New Ad In NY-22: Anthony Brindisi And Governor Cuomo Failed New York Taxpayers And Wasted Taxpayer Money

Brindisi and Cuomo promised Marcy Nanocenter would turn Upstate New York into a tech hub, instead taxpayers lost money and jobs due to fraud and corruption

WASHINGTON – Congressional Leadership Fund (@CLFSuperPAC), the super PAC endorsed by House Republican leadership, today released a new ad, “Marcy,” in New York’s 22^nd Congressional District. The ad slams Anthony Brindisi and Governor Andrew Cuomo for promising to provide jobs and a stronger economy in the Mohawk Valley region, then squandering millions of taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars. The ad will run on television in the Binghamton and Utica media markets and digital platforms throughout the district.

“Anthony Brindisi and Governor Andrew Cuomo promised jobs and a strong local economy with the creation of Marcy Nanocenter, but they failed to deliver, losing Upstate New York jobs and squandering millions in taxpayers dollars,” said Michael Byerly, CLF spokesman. “Anthony Brindisi’s empty promises and bad judgment prove he cannot be trusted in Congress.”

In addition to the ad campaign, CLF has opened a field office in New York’s 22^nd Congressional District. Each CLF field office is supported by a full-time staffer and hundreds of interns and volunteers who engage with voters on a daily basis through hyper-targeted phone banking and door-to-door canvassing.

Watch the ad, “Marcy,” here. 

SCRIPT 

VO: Politicians Andrew Cuomo and Anthony Brindisi made a big promise. 

Five-hundred-million of our tax dollars would turn Upstate New York into a tech hub. 

But fraud and corruption killed their deal, and wasted our money.

NEWS ANCHOR: “The area is still recovering from what local leaders are calling a blow to the stomach … AMS is no longer interested in the Marcy Nanocenter.”

VO: Andrew Cuomo. Anthony Brindisi.

Lost money. 

Lost jobs.

BACKGROUND

In 2016, Cuomo Announced The Groundbreaking Of A State-Of-The-Art Computer Chip Fab As Part Of The Governor’s Nano Utica Initiative At SUNY Poly’s Marcy Nanocenter. “Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the groundbreaking of SUNY Polytechnic Institute’s new 360,000 square foot state-of-the-art computer chip fab at the Marcy Nanocenter, which will be home to ams AG’s advanced sensor manufacturing, more than $2 billion in initial private investment, and generate more than 1,000 new jobs in the Mohawk Valley. The groundbreaking marks a major milestone in the governor’s Nano Utica initiative, which is now projected to create at least 4,000 jobs over the next decade, and includes research and development at the Computer Chip Commercialization Center (QUAD C) in partnership with General Electric.” (Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, “Governor Cuomo Announces Groundbreaking Of SUNY Polytechnic Institute’s State-Of-The-Art Chip Fab For AMS AG At Marcy Nanocenter,” Press Release, 4/20/16).

The Computer Chip Fab Was To Be Home To AMS AG Who Would Generate An Initial Private Investment Of $2 Billion And 1,000 New Jobs In Mohawk Valley. “Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the groundbreaking of SUNY Polytechnic Institute’s new 360,000 square foot state-of-the-art computer chip fab at the Marcy Nanocenter, which will be home to ams AG’s advanced sensor manufacturing, more than $2 billion in initial private investment, and generate more than 1,000 new jobs in the Mohawk Valley.” (Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, “Governor Cuomo Announces Groundbreaking Of SUNY Polytechnic Institute’s State-Of-The-Art Chip Fab For AMS AG At Marcy Nanocenter,” Press Release, 4/20/16).

In April 2016, Brindisi Announced That The FY17 State Budget Included $585 Million In Funding For Marcy’s Nano Utica, An Increase From The $200 Million Cuomo Announced In August 2015. “State Senator Joseph Griffo, R-Rome, and state Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi, D-Utica, announced Friday that $585 million in state funding for the city has been included in the budget. That amount is an increase from the $200 million that Gov. Andrew Cuomo, in August, announced would be coming to the site.” (Steve Ference, “Nanotech Site In Marcy Getting $585M In State Funding,” Observer-Dispatch, 4/1/16).

In Novemeber 2016, AMS AG Decided To End The Project At Nano Utica Due To Delays Compounded By The “Kaloyeros Situation” And The Products To Be Made At The AMS AG Plant Were Then Outsourced. “The Marcy Nanocenter project has never surfaced in the state and federal legal action involving Kaloyeros and the others. By the end of November, ams AG had decided to end the project because of the delays that were compounded by uncertainties surrounding the Kaloyeros situation. The products that were to be made at the ams AG plant will now be outsourced.” (Dan Guzewich, “Area Officials Place Blame At State Level For No Chip Plant,” Rome Sentinel, 12/17/16).

In July, 2018 The Utica Observer-Dispatch Reported The “Total Infrastructure Investment At [Marcy Nanocenter] Will Cost $78.2 Million” As The Site Is Still Searching For A Tenant. “Completed infrastructure improvements include a sanitary sewer from Technology Drive along Ring Road, a 3.5-mile extension of a 12-inch gas main from Utica to the site and the clearing and grubbing of the site, he said. Total infrastructure investment at the site will cost $78.2 million, according to MV EDGE. The state has allocated another $506 million to attract a tenant to the site. ‘EDGE … continues to work in collaboration with Empire State Development and SUNY Poly-CNSE on the marketing of the site to a global industry,’ DiMeo said.” (Amy Neff Roth, “Marcy Nanocenter Still Searches For A Tenant,” Observer-Dispatch, 7/31/18).