BALCONY will host a June 18th Breakfast Forum featuring a keynote speech by Port Authority Executive Director Chris Ward. Ward will describe and discuss the capital plan that the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is currently implementing. This will be followed by a panel discussion on the Port Authority plan and other infrastructure initiatives, including a report from the New York State Commission on State Asset Maximization, the impact of the federal stimulus on New York and a status update on other state-of-the-art technological infrastructure initiatives previously championed by BALCONY.

Confirmed panelists for the discussion include BALCONY Executive Board member Dr. James Melius, Administrator of NYS-LECET (the New York State Laborers-Employers Cooperation and Education Trust), and Samara Barend, the Executive Director of the New York State Commission on State Asset Maximization. Other panelists will include Robert Ledwith, the Business Manager and Financial Secretary/Treasurer of Local 46 Metallic Lathers and Reinforcing Ironworkers; Brian Osterhout, the Director of Business Development for MJ Engineering and Land Surveying; Chris Levandos, Executive Director of Operations for Verizon; and Stephen McInnis, Political Director of the NYC District Council of Carpenters. The event will be chaired by BALCONY Director Lou Gordon.

“Infrastructure Investment is the most direct way to begin easing the economic plight of our state by generating good paying jobs and, at the same time, investing in our long term economic growth by developing infrastructure to support that growth,” stated Dr. James Melius, President of the New York Roadway Improvement Coalition .

This forum will be held at 395 Hudson Street (at Houston) in the offices of the New York and Vicinity Carpenters Labor Management Corporation. The registration and breakfast will begin at 8:00 A.M., and the keynote speech will commence at 8:30 AM, followed by the panel discussion. The event should end by 10:00 A.M.

The BALCONY Roads, Bridges, Tunnels, and Fiber Forum is sponsored by the New York State United Teachers, Verizon, the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce, the New York and Vicinity Labor Management Corporation, Professional Women in Construction, the Women Builders Council, the New York State Laborers-Employers Cooperation and Education Trust, and Local 46 Labor Management Cooperative Trust.

BALCONY has worked to find common ground between small business, labor, and advocacy groups since its inception in 2006, and has contributed policy suggestions for affordable health care coverage for all New Yorkers, for infrastructure and mass transit initiatives, and for “greening” the small business economy of New York State.