Campbell, N.Y. — State Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R,I,C-Corning) released the following statement on today’s announcement that the Kraft-Heinz facility in Campbell (Steuben County) will only stay open for the next 12 to 24 months:

“This agreement might offer some short-term consolation to workers and families at the Campbell facility, and we can be grateful that they’re not being shoved out the door next week. But New York State should have done better. The agreement saves three other upstate Kraft-Heinz plants on a long-term basis, but there’s no room for Campbell? If the governor can negotiate with Heinz to keep open three plants and commit over $20 million in state money for improvements, why couldn’t that be done for the Campbell plant? I think it's time that Governor Cuomo comes to the Southern Tier and listens to local leaders and community members.”

“An economic crisis like this, and the others around upstate NY, should be a clear message to Governor Cuomo that our current economic development policies are not working. We must be bold and aggressive about our economic development policies by providing meaningful and significant tax and regulatory relief. It’s the only way we are ever going to keep our existing businesses here who continue to struggle under a burdensome tax and regulatory structure that discourages private-sector investment and job creation."

“We need to be bold and aggressive in providing tax and regulatory relief to the businesses that we want to invest private-sector dollars to retain and create jobs here. Programs and gimmicks like START-UP NY are not the answer. Playing defense and celebrating saving jobs while others are lost is not the right strategy."

“This agreement continues the loss of good manufacturing jobs from the Southern Tier. It hurts local dairy farmers and entire communities. We appreciate the opportunity to keep working hard to attract a new employer who will, hopefully, retain these jobs, but this will be a great loss on many levels, and it’s unfortunate.”