COMING UP TONIGHT: WE HEAD OUT TO A CONSTRUCTION SITE THAT THANKS TO A SYRACUSE PROGRAM IS HELPING TO BUILD UP A LOCAL WORKFORCE.

WE'LL OFFER NEW COMMON CENTS TIPS.

AND OUR SPOTLIGHT SERIES FEATURES A CONVERSATION WITH THE CEO OF ONEIDA NATION RAY HALBRITTER AND ONEIDA COUNTY EXECUTIVE ANTHONY PICENTE.

THEIR MEETING WAS HISTORIC.

ON THE MONEY BEGINS RIGHT NOW.

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

THINK OF IT AS YOUR LOCAL FINANCIAL NEWS PROGRAM FEATURING SOME INTERESTING PEOPLE, BUSINESSES AND HAPPENINGS FROM EVERY CORNER OF CENTRAL NEW YORK.

I'M DANIEL PLUFF.

DURING OUR SEASON WE'LL SEE WHERE MONEY IS BEING MADE, SPENT AND LOST AND FOCUS ON PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES AFFECTING US LOCALLY.

OUR FIRST REPORT TAKES US TO A CONSTRUCTION SITE.

THE CITY OF SYRACUSE IS HEADED THE CITY OF SYRACUSE IS HEADED TOWARDS SOME BIG CHANGES, BETWEEN I-81 BEING REMOVED AND PUBLIC HOUSING IN NEED OF RENOVATION.

MAYOR BEN WALSH CREATED THE SYRACUSE BUILD INITIATIVE TO HELP WOMEN AND SOME MARGINALIZED GROUPS ENTER A FIELD DOMINATED BY MEN.

THE FIELD?

CONSTRUCTION.

THROUGH TRAINING DIRECTLY INVOLVING UNION REPRESENTATIVES, SYRACUSE BUILD AND ITS PATHWAYS TO APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM ENABLE WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF COLOR TO STEP RIGHT INTO CONSTRUCTION JOBS, SHATTERING GLASS CEILINGS AND BREAKING BARRIERS FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF WORKERS.

>> MY NAME IS CHRISTOPHER MONTGOMERY.

I AM THE DIRECTOR OF SYRACUSE BUILD.

>> SYRACUSE BUILD IS AN INITIATIVE THAT WAS CREATED BY MAYOR BEN WALSH AND HIS ADMINISTRATION TO PROMOTE MORE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION WITHIN THE CONSTRUCTION FIELD.

THERE IS BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF INVESTMENT IN OUR AREA IN TERMS OF CONSTRUCTION.

SYRACUSE BUILD HAS A NUMBER OF PROGRAMS AND TRAININGS WITHIN THE INITIATIVE.

ONE OF THOSE TRAININGS BEING THE PATHWAYS TO APPRENTICESHIP.

>> PATHWAYS TO APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM IS A PRE-APPRENTICESHIP CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM THAT FOCUSES ON BRINGING APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES TO WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF COLOR.

>> HI, MY NAME IS ANIKKA HAYWARD, CARP CARPENTER APPRENTICE FOR LOCAL 277 CARPENTER'S UNION.

I HEARD ABOUT THIS FROM SOMEONE WHO GRADUATED COHORT 1.

>> WE PROVIDE EDUCATION IN HOW THE UNIONS OPERATE, MATHEMATICS, FUNCTIONING AND CONSTRUCTION ENVIRONMENT, CULTURAL AWARENESS, RESUME WRITING, INTERVIEWING AND BUDGETING.

WE HAVE GRADUATED 30 PARTICIPANTS WITH A 93% ACCEPTANCE INTO A UNION APPRENTICESHIP, MEMBERSHIP OR A BOOT CAMP.

>> I LEARNED EVERYTHING ABOUT THE UNION, WHAT I DIDN'T KNOW WAS POSSIBLE FOR MYSELF BEING A FEMALE.

>> SO SYRACUSE BUILD BRINGS US SYRACUSE RESIDENTS INTO THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY BY CREATING PATHWAYS TO BE TRAINED, GAIN SKILLS AND THEN HAVE ACCESS TO EMPLOYERS THAT ARE PROVIDING OPPORTUNITY.

THAT'S ONE OF THE MANY WAYS THAT SYRACUSE BUILD WORKS TO BRING FOLKS INTO THE LOCAL ECONOMY.

>> IT ABSOLUTELY CONNECTS ME TO THE UNION THAT I'M IN NOW.

