Rep. Delgado, Rep. Stefanik talk upstate manufacturing in County visits
Rep. Antonio Delgado on his IOXUS tour in Oneonta on February 22.
Rep. Elise Stefanik with Andela Production Manager Dave Spencer during her tour of Andela Products in Richfield Springs on February 22.
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R) stopped in Richfield Springs Tuesday, February 22, for her first official visit to Otsego County since lawmakers grafted its northernmost regions into her already-sprawling 21st Congressional District.
“I used to have 12 counties in my district, now I’ll have 18 if I get the support of the voters in November,” she said as she toured Andela Products and Ruby Lake Glass on Route 28. She heard from Andela Production Manager Dave Spencer and Ruby Lake Managing Member Jonathan Gross as the pair talked about challenges facing small manufacturers in upstate New York. The two companies, which together recycle, pulverize, and repurpose glass products to ship around the world, struggle with the now-common pressures of supply chain, labor, and regulatory burdens.
“It’s costing us three-and-a-half times more for a container ship now than it did six months ago,” Mr. Spencer said.
The Congresswoman noted her concern that the companies’ labor woes mirror those of small businesses throughout her district.
“We have to get people back to work,” she said. “I think the pandemic unemployment benefits went on too long and people just stopped going to work. You’re facing regulatory hurdles and big taxes, I understand that.”
As for New York-specific politics, Congresswoman Stefanik said she welcomed upstate native Harry Wilson into the now-four-candidate race to run as the Republican candidate for governor in November. Mr. Wilson, a former candidate for state comptroller, jumped into the contest on February 22.
“I’ve worked with all four of the candidates,” she said, citing fellow member of Congress Lee Zeldin, former Westchester County Executive Rob Asterino, and former Trump Administration staffer Andrew Giuliani. “They’re all friends, so I’ll leave it to the voters to decide who they think is the best candidate for us.”
“I look at this year as a once-in-a-generation chance to take back the governor’s office in Albany,” she said. “With out-migration, crime, taxes, and pandemic regulations, I think we’ve got a strong case and we’ll have the right candidate to lead the ticket.”
Employees of the tandem firms were on hand for the event, as were Assemblyman John Salka, Richfield Town Supervisor Dan Sullivan, Otsego County Board member Keith McCarty, and Otsego Now representatives Len Carson and Tom Armao.
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Rep. Antonio Delgado (D) took time Tuesday, February 22, to visit the portion of Otsego County that will remain in the 19th Congressional District he has served since he was first elected in 2019. It was the latest in his long string of active visits to Otsego County.
The Congressman hosted a roundtable discussion at SUNY Oneonta to bring together manufacturers, local economic develop9ment leaders, and others to discuss the importance of improving conditions for the domestic semiconductor industry and building an advanced manufacturing workforce — primarily through House-approved legislation facing an uphill battle in the United States Senate.
Before the roundtable, he toured Oneonta’s IOXUS ‘smart power’ plant – a manufacturer specializing in ultracapacitor technology.
“Manufacturing here in the United States is critical to supporting our communities, growing upstate economies, and addressing supply chain issues,” Rep. Delgado said. “It was great to see the unique work and facilities of IOXUS — the only fully-integrated ultracapacitor manufacturing facility in North America. I will keep working with New York manufacturers to ensure our communities will benefit from goods being made in America for decades to come.”
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