How to Earn Your Vote

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Tell Legislators How to Earn Your Vote...

(Click here to read the Partnership's press release: "Partnership State Endorsement Process Driven by 'Unshackle Upstate'")

It was only a few months ago that Eliot Spitzer referred to Upstate as "Appalachia." The comment painted a sad, but telling picture of the Upstate economy.

In two weeks, on Election Day, it's up to voters to make a statement about whether Appalachia is what they dreamed of for their families.  Incumbent state legislators and their challengers will be seeking your vote. The business community must be proactive in telling them what we expect from them  - and that's to Unshackle Upstate.

In fact, for 2006 - and for 2008 - the Partnership's state office endorsements are being driven entirely by the "Unshackle Upstate" reform agenda. Those candidates willing to champion Unshackle Upstate - specifically legislation co-sponsored by three members of the WNY delegation, Senators Dale Volker and Mary Lou Rath and Assemblyman Robin Schimminger, dealing with both workers' comp reform and the "Scaffold Law" - will be the ones receiving the Partnership's support going forward.

It's no secret that this past session of the state legislature was not a positive one for the business community - from the passage of changes to the Taylor Law that would've held municipalities hostage and sent property taxes skyrocketing, to hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of special interest "give-backs" (bills, thankfully, vetoed by Governor Pataki). It is difficult to endorse candidates in that environment. We think the focus in Albany needs to be fundamentally different, and Unshackle Upstate is the roadmap that should be followed to repair the Upstate business environment. It needs champions, and we are looking for those champions in our Western New York delegation.

I urge you to join that search for Unshackle Upstate champions. By visiting www.thepartnership.org/Home/GetInvolved/Advocate, you can (in the matter of a minute or two) send a strong, clear message to our WNY state delegation that the key to the business community's support - and your support personally - is contained within the Unshackle Upstate agenda.

For 2006, the Partnership decided only to make endorsements in "close" races.  As a result, we interviewed candidates in the 142nd, 143rd and 148th Assembly districts and their support for Unshackle Upstate was evaluated by our government affairs committee.  The Partnership has determined that Assemblyman Jim Hayes in the 148th Assembly District, Assemblyman Michael Cole in the 142nd Assembly District, and Cheektowaga Supervisor Dennis Gabryszak, who is vying for the 143rd Assembly District seat, are the most committed candidates, in their respective competitive races, to the Unshackle Upstate mission.

For all 2006 state legislature races, the Partnership requested that incumbents and challengers explain how they'll support the Unshackle Upstate agenda in the next two years if elected. Those responses are available on the Partnership's web site, http://www.thepartnership.org/Home/GetInvolved/Councils/GovernmentAffairs/elections2006.

We will monitor progress of our delegation's support (votes, sponsorship, etc.) for Unshackle Upstate, and keep you informed about what they are, or aren't, doing to improve the state of Upstate.

As always, I welcome your comments.

Sincerely, 

Andrew J. Rudnick
President & CEO