THERE WERE REPS FROM THE UNION THAT I'M IN NOW LOCAL 277 CARPENTRY UNION THAT CAME IN AND LET US KNOW ALL ABOUT THE UNION AND EVERY OTHER ONE SO THERE WERE ALL TYPES OF OPTIONS AND WE GOT TO CHOOSE WHERE WE WANTED TO GO.

RIGHT NOW, I AM CURRENTLY WORKING FOR UNITED RENTALS AND I RECONSTRUCT SCAFFOLD IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE A DIVERSE WORKFORCE BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY THAT IS BEING BUILT UP BY ITS OWN COMMUNITY CAN REPAY INTO ITSELF IN TERMS OF REVENUE THAT'S PRODUCED, SKILLS THAT ARE LEARNED CAN BE TRANSFERRED DOWN TO THE NEXT GENERATION AND SO FORTH.

>> WE KNOW THAT CONSTRUCTION IS ALWAYS GROWING ONE WITH ADVANCES IN TECHNOLOGY.

HAVING A MORE DIVERSE WORKFORCE ALLOWS FOR THE INDUSTRY TO REACH ITS FULL POTENTIAL.

>> THERE IS OPPORTUNITIES AND THERE ARE PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY WITHIN THE SYRACUSE BUILD PROGRAMS THAT ARE WILLING TO HELP IN EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.

STILL TO THIS DAY, I CAN CALL IF I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, ANY CONCERNS, THEY'RE WITH YOU THROUGHOUT THE WAY.

I'M GLAD THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN HELP MY COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW THAT THERE ARE THINGS LIKE THAT AROUND.

AND FOR US TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO DO THE SAME THINGS THAT WOULD NORMALLY BE NON-TRADITIONAL, ESPECIALLY FOR ME AS A WOMAN, IS AMAZING TO ME.

I LOVE IT.

I THINK IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM AND I HOPE THAT IT CONTINUES.

I HOPE THAT IT CONTINUES.

>> ONE OF THE THEMES THAT WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY SHOW ON THIS SERIES HAS BEEN THE PANDEMIC AND ALL OF THE AFTER EFFECTS OF THAT.

BUT MAYBE SECOND BEHIND THE PANDEMIC HAS BEEN THE TOPIC OF INFLATION.

WE HAVE BROUGHT THAT UP A COUPLE OF TIMES AS IT RELATES TO REAL ESTATE OR ANYTHING ELSE.

STILL IN THE NEWS ONE OF OUR GUESTS TONIGHT SAID PROBABLY GOING TO BE IN THE NEWS A WHILE LONGER BUT THERE ARE THINGS TO CONSIDER TO PERHAPS HEDGE THE RISING COST OF EVERYTHING.

DAVE TREICHLER JOINS US FROM ARBELLA WEALTH ADVISERS OUT OF SYRACUSE.

I-BONDS ARE ON YOUR RADAR THIS WEEK.

TALK TO US ABOUT THAT.

>> I-BONDS ARE AMAZING.

9.62% IS THE CURRENT RATE THROUGH NOVEMBER.

THEY'RE ISSUED DIRECTLY FROM THE GOVERNMENT PEOPLE CAN GO TO TREASURY DIRECT.GOV AND GET MORE INFORMATION.

BUT BASICALLY THEY'RE SIMILAR TO THE SAVING BONDS OF YESTERYEAR.

THEY'RE 30 YEAR BONDS, HOWEVER, YOU CAN CASH THEM OUT AFTER ONE YEAR, THREE MONTH INTEREST PENALTY.

THEY'RE EXEMPT FROM STATE TAX.

THAT BOOSTS YOUR YIELD.

THERE IS AN EDUCATIONAL TAX EXCLUSION THAT PERMITS THE USE OF QUALIFIED TAXPAYERS TO UTILIZE FUNDS FOR EDUCATION.

THEY ARE ABLE TO BE ISSUED INDIVIDUALLY ON A CORPORATE ACCOUNT, ESTATES AND TRUSTS.

ONE CAVEAT, THE LIMIT IS 10,000 PER YEAR PER TAX I.D.

OR YOU CAN GO WITH AN AMOUNT USING YOUR TAX REFUND, BUT HAVE YOU TO SET THAT UP IN ADVANCE.

CONSIDERING THAT BARCLAY'S BONDS ARE DOWN, AGGREGATE OVER 9% YEAR TO DATE, THIS IS AN INTERESTING OPTION FOR PEOPLE TO LOOK AT.

>> WE'LL LOOK AT THAT WEBSITE FOR SURE.

