March 8, 2024 – Urban CNY

Governor Hochul and Code For America Announce March 12 Launch of Free Program to Help New Yorkers File Tax Returns Online

by Urban CNY News
March 8, 2024

FileYourStateTaxes, Available to All Eligible New Yorkers Starting Next Week, Will Provide Seamless State Tax Filing Integrated with IRS Direct File Expands Existing Suite of Filing Options for New York Taxpayers, Including Free File Services for Low-Income New Yorkers Builds on Governor Hochul’s Agenda to Make It Easier for New Yorkers to Access Government Benefits and Services Governor Kathy Hochul and leading civic tech nonprofit Code for America has announced the March 12 launch date for a new, innovative tool aimed at making it easier for eligible New Yorkers to file their taxes at no cost. FileYourStateTaxes – a joint effort of New York State and Code for America – will allow eligible New York residents to file their state taxes for free and provide integration with the Internal Revenue Service’s Direct File pilot, allowing eligible individuals to file federal tax returns online as well. The launch of this program builds on Governor Hochul’s commitment to improving accessibility to government services all across the state. “Filing your taxes should be free and simple, and starting March 12, we’re launching a new, no-cost option to streamline the process for millions of New York taxpayers,” Governor Hochul said. “Thanks to our partnership with Code for America and the IRS, New York is delivering on its commitment to helping New Yorkers access vital government services, meet their tax obligations, and recover tax benefits.” New York is one of 12 states participating in the Direct File pilot, and one of only three providing seamless, integrated state tax filing. Upon completing the federal return on the IRS website, New Yorkers can export their information from Direct File to FileYourStateTaxes and complete a state return within minutes. Built in partnership with Code for America, FileYourStateTaxes can help low- and middle-income New Yorkers save hundreds of dollars in tax preparation fees and improve access to critical credits like the state and city Earned Income Tax Credit, and the newly expanded Empire State Child Credit. New York State Department of Taxation and Finance Acting Commissioner Amanda Hiller said,“Direct File is a great new tool that will allow certain New York taxpayers to file their federal and state taxes for free – saving hundreds of dollars in tax preparation fees. I urge taxpayers to check to see whether it’s right for them.” Consistent with plans laid out by the IRS, Direct File and FileYourStateTaxes will fully open to all eligible taxpayers on March 12. Both products have been undergoing iterative rounds of scaled testing over the last several weeks and are currently available to the public in their final beta testing phase. Interested taxpayers can start their free tax filing process today at directfile.irs.gov. Eligibility to participate in the Direct File pilot is limited to filers reporting certain common types of income and claiming common credits and deductions. It is likely you will be eligible to use Direct File if: Full information on Direct File and FileYourStateTaxes eligibility is available at https://www.tax.ny.gov/pit/efile/direct-file/, directfile.irs.gov, and fileyourstatetaxes.org. Additional Filing Options for New Yorkers FileYourStateTaxes is one of several free or low-cost tax filing options for New Yorkers and free file services for low-income New Yorkers remain in place. New York also partners with the Free File Alliance, under which leading tax preparation companies make available free tax software for those who meet income qualifications. Generally, if your federal adjusted gross income (AGI) was $79,000 or less, you may be eligible to file federal and NYS income tax returns for free. Learn more here. Pixabay Photo

Colleges & Universities Education News

New Transfer Pathway Gives Students Doing Community Service In Buffalo And New York City Seamless Pathway To Onondaga Community College

