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Senator Majority Leader in town to announce funding for STAMP

By Howard B. Owens

Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos will be in Batavia today, at the offices of Genesee County Economic Development Center, to announce approval of $2 million in funding to advance the development of the STAMP project in Alabama.

The project is a planned 1,300-acre high-tech manufacturing park and the funding will help pay for design and infrastructure work.

Joining Skelos at the press conference will be Sen. Mike Ranzenhofer, Assemblyman Steve Hawley and GCEDC CEO Steve Hyde.

Skelos is also expected to attend a campaign fundraiser tonight for Ranzenhofer in Erie County.

C. M. Barons

Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos slips into town today, bearing a briefcase to rescue State Senator Michael Ranzenhofer from descent into a political miasma of his own making.

Skelos and State Senate Republicans dipped into their pockets (taxpayers’ pockets) and rustled up $2 million in 2011 budget earmarks to be re-assigned to the Western New York Science, Technology, Advanced Manufacturing Park.

The timing of Skelos’ visit to Genesee County is flawless. He will also be attending an Erie County soiree to benefit Senator Ranzehofer’s bid for re-election.

Ranzenhoffer is poised at the brink of an ethics investigation spurred by a former-staffer allegedly dismissed for conflicting political allegiance.

Local Assemblyman Steve Hawley, also on the guest list, will likely keep a low profile. He has consistently argued against budgetary earmarks as wasteful expenditure of public money.

Jun 7, 2012, 1:42pm Permalink
Howard B. Owens

In fairness, I happen to have it on very good authority that Skelos visiting Genesee County was scheduled in April -- a time when Michelle McCulloch was still employed by Sen. Ranzenhofer.

Jun 7, 2012, 2:10pm Permalink
Mark Brudz

Actually Howard I believe that you are correct, I have been so informed by Michelle herself. Both the fundraising event and the Genesee County visit were planne din April.

I stand corrected

Jun 7, 2012, 2:27pm Permalink

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