SOMETHING INTERESTING TO LOOK AT BECAUSE INFLATION IS GOING TO BE IN THE NEWS A WHILE LONGER.

I THINK YOU ARE ON TO SOMETHING TIMELY.

I APPRECIATE THE ADVICE TONIGHT.

DAVE TREICHLER FROM ARBELLA WEALTH ADVISERS OUT OF SYRACUSE WITH OUR COMMON CENTS TONIGHT GOOD TO SEE YOU.

NEXT UP, THE SEGMENT WE CALL TECH BYTES WHERE WE FEATURE NEW TECHNOLOGIES BEING DEVELOPED OR USED HERE IN CENTRAL NEW YORK.

WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT A WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT A FAST GROWING, PREVIOUSLY FAMILY-OWNED COMPANY, AS THEY EXPAND AND FINALIZE THEIR SALE TO A FLORIDA-BASED PRIVATE EQUITY FIRM.

WE MET-UP WITH VINNY LOBDELL, OF HEALTHWAY BRANDS, TO SEE HOW THE COVID PANDEMIC CREATED A RECORD BOOST IN DEMAND FOR THEIR AIR PURIFIER BUSINESS, HELPING TO CLEAR A PATH TOWARDS A 60,000 SQUARE FOOT EXPANSION IN THEIR PULASKI HEADQUARTERS.

>> THIS IS THE LEADING SUPPLIER GLOBALLY OF MEDICAL GRADE AIR CLEANING SYSTEMS.

FROM A SMALL PORTABLE SYSTEM TO A MILLION SQUARE FOOT BUILDING, IT DESIGNS AND ENGINEERS SOLUTIONS TO PROVIDE TRUE EFFECTIVE AIR POLLUTION AIR REMEDIATION AND ABATEMENT OF ULTRAFINE PARTICLES, MOLDS, VIRUSES, BACTERIA, RESPIRATORY PARTICLES, ET CETERA.

MY FATHER AND I STARTED THIS BUSINESS OVER 20 YEARS AGO, REALLY FOCUSED ON PROVIDING TRUE SOLUTIONS IN THE NUMBER ONE HEALTH PANDEMIC OF ALL TIMES, AIR POLLUTION.

THE PANDEMIC WAS THE GREATEST MARKETING CAMPAIGN IN THE HISTORY OF OUR BUSINESS.

UNFORTUNATE THAT FOR MANY PEOPLE IT WAS A DISCIPLE BUT WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL THAT OUR BUSINESS WAS IN A POSITION TO REALLY HELP PEOPLE DURING THIS TIME.

OUR PEOPLE HERE IN PULASKI COUNTY NEW YORK STEPPED UP TO THE FLATE AND ENGINEERED SOME OF THE MOST SOPHISTICATED THINGS AND WE WERE IN THE PERFECT SPOT AT THE PERFECT TIME.

A 20-YEAR OVERNIGHT SUCCESS STORY.

THE BENEFIT WITH HEALTHWAYS TECHNOLOGIES IS WE ARE REMOVING THE SMALLEST PAR TICK LATE WITH THE LOWEST PRESSURE DROP.

WE CAN INSTALL A BANK OF SYSTEMS IN A LARGE COMMERCIAL BUILDING WITHOUT HAVING TO CHANGE THE HVAC SYSTEM BLOWER, MOTOR, ET CETERA.

WE ARE REMOVING THE REALLY, REALLY SMALL STUFF, LUNG PENETRATING PARTICLES, BLOOD BARRIER PARTICLES AND WITHOUT AN ENERGY PENALTY.

LATE SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR, THEY ACQUIRED A MAJORITY STAKE IN HEALTHWAY.

IT HAS BEEN A GREAT PARTNERSHIP.

THEY BROUGHT TREMENDOUS AMOUNTS OF LEADERSHIP TO THE TEAM.

GENERALLY WHEN YOU ARE SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED BUSINESS TO GO TO THE NEXT LEVEL, YOU NEED RESOURCES NOT JUST FINANCIAL RESOURCES BUT PEOPLE RESOURCES.

I BELIEVE WE HAVE HIRED 35 PEOPLE OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS.

THE GOAL IS TO HIRE ANOTHER 25 TO 30 AND REALLY, REALLY SCALE UP THE OPERATION HERE.

HERE PULASKI WE ARE ASSEMBLING OUR PRODUCTS.

THE LINCOLN CENTER, THE HOSPITALS, THE BIG FACILITIES AROUND THE GLOBE, WE ARE ASSEMBLING THAT PRODUCT HERE.

