>> Coming up on "Need to Know."
The first gubernatorial state of the upstate address.
>> Invest in Rochester, we will show you results in return.
>> Suddenly, upstate is the land of plenty.
That is causing a significant shift in the region.
We will show you why.
Disabled people make up one of the nation's largest minority groups.
Are politicians listening?
Calling from the Big Apple, a special edition of Arts Friday.
[captioning made possible by wxxi]
>> Rochester's news magazine since 1997.
This is "Need to Know."
>> Thank you for joining us, I am Julie Philipp.
There are roughly 40 million disabled Americans who are eligible to vote.
To put that in perspective, more than the number of eligible African Americans.
The disabled say they are the country's largest minority group and across the nation, they are starting to mobilize into organized voting blocs.
We will talk about what is happening in Rochester in a few moments.
First, the state of the of state.
On Wednesday, Governor Eliot Spitzer delivered the first state of the upstate address, something he says will be an annual event.
The upstate chair of the Empire State Development Corp. Dan Gundersen, says this year speech sets the agenda and it is time to implement.
When he started holding meetings in upstate communities last year, to talk about the economic problems they face, Dan Gundersen was struck by one thing in particular.
>> Quite frankly, the biggest surprise was everybody was talking the we were not really pulling together.
With that in mind, you had different cities and there were all scrambling for the same resources.
The governor said we need to come to gather for one upstate and one New York.
>> Rochester Mayor Bob Duffy would not argue that fact.
This is what he told "Need to Know" two months ago.
>> What the neighbors -- mayors will go to gather to speak to the governor, what happens in the end, we all want to take care of our own.
When it comes down to try to get access to some of shrinking resources, my number one party is Rochester.
>> This is what Mayor Duffy sounded like Wednesday after the governor's state of the upstate speech.
>> I loved it.
I was here with Mayer Brown from Buffalo, Maggie Brooks.
Next, we're treading a lot of stories before the speech.
Overall, a great day.
It was one thing after another after another.
It just shows the governor's commitment to upstate New York.
We all walk away with something.
>> That is the difference.
Before, Mayor Duffy says it was like having a small amount of food for a large family to fight over.
>> And Buffalo then delivered a big load of groceries, including a second year of increased state aid for municipalities, deployment of state troopers to help local police, business incentives, an investment in educational institutions.
That includes $50 million for the University of Rochester.
>> This is a pivotal part.
We think it will add a minimum of 600 jobs, direct and indirect benefit of $40 million to the Rochester economy over the next few years.
>> I am very excited.
I think there was a lot of great news for upstate New York.
>> I'm so excited about all three initiatives, including bringing on additional state troopers.
It is my understanding his is a permanent assignments.
>> It feels a little bit like Christmas.
A great focus on upstate New York, which I think is the key message.
The fact is planning on holding one of these every years is a message on accountability.
>> The governor has put his best foot forward.
I cannot think of another administration that has ever focused on this area of this state like Governor Spitzer has.
>> At least one Rochester area official is endorsing the regional prescription for economic health.
Democratic state assemblyman Joe Morelle.
>> I have never believed Buffalo and the Buffalo region on its own or Rochester on its own could succeed in the way we want and need them to, it really has to be an entire region focused on the same kinds of principles of innovation that are being done in other parts of the country.
Putting this together into an agenda like this is really going to bring the region together.
Yet the mayor of Buffalo sitting right next to the mayor of Rochester, right next to the mayor of Syracuse.
Collectively, the Legislature is starting to see that.
>> We need to know if the governor was forcing upstate to get its act together.
>> I would say we're facilitating the regional approach.
It is all about collaboration in.
When people see that power, it is awesome.
You have hope the week and do this.
That is what the governor did today, he provided the home along with the strategy, or the blueprint, if you will, for how we will get there.
>> The truth is, we will never grow again, prosper again, become a beacon of hope and opportunity again a part of our state is thriving and another part is falling behind.
We must come together and channel all of the passion, energy and determination that is within us toward one goal.
That is restoring growth and prosperity to upstate New York.
[APPLAUSE]
>> The governor has to get his initiatives into the state budget.
This coming Tuesday, he is expected to outline his spending proposal before the state legislature.
We will have a full report from Karen Dewitt next week on "Need to Know."
We have a look at how disabled voters vote.
It around the country, there are efforts to get more of them to the polls.
Here to talk about that is Gene Spinning.
Thank you for joining us today.
Historically, voter turnout amongst disabled voters has been very low.
How come?
>> I really do not know.
One problem is getting to the polls.
You need to have not accessible polling places, transportation, machines that people can vote in.
We have been regulated to using absentee ballots.
>> Beyond any issues in the campaign, you're dealing with actually the physical aspect of going to vote?
>> Correct.
Right now, cdr has a designated voting place.
You can come down anywhere you are registered to vote.
>> OK.
Some people call this the nation's largest minority group.
It is that a good way to describe disabled voters?
>> I think, yes, one of the largest voting areas.
