Everyone’s trying to figure out how to grow the Southern Tier economy. On the county level, there’s the Industrial Development Agencies (IDAs). And there’s the Regional Economic Development Council that asks Albany for money.
But officials and businesses in Chemung and Steuben Counties are creating another body to focus on the span of I-86 between Elmira and Erwin. "What this is going to be is a joint effort from private industry, from the educational industry, from the municipalities [to] all share into the cost of managing this group," said Ed Fairbrother, Town Supervisor of Big Flats.
Their plans include a center for developing transportation and advanced manufacturing technologies. They also want to expand the Elmira/Corning airport.
Fairbrother says no tax increase will fund the group, which still does not have an official name. He says they’ll work on getting part of their plan submitted with the Southern Tier’s entry into the state’s competition for $500 million in economic development money.