WE DO HAVE A FINISHED GOODS FACTORY IN CHINA.

THIS IS NO LONGER A DOMESTIC ISSUE.

THIS IS A GLOBAL PANDEMIC AND SO WE MANUFACTURE PRODUCTS GEOGRAPHICALLY TO SUPPORT INDIVIDUAL REGIONS.

TODAY WE ARE NEAR COMPLETION ON A NEW 40,000 SQUARE FOOT MANUFACTURING FACILITY THAT IS A $4 MILLION CONTRIBUTION TO THE COMMUNITY.

WE CAN BRING THIS BUSINESS ANYWHERE BUT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THE BUSINESS STAYS AND THRIVES HERE IN CENTRAL NEW YORK.

AND WE ARE REALLY COMMITTED TO THIS COMMUNITY.

WHETHER IT'S THE THEATER OR THE MULTIPLE 25 PLUS BUILDINGS AND PROPERTIES WE HAVE REDONE HERE, OUR GOAL IS TO GIVE BACK TO THIS COMMUNITY, KEEP THE JOBS HERE BUT REALLY TO BREATHE LIFE INTO THIS WONDERFUL COMMUNITY AND WE THINK THAT WE HAVE DONE THAT BUT WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO.

WE HAVE SOLD OVER HALF A MILLION AIR CLEANUPPERS IN THE LAST TWO YEARS AND IT GOES BACK THAT WE ARE NOT REALLY SELLING AN AIR CLEANER.

WE ARE SELLING A SOLUTION.

WE ARE INSTALLING AND INTEGRATING IN-LINE AIR CLEANING SOLUTIONS THAT NOT ONLY PROVIDE THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF ULTRAFINE PARTICLE REMOVAL BUT ENERGY SAVINGS COMPARED TO TRADITIONAL MEDIA IF IT I.R.S.

WE BELIEVE WITHIN IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS WE CAN BE THE NUMBER ONE GLOBAL PLAYER.

OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PUT HEALTHWAYS ON THE MAP AS THE TRUE SOLUTIONS PROVIDER.

WHEN IT MATTERED MOST WE WERE THERE AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE BEST SOLUTIONS FOR THE NUMBER ONE HEALTH PANDEMIC.

THE NUMBER ONE HEALTH PANDEMIC.

>> YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE OBSESSED WITH THE FEDERAL RESERVE TO KNOW THAT INTEREST RATES HAVE BEEN ON THE RISE THIS YEAR.

WE THOUGHT WE MIGHT PUT SOME NUMBERS TO THAT IN TERMS OF WHAT IT MIGHT MEAN FOR PAYMENTS THAT WE ARE MAKING, PARTICULARLY FOR OUR MORTGAGES.

TAKE A LOOK AT THIS.

AT THE END OF LAST YEAR, DECEMBER 2021, THE AVERAGE 30-YEAR MORTGAGE RATE WAS ABOUT 3.1%.

THAT MEANT $428 PAYMENT FOR EVERY $100,000 THAT YOU BORROWED ON YOUR LOAN.

THAT'S JUST PRINCIPLE AND INTEREST NOT TAXES.

FAST FORWARD TO APRIL OF 2022, JUST A SHORT TIME AGO, WELL, RATES HAVE COME UP.

NO SURPRISE THERE.

THE AVERAGE RATE ABOUT 4.72 ON A 30-YEAR MORTGAGE, BUT LOOK WHAT HAPPENED $520 PER MONTH NOW FOR EVERY $100,000 THAT YOU BORROWED.

THAT'S QUITE AN INCREASE IN JUST FOUR MONTHS TIME.

IN FACT, IT'S OVER 20% OF A BUMP IN PAYMENT FOR NEW MORTGAGES.

AND THE BAD NEWS?

THOSE ARE APRIL NUMBERS.

RATES HAVE GONE UP SINCE.

WE MAY HAVE TO CHECK THOSE NUMBERS AGAIN.

NOT THE BEST NUMBERS I GUESS BUT BETTER NUMBERS IN THE COMING WEEKS.

SO TONIGHT, WE FINISH UP WITH OUR SPOTLIGHT SERIES WHERE WE MEET SOME INTERESTING PEOPLE OR HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING SPECIAL HAPPENING IN OUR AREA.

FOR SEVERAL YEARS, FOR SEVERAL YEARS, REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONEIDA INDIAN NATION WERE ENGAGED IN A LAND DISPUTE WITH ONEIDA COUNTY AND ITS NEIGHBORING COUNTIES IN CENTRAL NEW YORK.