by Urban CNY News
March 8, 2024

Onondaga Community College, City Year Buffalo, and City Year New York signed an agreement which will give students who complete a gap year of community service a seamless pathway to Onondaga Community College (OCC). City Year Buffalo and City Year New York are service programs affiliated with AmeriCorps which bring together young adults from diverse backgrounds for a demanding year of full-time community service. The organization includes more than 3,000 members serving in 29 U.S. cities. Those who successfully complete their service become eligible to receive the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award which can be used to pay educational expenses. OCC is a two-year college in Syracuse which offers students both direct “here to career” options and transfer opportunities to outstanding four-year colleges including but not limited to SUNY Universities such as Oswego, Upstate Medical, ESF, Polytechnic Institute and University of Buffalo; Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Serving Institutions such as Lincoln University (PA), Johnson C. Smith University (NC), Dillard University (LA) and Medgar Evers College (NYC); and private institutions such as Syracuse University, Le Moyne College, Utica University and Wells College. This new educational partnership between OCC and City Year will: “City Year New York is excited for the groundwork being laid with SUNY Onondaga Community College to provide access to quality higher education for AmeriCorps Members completing a year of service with City Year. At the heart of our collaboration with SUNY OCC lies a shared commitment to empower young adults with the tools they need to thrive. Together, we are committed to providing young adults with access to affordable education, enabling them to pursue their dreams and contribute meaningfully to their communities beyond their year of service.” Annie Kessler, Interim Executive Director, City Year New York “City Year Buffalo is proud to be partnering with Onondaga Community College to provide a pathway to higher education at an excellent and proximate SUNY Community College. Our alumni will have the opportunity to pursue several degree pathways, including the many exciting technology related programs in Onondaga’s portfolio. Working with Dr. Hilton and his team has been a pleasure and we look forward to continuing the partnership between our two mission-aligned organizations as we collectively increase access to education for diverse, civically minded students in New York State,” said Jacqueline Ashby, City Year Buffalo Executive Director. “We are proud to partner with City Year and provide their community-focused students with an outstanding higher education opportunity. While they work hard to achieve their dreams through their chosen field of study, they will also enrich our campus life with their civic mindedness. I thank the leaders of City Year for collaborating on this pathway to a better life and a stronger workforce across New York State,” said OCC President Dr. Warren Hilton. Pixabay Photo

Felishia Leggett-Jack coach of the year.jpg

Urban CNY Excellence

Felisha Legette-Jack Tabbed ACC Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year