When you get people to vote in a bloc so you can show the people that are running for office what our needs are.
>> How come it is taken so long?
There are efforts as springing up, particularly among younger disabled voters, to try to come together and unify around certain issues.
How come it has taken so long?
>> It took quite a few years to even have the rights to be able to vote on things like the 88 passing 16, 17 years ago.
-- ada passing 16, 17 years ago.
Now we have to get together as a voting bloc and vote on the issues that need to be passed such as the community choice act.
>> We will get into those issues in a moment.
You have talked about organizing a disabled bloc here.
Have you had any success yet?
I know there are some other issues getting an the way of you going at that.
>> We have had some success.
One thing we talked about earlier, during the budget process last year, we were working on getting money for the state budget for housing for the disabled to go together with the transition diversion waiver.
The money was not quite there, so back in Rochester, we organized a many people drink the milk and faxes to the governor's office.
-- reorganize to many people with e-mail and faxes to the governor's office.
>> Within an hour?
>> We had an extra million dollars put into the budget for housing for the disabled community.
>> Disabled voters here are no strangers to activism.
That as an issue by issue with different governments.
Is that what you're saying?
>> That is correct.
We need to coordinate and get more people involved as a voting bloc so when we have our open voting night, when we bring all the Legislature sent before the vote, that we can tell them what our issues are indeed more people there so they can identify us as a large voting bloc.
>> It is large, but also extremely diverse.
Not just age and gender, but the different types of disabilities and the different needs.
Is it difficult to overcome that and come around certain issues and unified together regardless of your disability?
>> I think it has been in the past.
Every group has other certain needs and I think if we can bring those groups together and vote as a bloc, then we can get more things done.
>> Perhaps looking at issues that may not affect your own personal disability, but you support that and another person may support your issue?
>> Any coordination of that.
That is what we tried to do to cdr, taken the mind of all types of disabilities and get people to sort of identify with our disability groups so that when we go to the polls, we know the different legislatures are supporting our issues.
>> Let's talk about those issues.
What is top right now?
>> The community choice act.
It is the right of the disabled individuals, using money already going to nursing homes and taking in money and helping people live in the community, giving people the choice to live in a community wherever that be, put into nursing homes.
Right now, we have funds in a program that if you are in an institution for more than six months, they can use that money to help you get into the community.
Right now, if you are already in the community and have an illness and go to the hospital, really not the funds their to help you stay in a community.
The hospitals really have no choice but to put you into a nursing home and have to stay there for six months at least and then a transition back into the community.
>> Yet been working on this issue for a long time.
How come to such a tough fight?
What is holding it back?
>> Getting all the legislators signed on to the bill.
We're pushing very hard right now.
Cdr has joined with some independent living centers to form the Coalition for Community integration and Washington.
We will have a presence there all year long.
We're trying to get this bill passed.
Actually, our office visited all the legislators of the rep level and let them know about the hearings we had on Wednesday of this week.
We visited our local legislatures after the hearing just a push a little bit farther to try to get this bill passed.
>> The congressional representatives are up for reelection this year.
How would have a voting bloc impact the issue this year?
>> I think if we can get people together, the disabled and the elderly, let them know people want to live in the community that they do not want to live in institutions and let them know how imported is, I think legislatures will start to listen more.
>> Is this the type of issue that will rally disabled voters and get them out in greater numbers?
>> I believe so.
There are 700 organizations across the country that have already signed on in support of this bill.
AARP is one of those supporters.
Once these organizations start to get these people involved, it will really push the House to pass the bill.
>> Maybe you could list some of the other issues that top the disability agenda.
>> Having accessible housing in the community so that even with the housing built, having a level entrance.
>> Thank you for coming in today.
>> Thank you.
>> That is Gene Spinning.
The center is one of WXXI's partners.
If you think about it, more and more people are using their computers to learn about political candidates, races, and issues.
Much of the material on the web is not easy for the nation's 28 million deaf and hard here Syrians -- hard of hearing citizens to access.
We are joining forces with the national technical institute for the deaf at R.I.T. to change that.
We're starting with the survey on a blog.
You can find out more about that on our website at www.WXXI.org.
It is time now for the business section with the democrat and chronicle.
Matt Daneman is a business reporter for the democrat and chronicle.
We're starting out today, the University of Rochester Medical center played a big role in the state of upstate address.
>> Definitely.
And the University of Rochester Medical Center released its next five-year plan, a road map of for where the university wants to see it go.
Very ambitious.
$500 Million more growth over the next five years, we're talking major construction projects.
Translation into something like 700 more jobs in a place that already employs 1200.
>> What kind of jobs are we talking about?
What did they want this to lead to in terms of the fields they are addressing with the construction?
>> In the medical center, what a boils down to commit their research or patient care.
Many jobs from medical care itself, a lot of research jobs, you're talking a very high and things so a lot of support staff, too.
>> This as a big impact on the local economy.
>> Definitely so.