AT TIMES, THE DISPUTE SEEMED ENDLESS AND NEGOTIATIONS DRAGGED ON.

BUT, A COMPROMISE WAS FINALLY REACHED TEN YEARS AGO.

THIS HISTORIC AGREEMENT NOT ONLY ENDED ALL LAND DISPUTES BETWEEN THE NATION AND ITS NEIGHBORS, BUT ALSO PROVIDED SOME BENEFICIAL REVENUE TO ONEIDA, MADISON AND ONONDAGA COUNTIES.

NOW, TEN YEARS IN, THE SETTLEMENT IS PERHAPS THE BIGGEST AGREEMENT SINCE THE SIGNING OF THE TREATY OF CANANDAIGUA, BACK IN 1794.

WE TALKED WITH RAY HALBRITTER, CEO OF THE ONEIDA INDIAN NATION, AND ANTHONY PICENTE, ONEIDA COUNTY EXECUTIVE, FOLLOWING HIS STATE OF THE COUNTY ADDRESS.

THIS HISTORIC ADDRESS WAS GIVEN ON SOVEREIGN LAND.

>> HISTORIC DAY FOR THE STATE OF NEW YORK AND FOR ONEIDA COUNTY AND OUR NATION, THE ONEIDA NATION.

AND IT'S A VERY FIRST TIME THAT THE STATE OF THE COUNTY ADDRESS HAS EVER BEEN DELIVERED ON OUR HOMELAND, THE ONEIDA HOMELANDS HERE IN NEW YORK.

BUT TO OUR FRIEND, TONY PICENTE, HISTORIC FIRSTS ARE NOTHING NEW.

>> THE ONEIDA INDIAN NATION IS THE COUNTY'S STEADFAST PARTNER AND WE ARE UNITED IN OUR GOALS FOR THIS REGION.

WE HAVE FORGED A NEW RELATIONSHIP SINCE 2013 THAT IS UNLIKE ANY IN THE UNITED STATES.

WE WORK SIDE BY SIDE TO GROW THIS COMMUNITY AND OUR ECONOMY.

TO BORROW SACRED PHRASE, THIS PARTNERSHIP NOW ONLY STRENGTHENS THIS REGION UNTO THE SEVENTH GENERATION, IT WILL LAST SEVEN GENERATIONS AND BEYOND BECAUSE WE KNOW WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER.

>> 10 YEARS ON, RAY, IT HAS BEEN 10 YEARS SINCE THIS AGREEMENT OF 2013 WAS SIGNED.

KIND OF A BIG DEAL.

IT'S COMPLICATED.

IT'S COMPLEX I'M SURE.

BUT WHAT WAS THE ESSENCE OF THE AGREEMENT?

>> WELL, WE WERE ABLE TO SIT DOWN AND IT TAKES TWO PEOPLE TO ARGUE, IT TAKES TWO PEOPLE TO MAKE AN AGREEMENT, YOU MIGHT SAY, AND YOU HAD TO HAVE THE KIND OF LEADERSHIP THAT IS REPRESENTED IN A COUNTY EXECUTIVE LIKE TONY PICENTE.

WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT HIS LEADERSHIP.

AND WE SAT DOWN AND DEALT WITH ISSUES OF JURISDICTION, ISSUES THAT INDIAN NATIONS HAVE WITH RESPECT TO SOVEREIGNTY THAT GIVES THEM CERTAIN RIGHTS TO DO CERTAIN THINGS.

AND IT WAS A NEW ISSUE FOR THE COUNTY, BECAUSE OUR PEOPLE LIVED IN POVERTY FOR SO MANY YEARS, WE WEREN'T REALLY HEARD OF.

WE WEREN'T REALLY NECESSARILY NOTICED IN THE SENSE THAT WE WERE DOING ANYTHING.

BUT WE WERE ABLE TO BEGIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN A WAY THAT REALLY MADE A DIFFERENCE AND, OF COURSE, TODAY, IT'S HISTORY.

WE HAVE NEARLY 5,000 EMPLOYEES.

>> RARELY DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING OF THIS MAGNITUDE WHERE IT REALLY IS A SFIFT-50-- 50-50 SPLIT.

DO YOU THINK YOU BOTH BENEFITED EQUAL.

>> I RAY IS BEING VERY GRACIOUS AS ALWAYS WITH ME AND WE HAVE HAD A GREAT RELATIONSHIP.

I THINK THERE IS NO QUESTION OF THE BENEFIT.