by Urban CNY News
March 8, 2024

Dyaisha Fair Named All-ACC First Team, Alyssa Latham Tabbed All-Freshman Team Charlotte – Second-year Syracuse women’s basketball Head Coach Felisha Legette-Jack ’89 is the 2024 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year. In addition to Syracuse earning Coach of the Year honors in the name of Legette-Jack, fifth-year guard Dyaisha Fair was named first team All-ACC and was the runner up in ACC Player of the Year voting, while freshman Alyssa Latham earned All-Freshman Team honors. “I am grateful to be named the ACC Coach of the Year by my peers and the media,” Legette-Jack said. “I am proud to represent my home and Syracuse University as our head coach. This award is a team award and is a direct reflection of the work our student-athletes, coaches and staff put in and I am humbled for us to be recognized. Let’s go Orange!” Legette-Jack is the first Syracuse coach, men’s or women’s, to earn ACC Coach of the Year honors in basketball. She also becomes the third Syracuse women’s basketball head coach to be named Coach of the Year in their conference, joining her former head coach Barbara Jacobs (1987-88) and Quentin Hillsman (2007-08), who previously earned Big East Coach of the Year accolades. Fair is the first back-to-back All-ACC First Team honoree since Tiana Mangakahia (2018-2019), while Latham is the first All-Freshman Team honoree for Syracuse since Maeva Djaldi-Tabdi (2019). “This is such an exciting and incredibly well-deserved recognition of Coach Jack’s transformation of the women’s basketball program at Syracuse,” says Director of Athletics John Wildhack. “The amount of energy, passion and talent she brings to this program and the significant impact she has every day on our student-athletes, the Orange community and Central New York is unrivaled. She is deeply committed to the success of her student-athletes- both on and off the court. I am grateful that Coach Jack returned to her alma mater and am tremendously proud of all she has achieved in just two short years.” A Syracuse native, Legette-Jack has led the Orange to one of their most successful regular seasons in history, tying program records for regular season wins (23), conference wins (13) and ACC road wins (6). Syracuse is 23-6 overall and went 13-5 in the ACC earning the No. 3 seed in the upcoming Ally ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament (March 6-10). In 2022, she returned to her alma mater and inherited a team that had just completed one of its worst seasons in over a decade with a depleted roster. The Orange won 20 games in her first season and reached the Super 16 of the Women’s NIT. Legette-Jack has guided SU into the spotlight and a third-place finish in the nation’s best league in her second season on The Hill. Syracuse is 4-1 against Associated Press (AP) Top-25 teams and currently ranks No. 20. The Orange are projected as a 5-seed in the NCAA Tournament according to ESPN Bracketologist Charlie Creme, which would be SU’s first appearance since 2021, and is in the conversation of being a top-16 seed which would give ‘Cuse the right to host the first two rounds at the JMA Wireless Dome. Fair earned All-ACC First Team honors for the second-straight season. The Rochester, N.Y., native is fifth all-time in NCAA Division I women’s basketball scoring with 3,328 career points. Fair is averaging 22.0 points per game with 4.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.3 steals per game. She ranks third in the league in scoring, leads the ACC in 3-point field goals per game (3.6) and 3-point field goal percentage (.379) and is eighth in free throw percentage (.812). On the defensive side of the ball, Fair is fourth in the ACC in steals per game (2.3) and had a season-high six steals in the ACC opener against #13 Notre Dame. She became the fastest player in program history to score 1,000 points at Syracuse (50 games) and became one of 16 women to score over 3,000 career points in NCAA DI competition and one of 26 total Division I basketball players to reach the milestone earlier this season. Fair has led SU in scoring in 23 games this season while scoring in double figures in 28-of-29 games, including each of the last 24 games. Latham, the first ESPN Hoop Gurls Top-100 recruit of the Legette-Jack era, is one of five players selected to the All-Freshman Team. The Chicago-area native averages 8.8 points and a team-best 7.2 rebounds per game in 29 appearances with 23 starts. She’s scored in double figures 12 times, including a season-high 23 points against Alabama in the ACC/SEC Challenge. Latham is also a defensive force for the Orange, with a team-best 1.4 blocks per game, good for eighth in the ACC and the only freshman in the top-10. Syracuse earned the double bye in the 2024 Ally ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament and will face either 6-seed Florida State or #11-seed Virginia/#14-seed Wake Forest in the quarterfinals on Friday, March 8. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. on ACC Network. Season tickets for the 2024-25 season are on sale now. The Orange are 29-5 at home the last two seasons and have won 26-straight non-conference games at the JMA Wireless Dome. Fans can purchase tickets online (Cuse.com/tickets) or by calling the JMA Dome Box Office at 888-DOME-TIX.

Business News Urban CNY Money

Syracuse Along with Partners from Rochester and Buffalo Submit $54M Tech Hubs Phase 2 Funding Application

