Posted on 02/23/2014 7:19:55 PM PST by neverdem
An upstate New York lawmaker told Guns & Patriots Remington’s decision to develop a new plant outside the Mohawk Valley shows a state that is closed for business.
“The long-term consequences of Remington expanding to Huntsville, Ala., instead of Ilion, N.Y., are profound,” said Assemblyman Marc W. Butler (R.-Newport), whose district includes the Village of Ilion, where the Remington Outdoor Company has been situated for almost 200 years. “Remington is part of our culture.”
The Village of Ilion which is located at the South Bank of the Mohawk River is recognized as ‘Remington Country’ because of its integral relationship between the village of about 8,000 people and the gun company-giant that employs over 1,300, he said. “Who hasn’t worked for Remington?”
Remington, the country’s oldest firearm manufacturer, said they are expecting to create 2,000 new jobs over the next 10 years by adding a 500,000 sq.-ft. development site which will make for a total of 20 locations nationwide including the Ilion Firearms Plant & Museum.
Antique postcard of the Ilion, N.Y., Remington Arms plant
The company said expansion is predicated by a large increase in sales in 2013. “The Huntsville expansion provides for future needed capacity to support existing product demand and a robust new product pipeline.”
The Ilion community has a reputation for skilled, high-quality workers, said Butler. “Expansion here would have been ideal if not for the anti-gun climate.”
While Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo is encouraging gun manufacturers to exit the Empire State, two-dozen states courted Remington to expand with them, said the Assemblyman who has called for the repeal of Cuomo’s signature gun control law – the SAFE Act.
“My question to this administration is: What did you do to attract Remington to expand in New York?”
The answer is nothing, he said. “The SAFE Act weakened any negotiations.”
The Cuomo administration is doing everything it can to push people out, he said. “New York is only open to business that the governor approves of.”
In his State of the State address, Cuomo claims New York is inclusive to different ways-of-life, yet at the same time chastises Republicans, conservatives, gun owners and others for being different, said Butler.
Cuomo’s claim that Remington’s decision will not affect the economic climate in Ilion is not true, he said. “While the Ilion economy will see a short-term increase due to the time it will take for Remington to build in Huntsville, the long-term consequences are dramatic.”
Upstate’s economy, especially in the Mohawk Valley, has a deep connection to gun manufacturing and sales, he said. “Provisions of the SAFE Act have threatened this important industry.”
The state legislature is currently discussing more gun control laws, said the former Herkimer County majority leader. “If microstamping is introduced to the floor of the assembly it is a clear signal that New York State is closed for business.”
After the state of California enacted microstamping laws, U.S.-based leader in firearm manufacturing and design Smith & Wesson issued a statement indicating that it does not and will not include microstamping in its firearms.
“There are 70 anti-gun bills being introduced in the state legislature, including microstamping,” said Thomas H. King, president of the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, the largest state affiliate of the National Rifle Association. “Things can’t get worse.”
Cuomo’s anti-gun agenda has hurt business and will continue to hurt business in New York, he said.
King urged the rejection of microstamping, which he said will drive up the cost of firearms, hurt the economic competitiveness of New York’s gun industry and could lead to firearm manufacturers leaving the state altogether.
"If New York passes microstamping, Remington said the measure would be ‘the straw that broke the camel’s back’ and the company will pull out of New York completely."
“Don’t waste your time. ..”
My dear, this is why the left is winning, and conservatism is losing, at least the majority of battles.
The left NEVER gives up, and never worries about “wasting their time.”
Andrew Cuomo is a pompous urban liberal arrogant snot, just like his obnoxious daddy, Pope Mario the Pious.
Please let Cuomo run against Hillary in 2016, please please.
Did not see that coming. lol.
“Speaking of HUD ..”
I hope they don’t stop exposing Landreau and bring it up again. We can do that on FR, etc..
Landreau is one of the worst phonies. It’s too bad she has had such good luck in duping her constituents. Hopefully, by now, they are catching on.
“Corning world headquarters and R&D are in Corning and not going anywhere... ceramic converter plants expanding regularly .”
But Corning’s FO mfg. is in Wilmington, North Carolina, or at least it was when I did business with them. They ran company air service from Elmira, to Newark to Wilmington. They also had a big EO facility outside Paris.
that's true, and i've taken the shuttle myself, but the world HQ and the R&D facility aren't going anyplace... and like i said the diesel plant is expanding on a regular basis there's also a big plant in Germany at K-Town
Gorilla glass is Corning's current big thing
I saw the writing on the wall in 2000. Left when Hillary Clinton became a Senator. At that point, I knew.
It was papa Landreau He started HUD under Jimmy Carter. IIRC there were the groups of investors who owned the majority of residential rental properties in the city. They artificially kept prices high and the tax payers paid the bill thru HUD
HUD grants were given for repairs that were never made. It’s the same MO that MalJar used in her real estate dealings in Chicago
“The bigger picture is the amazing past of “upstate” NY, and the economic brownfield that it’s becoming.”
Yes.
We went camping there last year and at one point went in to the city of Utica.
It is a wasteland, pure and simple.
It makes Newark, NJ look like Paris, France in comparison.
And absolutely no fracking whatsoever. Andy is still “considering” it.
Moron. Just like his old man.
You don't have to do either to buy a new firing pin.
Fracking will save them when they finally have to smarten up.
I rather doubt that it's the upstate residents who have to "smarten up". I believe it's the left-wing politicians.
And that might be asking too much...
You seem to think results matter. Results are not relevant. Only high minded liberal ideology matters. So what if we are all poor? At least we will all be equally poor.
“...upstate NY... seriously depressed area... the positive economic activity you see is in college towns...”
This is all soooo true!! My daughter and her husband live in Otsego County so we see it first hand. If a person looks on a real estate sales website such as zillow or trulia in the counties around Amsteradm, Ilion, Utica, etc. most of the properties for sale that come up are in pre-foreclosure.
The so called “environmentalists” concentrated in New York City led by Cuomo and his ilk have enough demographic and political clout to keep fracking out. The southern tier and up into Otsego county area sit on the Marcellus shale deposit containing massive amounts of natural gas.
The positive economic activity in the college towns that you correctly point out unfortunately ends up perpetuating the unhealthy dynamic instead of helping because the surrounding areas around the college (Ithaca/Cornell, just for one example - this happens throughout the state) become influenced by the liberal thinking and the cycle is perpetuated ad infinitum. The end result is that upstate New York becomes even more poverty stricken.
The whole thing is heart breaking and the socialists/liberals are responsible and also in charge of the higher education/brainwashing. This keeps the problems going - ideas do have consequences, alas.
On a side note - the “environmentalists” are so called because they are wolves in sheeps clothing - their real agenda is to keep private industry out or to kick it out through pressure (Remington) so the only power lies in the hands of govenment. I predict that the fracking will be allowed as soon as Cuomo and his minions figure out how the state can have access to the proceeds through taxes or however they end up doing it.
sorry - mistyped the spelling for Amsterdam - obviously meaning the city in upstate New York, not the one in Europe
New York: Another anti-business, anti-freedom state.
-— I rather doubt that it’s the upstate residents who have to “smarten up”. I believe it’s the left-wing politicians. -—
Yes, I should have clarified that. I was thi king of the Governor and NYC.
Well, not all businesses. I assume Cuomo would welcome condom, vibrator and personal lubricator manufacturers to the state.
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