I THINK WHAT WAS IMPORTANT IN THIS WAS THAT EVERYBODY TENDS TO LOOK AT THE FINANCIAL ASPECT OF IT BUT WHAT I THIS I WE BOTH CAME INTO IT RECOGNIZING AND WANTING FOR BOTH OF US, BUT FOR THE ENTIRE REGION, WAS WHAT WE COULD DO TOGETHER AND HOW WE COULD BENEFIT TOGETHER.

AND THAT'S REALLY THE BIG CRUX OF THIS.

WHILE THE SETTLEMENT SAYS ONE THING, IT'S REALLY ABOUT WHAT WE ARE DOING TOGETHER.

>> I'M SURE I'M OVERSIMPLIFYING IT, BUT IF WE BOIL IT DOWN, REVENUE TO THE COUNTY, END OF ALL THE LEGAL LAND CLAIMS FOR YOU.

DOES THAT SUMMARIZE WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT?

>> WE WERE ACHIEVING SOMETHING BY THIS AGREEMENT THAT OUR PEOPLE WAS IMPORTANT TO OUR PEOPLE, AN END TO THE DISPUTES.

BUT ALSO TO SECURE LAND BASE FOR OUR PEOPLE.

AND THAT, SECURING THAT ALSO SECURED OUR ECONOMIC FUTURE.

SO THOSE WERE SIGNIFICANT TO US.

AND YOU KNOW, THERE ARE ALL THE REASONS FOR MAKING AN AGREEMENT, BUT THERE WERE ALL THE REASONS WHY PEOPLE WOULDN'T WANT TO MAKE AGREEMENTS SO TO FIND YOUR WAY TO THAT COMPLEX LANDSCAPE WAS NOT AN EASY JOB.

AND IT WASN'T EASY FOR US.

EVERYBODY HAD TO TAKE A POSITION OF COMPROMISE.

NOBODY GOT EVERYTHING THEY WANTED.

IN AGREEMENTS YOU HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT THAT IS HOW THAT IS GOING TO BE.

SO ENDING OUR DISPUTES, HAVING THE SPIRIT OF COOPERATION, YOU KNOW, HAS PAID OFF IN THESE YEARS IMMENSELY FOR BOTH OUR COMMUNITIES.

>> AND WHEN I GO BACK, RAY, AND THINK ABOUT THE EARLY INTERVIEWS I HAD WITH YOU, ONE OF THE COMPLAINTS, IF YOU WILL, AND NOT THAT YOU ARE GOING TO WORRY ABOUT THIS.

I ACTUALLY GOT SOME BAD EMAILS FOLLOWING THAT INTERVIEW BECAUSE THEY SAID WELL, IT WAS JUST A TURNING STONE AT THE TIME WAS CALLED.

THEY'RE DOING FINE BUT THEY'RE NOT PAYING THEIR FAIR SHARE.

THEY'RE NOT PAYING THEIR FAIR SHARE.

MONEY IS COMING OUT OF HERE NOW TO SUPPORT ONEIDA COUNTY, MADISON COUNTY, ONONDAGA COUNTY, CORRECT?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> TALK ABOUT IT BECAUSE THE MONEY ISN'T AN ISSUE HERE.

THERE IS QUITE A BIT COMING OUT, SUPPORTING THESE COUNTIES.

>> IN THE LAST 10 YEARS, WE HAVE SPENT NEARLY HALF A BILLION DOLLARS ON ONEIDA COUNTY VENDORS ALONE.

THAT'S NOT TO MENTION THE REVENUE SHARE GOING TO THE STATE AND TO THE COUNTIES FROM THE EMPLOYMENT PAYROLL.

>> AND THAT'S-- MORE WAY WAS FOCUSING IN.

TONY, PART OF THE AGREEMENT IS, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, A PORTION, 25 BEHRS OF REVENUE FROM SLOT MACHINES, GOING OUT IN THE FORM OF TAX, IF YOU WILL, CORRECT?

>> 25% OF WHAT THE ONEIDAS PAY TO THE STATE OF NEW YORK, 25% OF THAT 25 COMES TO ONEIDA COUNTY.

>> A BOOST.

>> WELCOME INCOME.

>> A TREMENDOUS BOOST.

>> AND IF I HAVE IT CORRECT AGAIN, IT'S NOT JUST ONEIDA BUT NEIGHBORING COUNTIES?

>> BECAUSE THE ONEIDA NATION MAIN HOMELAND, IF YOU WILL AND TURNING STONE AND ALL OF THAT SITS IN ONEIDA COUNTY, THAT'S WHY WE WERE THE PRIME BENEFICIARY.

