N.Y.’s noble plan to buy American
uy American” has become the new buzz phrase across the country. But here in New York State, the labor movement has been buzzing about Buy American for several years. And now, we are closer than ever to enacting groundbreaking legislation to make it happen.
Gov. Cuomo included a bold Buy American proposal in his executive budget; it would require all state entities to purchase products made in the United States for all contracts and procurement over $100,000. The proposal includes not only structural and component parts of public works projects, but rolling stock, building systems and other commodities.
(Electricity, fuel and various software products are excluded, and there are exclusions for emergency contracting and lack of product availability.)
Without Buy American, state government uses your tax dollars to purchase foreignmade goods and materials. And too often, foreign companies are not competing on a level playing field. Benefiting from government ownership or subsidy and currency manipulation, they can dump products and materials at cut-rate prices.
It was nearly four years ago that the Daily News broke the story that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority was using $34 million worth of Chinese-made steel for Verrazano Bridge repairs. As recently as last April 13, a ship carrying huge pieces of steel arrived in our country to once again be installed on the bridge. And yes, that steel was also made in China.
Sadly, the shipments of Chinese-fabricated steel have been a regular occurrence throughout the repair of the 52-year-old bridge. But it didn’t have to be that way.
Just up the Hudson, there’s a different story, where another bridge construction project will be 100% American manufactured. All 110,000 tons of steel being used for the Tappan Zee Bridge replacement is sourced and fabricated right here in the U.S.
It is a Buy American bridge project that not only created thousands of good jobs right here in New York State; it saved time and money to the tune of more than $1.5 billion and more than two years in construction time.
The cost and time savings were achieved by simply following the Buy American preferences that were attached to the federal funding of the project. In fact, there is an 80-year history of such requirements at the federal level.
We have the most skilled workers in the world; we should be investing in them, not sending their jobs overseas.
New Yorkers, by the way, are already on board with this concept. A poll last month by the Siena Research Institute found 82% of New Yorkers support giving a preference to Americanmade products in state procurement. When is the last time that many New Yorkers agreed on anything? Some may say the stars have aligned. I say we have an excellent opportunity to create and maintain solid middle-class jobs and bolster local businesses.
There is no denying the overall economic benefit of this proposal. When we create new manufacturing jobs, those workers then spend the money they earn locally. Whether buying a cup of coffee at the local diner or a bite to eat during the day, or making a stop at the hardware store on the way home, workers are feeding the economy and supporting small businesses.
Those small businesses, in turn, pay taxes that then go to build up the local tax base in municipalities across the state. That additional tax revenue strengthens communities by supporting vital services like education, health care and public safety.
And when manufacturers know they have a commitment from government, like the one proposed in the governor’s budget, they are more likely to relocate to New York and keep their businesses operating here for the long term.
Let’s reestablish New York as the manufacturing center of the world. Let’s continue to lead the rest of the country by setting an example for other states to follow.