMING BACK FROM IT.

>> YOUR TERM IS UP IN 2023.

I'M NOT ASKING YOU IF YOU ARE GOING TO RUN.

IT'S TOO EARLY TO TALK ABOUT THAT.

BUT BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, WHAT DO YOU MOST OPTIMISTIC ABOUT?

WHAT IS IT, IF I SAID WHAT HAVE YOU GOT TO ACCOMPLISH BETWEEN NOW AND THEN?

>> I THIS I WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES.

REALLY ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITIES BECAUSE OF TOUGH DECISIONS WE MADE WITH FISCAL INVESTMENTS SO WE DO WANT TO GET OUR AGENDA THROUGH.

WE WANT TO GET THE AMERICAN RESCUE AGENDA THROUGH AND GET IT GOING.

WE WANT TO GET THE AQUARIUM THROUGH BUT OUR JOB IS TO CONTINUE TO CREATE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES AND THEN MATCH THAT OPPORTUNITY TO OUR PEOPLE.

>> OUR THANKS TO RYAN McMAHON AND WE HOPE TO GET SOME UPDATES FROM HIM LATER THIS YEAR.

THAT'S OUR SHOW FOR TONIGHT BUT COMING UP NEXT WEEK, SOME GOOD NEWS FOR BEER LOVERS AND USEFUL TAX ADVICE AND ALSO A VISIT TO DOWNTOWN SYRACUSE THAT WE REALLY ENJOYED.

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAM, VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WCNY.ORG/ON THE MONEY.

YOU CAN CONTACT US BY EMAILING NEWS@WCNY.ORG AND FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.

WE DO WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU BY THE WAY.

FROM ALL OF US AT ON THE MONEY, I'M DANIEL PLUFF.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.