Green Walk Points Out Corporate Welfare in Rochester

The City of Rochester's budget seems to come up short every year. There never seems to be enough money to fix the parks or the potholes. Libraries and recreation centers are having their hours and staff cut. But there seems to be plenty of money for tax breaks and subsidies for some of Rochester's richest shareholders and corporations. All the while poverty keeps rising despite billions in "investment."

On June 11 former Mayoral and current City Council candidate Alex White (Green Party) took 10 people on a walk around downtown Rochester for a first hand look at what this corporate welfare is actually getting us.

The common argument that "this creates jobs" was brought up. In most cases that argument does not hold true as businesses bring in workers from other locations, not hiring city residents. Also a lot of the jobs "created" are low paying positions in peripheral businesses like resturants and bars which do not last long.

In addition to the sites in the video the tour also visited the Sibley building, Midtown Manor, the Sagamore East and West and Hart's Grocery. This walk only covered the east side of downtown Rochester. There is plenty more elsewhere in the city such as College Town, Brooks Landing, City Gate, Kodak Park and Charlotte. This is why we can't have nice things.