AUBURN - Economic development was the focus Friday when Cooperstown businessman Richard Hanna announced his bid for Congress.

Hanna, 57, is running for New York's 24th Congressional District. During a speech in front of the boarded-up remains of the Bombardier Transportation factory in Auburn, Hanna said that his campaign is driven by a desire to bring economic growth back to the region.

“This place is emblematic of the problem New York state is facing,” said Hanna, a registered Republican.

The 24th District covers parts of 11 New York counties, including Cayuga, Tompkins and Seneca. The seat is currently held by Democratic Congressman Michael Arcuri, who is seeking re-election in November.

Hanna, who had previously announced his candidacy Thursday in Utica and Binghamton, said too many young people have to leave the area for stable, well-paying jobs. Manufacturers and other companies are being driven out of the state by high taxes and heavy regulation, he said.

“New York state is a symbol of what can happen when an economy becomes non-competitive,” Hanna said.

Hanna has never held public office. However, he is a former board member of the Otsego County Industrial Development Agency and the former chairman of the Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida counties. He is also president of Hanna Construction and a partner in the Gabriel Group, which manages an Ilion apartment complex.

His wife, Kim, and his son, Emerson, accompanied him in Auburn.

Hanna cited energy costs as another major issue driving his campaign.

“Upstate New York is a victim of high energy costs,” he said. “We pay for the subsidies for ethanol, and we pay the high food costs, but we don't receive the benefits.”

Hanna is running for the congressional seat because the House or Representatives is the best place to make an impact on the region, he said. And while he is running as a Republican, Hanna said he is coming from an independent point of view.

“I think the Republicans have had a message that has been unnecessarily focused on issues that don't affect the people in this district,” he said.

In response to Hanna's bid for the 24th District seat, Arcuri spokeswoman Marion Read said that Arcuri is working to deliver economic development resources to local communities and make college more affordable to middle-class families.

Arcuri also voted this week to re-authorize federal agricultural programs that create a safety net for local dairy farmers and help families struggling with food costs, Read said.

“The congressman is honored to serve this district and will continue to focus on the lives of middle-class families, regardless of what the ballot looks like this year,” Read said.

Cayuga County Republican Chairwoman Cherl Heary said Friday that she has not yet heard from any other possible local candidates for the seat. However, the committee will have its designated meeting June 2, she said.

Christopher Caskey can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or christopher.caskey@lee.net