by Urban CNY News
March 8, 2024

After Securing Buffalo-Rochester-Syracuse Tech Hub Designation, Schumer Launches Major Push For Upstate NY To Be One Of Nation’s First Tech Hub Implementation Awardees, Delivering $50+ Million From His Chips & Science Law To Supercharge Tech Workforce Training, Grow New Companies, And Strengthen The Semiconductor Supply Chain “NY SMART I-Corridor” Tech Hub Coalition Has Grown To 100+ Partners and New Funding Will Fill In Gaps In Upstate NY’s Booming Semiconductor Industry, Helping Grow Suppliers And New Startups, Bolster Tech Workforce Training, And Spur Innovation To Accelerate Upstate NY’s Transformation Into Global Leader In Semiconductor Manufacturing and R&D Schumer: Upstate NY Is Ready To Be The Driving Force Behind America’s Semiconductor Superhighway! After securing the prestigious federal Tech Hub designation for the Buffalo-Rochester-Syracuse region’s New York Semiconductor Manufacturing and Research Technology Innovation Corridor Consortium (NY SMART I-Corridor) last year, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer today announced the coalition has officially submitted its application for up to $54 million in Phase 2 Implementation funding. Schumer is now launching an all-out push to make the project one of the program’s first implementation award winners to build a globally leading semiconductor cluster in Upstate New York. Schumer said the NY SMART I-Corridor project builds on the historic investments Upstate NY is seeing in semiconductor manufacturing and R&D thanks to his CHIPS & Science Law. It is expected that one in four American-made chips will be produced within 350 miles of the NY Smart I-Corridor by 2033. The senator said Tech Hubs implementation funding would work to maximize the existing success of U.S. semiconductor facilities and related supply chain companies in the region, by helping directly address the growth challenges it would otherwise face over the coming decade through bolstering workforce training initiatives, helping further strengthen the supply chain, spurring semiconductor R&D and manufacturing innovation, and filling in other gaps in the existing semiconductor ecosystem infrastructure. “The Buffalo-Rochester-Syracuse region is on the road to becoming a global leader in the semiconductor industry, and now with the application for funding officially submitted, I am kicking efforts into overdrive to make this one of the first Tech Hub implementation awards in the nation from my CHIPS & Science Law. I pulled out all the stops to land the federal Tech Hub designation for Upstate, but that’s just the beginning. This implementation funding is a critical missing puzzle piece to help fill in the gaps in our growing semiconductor ecosystem – that can help make the region unstoppable in the vital effort to bring this industry back to America and Upstate NY,” said Senator Schumer. “I created the Tech Hubs program in my CHIPS & Science Law with Upstate NY as my north star, and today with the application submitted, that vision of transformation for Upstate NY is one step closer to becoming a reality. This semiconductor superhighway across Upstate NY is exactly what I had in mind when I created the Tech Hubs program in my CHIPS & Science Act to bolster American innovation and manufacturing by building out the skilled tech workforce, helping translate R&D into new startups, and creating a thriving regional economy that attracts more investment and good-paying jobs in Upstate NY for generations to come. I am going all out to secure this funding to put Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Ithaca, and the broader Upstate NY region on the road to becoming America’s semiconductor superhighway!” “The Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse SMART I-Corridor region has a generational opportunity to build a globally leading semiconductor cluster as one in four American-made chips will be produced within 350 miles of the I-Corridor by 2033,” said Rob Simpson, President of CenterState CEO. “No other area will account for a greater share of domestic production, which represents a critical capacity building opportunity for the region. To meet this moment, leading civic institutions across our region have partnered to co-design solutions that will catalyze efforts through five component projects. This proposal when executed will transform our economic competitiveness for generations while also impacting more immediate national security challenges. This corridor is poised and ready to lead and we thank Senator Schumer for sharing our vision and providing unwavering support for this application.” “More than two years ago, we committed to building a regional consortium greater than the sum of its parts – one that could meet this moment, fulfill the mission of the Tech Hubs program, and create a shared foundation for transformational and inclusive growth across the Buffalo-Rochester-Syracuse corridor,” said Dr. Joseph Stefko, President and CEO of ROC2025 in Rochester. “Our Phase 2 application does just that. Through five strategic and intentionally integrated component projects – spanning workforce, supply chain, innovation, capital access, and coordinated regional governance – we have charted a path to transform our economic competitiveness and advance national security. I’m deeply grateful to Senator Schumer, Congressman Morelle, and our 100+ partners for their determined leadership and commitment to this collaboration.” “The submission of our Tech Hub’s Phase 2 application is the culmination of the most significant regional collaboration between Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse in history. The impact of this effort will not only put our region at the center of helping to meet critical American economic and national security imperatives, but will truly drive transformational economic competitiveness across the SMART I-Corridor. Senator Schumer should be applauded for developing the Tech Hub concept and championing the SMART I-Corridor effort every step of the way,” according to Dottie Gallagher, President and CEO, Buffalo Niagara Partnership. Schumer created the Tech Hubs program in his CHIPS & Science Law with Upstate New York in mind, also fighting to secure the necessary appropriations funding in the FY2023 omnibus spending bill to launch this initial Tech Hubs Competition, and advocated relentlessly to secure the Tech Hubs designation for Buffalo-Rochester Syracuse last year through Phase 1 of the Tech Hubs Competition. The three-region consortium beat out hundreds of applications and was one of only 31 regions chosen for the Tech Hub designation. The application was led by three designated conveners, one from each region:

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Syracuse Along with Partners from Rochester and Buffalo Submit $54M Tech Hubs Phase 2 Funding Application

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