By Eileen Buckley
Buffalo, NY – State Assemblyman Sam Hoyt is stepping up efforts to promote regionalism. Thursday, Hoyt unveiled proposed legislation that he calls "Regionalism by Negotiation."
Assemblyman Hoyt says the legislation is "historic" and that's why he made the announcement from the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society. Hoyt says the concept is to gather together 45 local governments that could reach agreement on regionalism.
"The governments will come together to negotiate an agreement on strategies to coordinate efforts on just about anything they see fit -- economic development, land use planning, housing joint purchases and much, much more," Hoyt said.
But Hoyt says the compact would not force municipalities to participate. He says it would be all on a voluntary basis.
"Nobody is forced to attend. Nobody is forced to accept," Hoyt said. "But the compact would be valid if ratified by the county and cities represented by as few as two-thirds of the county's population."
Hoyt says this effort has worked in Long Island and Denver, Colorado. He's also been working with national regional planning consultant David Rusk. Rusk realizes that there have been other local attempts to jump start regionalism. But his says in order for Western New York leaders to reach agreement, there needs to be strong, "grassroots" support.
"The fact that you are divided in so many warring little boxes is holding back the progress of the greater Buffalo region and that is hurting everyone," Rusk said. "So citizens grassroots support is very, very important."
Several incentives for participation are built into the legislation. Hoyt says they include limiting the liability for brownfield sites to speed up clean up and expediting state environmental review of development projects.
Hoyt says by calling all parties to the table, it could finally result in type of regional dialogue leaders have failed to achieve over the years. But for now Hoyt calls his effort a work in progress.