THE OTHERS GET REVENUE BUT ON A SMALLER SCALE.

>> ARE THERE CATEGORIES WHERE THE MONEY IS GOING IN ONEIDA COUNTY?

>> WE DECIDED TO REALLY YOU KNOW, MAKE ONE GOAL, AT LEAST IN MY TIME AND THAT WAS TO RESPECT AND TO HOLD THE LINE ON PROPERTY TAXES.

SO IN THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT, WHAT THIS ALLOWED US TO DO IS NOT TO RAISE TAXES AT ALL OVER THE LAST NINE YEARS.

THAT THIRD REVENUE SOURCE, BECAUSE COUNTIES HAVE PROPERTY TAX, SALES TAX, FOR US WE HAVE A BONUS.

WE HAVE THIS REVENUE.

>> SURE.

>> WHICH IS A TREMENDOUS BONUS.

SO THAT ALSO, WHILE WOO WE CAN HOLD THE LINE ON TAXES WE CAN DO OTHER THINGS.

WE CAN VEST INVEST IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS COLLECTIVELY WITH THE NATION.

WE CAN INVEST IN PUBLIC SAFETY, AGAIN WITH THE NATION.

>> MUCH OF WHAT YOU TALKED ABOUT TODAY?

>> MUCH OF WHAT I TALKED ABOUT TODAY.

ALL DONE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THIS PARTNERSHIP AND THE REVENUES GENERATED FROM IT.

>> THE NEXT PHASE OF THE PANDEMIC, WE HAVE LEARNED MUCH.

WE MUST UNDERSTAND OTHER ASPECTS OF THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF COVID.

THE GREAT RESIGNATION AS IT HAS BEEN TERMED, HAS LEFT MANY EMPLOYERS, INCLUDING THIS COUNTY GOVERNMENT, STRUGGLING TO FILL NECESSARY POSITIONS.

>> SO MUCH OF THAT BEHIND US.

LET ME TAKE JUST A MINUTE OR TO TWO AND TALK ABOUT POTENTIAL NEGATIVES.

COVID BEING ONE.

COUNTY EXECUTIVE MENTIONED IT AND WE HAVE TALKED TO A UNTIL OF BUSINESSES AND WHAT HAVE YOU THROUGHOUT CENTRAL NEW YORK AND HAD TO SLOW THINGS DOWN HERE.

DO YOU FEEL YOU ARE BACK UP TO WHERE YOU WERE PRE-COVID YET?

>> I THINK JUST THIS MONTH WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REDUCE ALL THE PROTOCOLS THAT WERE NECESSARY AND RECOMMENDED AND NOW WE DON'T HAVE ANY RESTRICTIVE PROTOCOLS BECAUSE OF THE COVID.

AND BUSINESS IS DOING QUITE WELL AND WE ARE REALLY APPRECIATING THAT.

WE WERE OF COURSE CLOSED THREE MONTHS.

IT DID AFFECT US.

>> AND A BIG MONEY DRAIN ON THE COUNTY.

AND I HEARD YOUR REMARKS TODAY, YOU'RE BACK.

>> WE ARE BACK.

>> RIGHT?

FINANCIAL WILL I IN GOOD SHAPE.

>> WE ARE AND THANKS TO THEY WERE CLOSED FOR THREE MONTHS.

THAT WAS A BIG DRAW ON US.

ALONG WITH LOSS OF SALES TAX REVENUE.

SO THE FACT THAT THEY OPENED UP EARLY, BUT WITH A GREAT PLAN, WE WORKED TO COLLABORATE ON A HEALTH PLAN SO THEY COULD REOPEN EARLIER THAN OTHERS AND THAT WAS SIGNIFICANT.

IT WAS SIGNIFICANT NOT JUST ABOUT-- IT WAS SIGNIFICANT ABOUT GETTING PEOPLE BACK TO WORK AND THEN THE FACT THAT THEY, BEING THE LARGEST EMPLOYER IN THIS COUNTY, AND REALLY IN THE REGION, WERE BACK UP TO WORK, IT CHANGED THE DYNAMIC.

>> AND BACK TO THE AGREEMENT FOR A MINUTE, ONE SNAG I READ ABOUT AND YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I HAVE IT WRONG, WHEN NEW YORK STATE ALLOWED FOR ONLINE SPORTS BETTING, I READ THAT THIS MIGHT THROW THE AGREEMENT OFF.

>> WE ARE PASSED THAT.

