Assemblyman Santabarbara: Manufacturing Deal Good For Region

The mills and factories of Upstate New York were often the first step toward a new life for immigrants to America many years ago. Companies such as General Electric in Schenectady and the rug-makers of Amsterdam provided the work for the Irish, Germans, Italians and others who came to stake their claims in America. Many of those factories and mills are gone, but there's new high-tech manufacturing under way in upstate highlighted again by Tuesday's announcement of a $500 million consortium involving the state and General Electric. Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara, a Democrat who represents the 111th district, which includes Schenectady and Montgomery Counties, says the announcement is welcome news for the upstate legacy of manufacturing.