Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator
Kirsten Gillibrand today congratulated Yahoo! as the Internet giant breaks
ground at its new location at the Lockport Industrial Park, which is expected
to create 125 new jobs for Western New York.
“Even
in the face of a difficult economy, the people of Western New York are
attracting new businesses and creating new, good-paying jobs,” Senator
Gillibrand said. “Clearly Yahoo! recognized that the well-trained work force,
affordable housing, short commutes, and first class arts, sports, and cultural
institutions make this region and all of upstate New York an ideal place to
invest in new business opportunities. I look forward to working with Yahoo as
they move forward with this investment.”
In June, Senator Gillibrand wrote to Yahoo! CEO Carol Bartz encouraging the
move to Western New York. Senator Gillibrand’s full letter is below:
June
4, 2009
Ms.
Carol Bartz
CEO
Yahoo!
Inc.
701
First Avenue Sunnyvale, CA 94089
Dear
Ms. Bartz:
I
write in strong support of Yahoo’s consideration of the Western New York Region
and the Finger Lakes Region for your Northeast data center. It is has
come to my attention that several sites in Niagara, Orleans and Genesee
Counties are under consideration.
I
urge you to consider all that the Western New York region can offer your
company. As I am sure you have seen, Western New York offers many
incentives. The region is home to a strong and talented workforce, famous
attractions, a temperate climate, inexpensive development costs and many
additional economic incentives such as low cost power which I am eager to work
with you on.
One
thing Western New York excels in, because of our fantastic universities and
schools, is creating an industry in high tech and bio-tech. Western New
York is home to 15 four-year colleges and universities and 20 two-year schools,
annually graduating more than 20,000. Western New York is affordable; with median regional
housing prices slightly below $100,000, average household income
of $53,000, and health insurance costs 25 percent below the national average,
our workforce is affordable. Western
New York is formidable; our workforce is 750,000 strong, with
the skills and education for 21st century jobs – and an old-fashioned work
ethic: our absenteeism and turnover rates are among the lowest in the
country.
The region also has a lower than average
employee turnover rate. As a bi-national region with quick and easy access to
Canada, Western NY facilitates 81 billion in annual trade between Canada and
the United States.
I
am committed to working with you to relocate to Western New York because we
have a terrific workforce, ready to go. The Northeast data center has so
much potential and will help contribute to the economic revival of this
region. I look forward to working with you directly on this exciting
project.
Please
do not hesitate to contact myself or my office if I can be of any assistance.
Sincerely,
Kirsten E. Gillibrand
United States Senator