Council push urged on Canal Side jobs
Before more than $300 million is spent revitalizing the downtown waterfront, some activists and at least one city lawmaker want assurances the project will create “quality” jobs that pay a living wage.
The Canal Side project was discussed Wednesday afternoon at a City Hall meeting where the Coalition for Economic Justice urged lawmakers to push for provisions that would guarantee a variety of community benefits.
Organizer Micaela Shapiro Shellaby told the Common Council’s Community Development Committee that the group does not oppose development. Job creation is a key component of a vibrant city, she acknowledged.
“However, we need accountable businesses, and we need to be supporting the creation of quality jobs — not just any jobs,” she said.
The coalition is pushing for a “community benefits agreement” that would require waterfront planners to make sure that all entities receiving contracts, including Bass Pro and Benderson Development, comply with key provisions.
They would include a stipulation that all jobs must pay a living wage. They also want provisions that set legally binding goals for hiring minorities and local residents, and requirements that all new buildings meet certain energy conservation targets.
Project planners also would have to demonstrate a desire to help nurture small, locally based businesses rather than simply promoting big-box retailers, advocates said.
“In the third-poorest city in the country, it seems that we should be extremely considerate of how our tax dollars are spent and that they are being spent wisely,” Shellaby said.
Delaware Council Member Michael J. LoCurto, committee chairman, said he supports such an agreement and will broach the issue with officials from the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corp. when he meets with them next week. Lo- Curto said he often fears that Buffalo is so “desperate” to create jobs, it doesn’t always pay enough attention to the types of jobs that are created.
North Council Member Joseph Golombek Jr., one of the Council’s most vocal opponents of the Bass Pro project, said he is taking a close look at the guidelines proposed by the Coalition for Economic Justice.
Matt Davison, public affairs director for the harbor development group, said officials have received the request for a community benefits agreement and will evaluate it as part of an environmental review. He added that corporation officials are scheduling meetings with community leaders to discuss the “positive impact” the waterfront project will have on the region.
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