The Mass will give it is the medical wing and you're talking a lot of professional jobs, a lot of blue-collar jobs, too.
It is really becoming a dominant force.
>> $50 Million proposed by Governor Spitzer towards this.
The whole project itself they're talking $500 million.
Have they talked about how their funding is?
>> University of Rochester will obviously be doing ambitious fund-raising.
Also, it has revenues itself will help to pay for this.
The med center revenues are something like tripled in the last decade.
They have a pot of cash they can tap into as well.
>> This talk about the big military contractor.
>> Harris also had good news of its own.
Through military contracts, a total of $158 million to the Air Force, Marines, and army.
Basically, high-tech radios.
It is interesting because this comes at a time when Harris rf headstock downgraded by one analyst thinking with Iraq perhaps taking off in 2008 or in the future, military contractors are not going to see as much.
>> A few companies around your getting these major military contracts.
Are they concerned about the long-term Alec?
>> Harris' death Valley disputes the idea another performance technology company and talk to, harder for the area, they also poo-poo the idea.
We do not make disposable stuff on a daily basis, we're making infrastructure stuff.
>> Finally, the unemployment numbers were out.
>> One bad news story of the week.
Unemployment numbers were up almost a full percentage point from December 2006-December 2007.
>> What happened?
>> Manufacturing.
We lost many manufacturing jobs in that time span when every other job sector was stead or growing.
The state Labor Department blames a lot of it on Kodak downsizing.
>> Thank you.
Matt Daneman or one of his colleagues joins us just about every week for the business section on "Need to Know."
Now, a special edition of Arts Friday.
This is about an exhibition at the memorial art gallery.
The collection of photographs by Larry Merrill offers viewers a chance to see New York City from a fresh perspective.
>> When I was a kid, as soon as I was old enough, about 12 years old, me and my friends with Hall on the subway and go into Manhattan and poke around.
-- me and my friends would jump on the subway and go into Manhattan and poke around.
You could go to the New York Public Library, it was such an incredible, big and beautiful building.
It was the beginning of a big gallery boom in art.
You could see avant-garde movies.
It was an opening to the world.
It is an affection I have not lost.
>> Although he settled in Rochester in the 1970's, Larry has been returning to the city with his camera again and again.
He captures his impressions and over time, recording cultural change.
>> I hang out a lot of street corners.
It is a place for people come to be at rest, waiting at the bus stops, street corners, telephones.
Those are places that people are standing still and waiting.
For this 15 seconds, they are yours.
>> 40 of his photographs are on exhibit of workshop in Rochester's memorial art gallery.
The exhibition coincides with the publication of a new book.
Larry says he is particularly interested in showing people in a landscape dominated by media.
>> Sometimes it is billboards, window advertising.
This is the most electronic, the most modern.
It just makes her feel to me like a captive in a brave new world.
>> In addition to billboards and signs, telephones pop up in his images.
>> I photographed people on phones in the city.
Primarily, when their attention is elsewhere, the way they stand is less self-conscious and sometimes very interesting in the context of being in the city.
It went from phone booths, which were actually enclosed houses that you could rent for three minutes for 10 cents, to an open air booth, and now to cell phones.
>> He says people walk around with the same, lose unselfconscious poses they used to strike and phone booths.
>> I have to wonder about the little boy with a cell phone, what is he doing?
In the background, that is Union Square, there is a whole foods.
Is he calling his mother to call about peanut butter?
>> Larry Merrill has an eye for such incongruities.
Walking through Manhattan, he once spotted two boys playing baseball.
>> There in Central park.
They have the space around them.
Here are normal kids during normal stuff in the middle of Manhattan.
Only when it was enlarged, did I see that in the picture he is throwing with his right hand and holding his phone to his ear with his other hand.
>> Writing about ubiquity of phones, loneliness and isolation on city streets.
The photographer says he recently picked up a work of fiction with a similar theme.
>> I was recently reading a novel called "exit ghost."
It is about an older Jewish man that has been gone and comes back to New York.
He comments the most visible change that he has seen getting back to New York.
He said it was a cell phone.
If you will indulge me, what he says about it is -- I did not see how anyone could believe he was continuing to lead a human existence by walking about talking into a phone for waking life.
These gadgets did not promise to be a boon to promoting reflection among the general public.
>> Humor and affection are in Larry Merrill's images, but they also document something else.
>> They are taken for coloring reasons, and composition, but also is the subject matter.
That is urban life.
That could be conclusion that you could draw the people do draw from these pictures about contemporary urban life.
>> The report from Brenda Tremblay.
Larry Merrill's exhibit runs to the end of the month.
We're just about out of time here on "Need to Know."
I am Julie Philipp.
Next week, we'll take an in-depth look at governor Eliot Spitzer's budget proposal with Albany bureau correspondent Karen Dewitt.
If you want to find out more about Spitzer's state of upstate address, I invite you to join my colleague Susan Arbetter for New York now this Sunday evening at 6:30.
Thank you for joining us.
Have a great week.