NO ISSUES THERE.

>> THERE ARE NO ISSUES.

WE WERE ABLE TO BE PART OF THAT OPPORTUNITY THROUGH THE STATE'S POLICIES.

BUT WE DID BRING IT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE STATE.

WE HAVE A 16-COUNTY EXCLUSIVITY ZONE.

THAT WAS NOT AN ISSUE BECAUSE THE STATE INCLUDED US IN THE PROCESS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MULTI-SPORTS BETTING SO IT WORKED OUT.

>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE STATE OF ONEIDA COUNTY IS STRONG.

ONCE AGAIN, I SEE US AS A CROSSROADS.

CROSS ROAD, HOWEVER OF A DIFFERENT TYPE.

WHILE SIGNATURE PROJECTS ARE MOVING FORWARD, OUR MOMENTUM NEEDS TO CONTINUE.

THE PIECES THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE ARE NOT THE END OF OUR STORY BUT RATHER THE BEGINNING.

>> 10 YEARS ON, LOOKING BACK AT WHAT HAS HAPPENED, I READ SOME PUBLISHED REPORTS, AT THE TIME, THERE WAS A WOMAN IN THE ASSEMBLY AT THE TIME WHO CALLED, THIS DEAL HAD NOT HAPPENED YET, A ROTTEN DEAL, ONE OF THE WORST SHE HAD SEEN IN THE LEGISLATURE.

AS THE TWO OF YOU LOOK BACK ON THE PAST 10 YEARS, HOW DO YOU EVALUATE IT SO FAR?

>> I JUST EVALUATE IT AS, I LOOK AT IT AS ONE OF THE GREAT SUCCESSES OF THIS COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND I'M PROUD OF IT.

I POINT TO IT EVERY CHANCE I GET AND THEN I DO THINK IT IS-- HERE IS THE THING.

IT REALLY JUST OPENED UP, THERE WAS SO MUCH TO GAIN AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN OTHERS SAID IT WAS A BAD DEAL, THEY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IT.

BUT THEY ALSO, AGAIN, IT GOES BACK TO THE NEGATIVITY I TALK ABOUT TODAY.

WE COULDN'T ALLOW THAT TO STOP US.

>> YOU HAVE SEEN SOME REMARKABLE GROWTH HERE.

IT OCCURS TO ME WHAT ELSE IS LEFT?

ARE WE GOING TO SEE ANYTHING MORE COMING OR ARE WE DONE AT THIS POINT?

>> NO, WE ARE NOT DONE.

LOOK, WE DON'T BELIEVE IN STANDING STILL.

IF YOU ARE STANDING STILL, YOU ARE GOING BACKWARDS.

WE ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE MOVING FORWARD.

THAT'S WAS WE BELIEVE.

WE ARE JUST GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO SO.

THERE ARE MORE PROJECTS, MORE IDEAS, MORE CONCEPTS.

WE CERTAINLY LOVE TALKING WITH TONY AND THE COUNTY ABOUT DOING THESE WHYS THAT BENEFIT.

WE INVESTED OVER $50 MILLION IN THE SYLVAN BEACH, BIGGEST INVESTMENT IN THAT REGION.

IT NEEDED IT, IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.

A GEM AND MORE THAT CAN BE DONE AND MORE THAT CAN BE DONE HERE AS WELL.

THERE IS MORE OPPORTUNITY.

THERE IS MORE OPPORTUNITY.

OUR THANKS AGAIN TO BOTH ONEIDA COUNTY EXECUTIVE ANTHONY PICENTE AND ONEIDA INDIAN NATION CEO RAY HALBRITTER FOR WELCOMING US TO THE TURNING STONE RESORT AND CASINO.

THAT'S OUR PROGRAM FOR TONIGHT.

NEXT WEEK, WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT A LOCAL TRADING CARD COMPANY THAT IS FUELING THE INDEPENDENT MARKETPLACE.

WE'LL OFFER NEW COMMON CENTS TIPS.

AND WE VISIT SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY'S WHITMAN SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT TO SEE HOW STUDENTS ARE BOTH LEARNING AND GIVING BACK.

THERE'S STILL MORE COMING THIS SEASON AND IF YOU HAVE AN IDEA FOR A BUSINESS, PERSON OR JUST SOMETHING SPECIAL HAPPENING IN CENTRAL NEW YORK, LET US KNOW.

CONTACT US BY EMAILING NEWS AT WCNY.ORG.

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

AND YOU CAN FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.

I'M DANIEL PLUFF, THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.