If there ever was any ambiguity about the need for political action to bring balance and the right kind of upstate representation to Albany , last week’s closure of the 125-days-late state budget made things crystal clear.
Top 10 reasons we’re counting down the days (all 84 of them) ‘til Election Day …
10). While New York families have been making cuts to their household budgets and getting by with less, Albany lawmakers ok’d a budget that spends a whopping $136 billion of taxpayers’ money. That’s an increase of $5.4 billion over last year.
9). Albany electeds signed off on a plan to renege on the contracts the state entered into with private sector employers, even though those employers held up their end of the bargain by hiring people, rehabbing property or adding green technology to their plant. Now many businesses will only receive a portion of the tax credits they have budgeted for 2010, 2011 and 2012.
8). How do Albany electeds treat their economically struggling constituents? They throw $1.2 billion in new taxes at them.
7). How do Albany electeds treat economically struggling small businesses in their districts? They approve measures that increase their healthcare costs.
6). 76 percent of New Yorkers favor a statewide property tax cap. Yet, measures to adopt one lay dormant in the state Assembly.
5). What did happen? Over the past two years, per-capita increases to New York 's state tax totaled $414 per person - far more than any other state in the nation.
4). Despite promises – year after year – for a long-term energy program to support private sector jobs and investment, Assembly leadership failed to even consider a bill that had statewide business support, consistent editorial and media coverage touting the benefits of the program, the support of the Governor and had already passed the Senate.
3). New York alone accounts for 29 percent of all the state tax increases proposed and enacted in the United States since 2009.
2). We have "upstate" lawmakers like Senator Antoine Thompson who votes with NYC colleagues against the tax cap, doesn’t stand up to fight for a plan to bring tens-of-thousands of jobs to Buffalo’s fruit belt neighborhood but does make sure New York City’s "film production credit" is increased by $420 million in each of the next five years….
1). UB President John Simpson is now forced to call UB 2020 "UB 2030."
In reality, the Partnership is doing a lot more than just counting down the days. We recently learned that we’re among the most politically aggressive regional business organizations in the country – and the above is the short list of why we must continue to be. Moreover, we are because you, our members, demand it of us.
Please mark November 2 "Judgment Day" on your calendar, and stay tuned in for our alerts as we join with our Unshackle Upstate partners to release our evaluation of candidates, make endorsements and support the campaigns of reform-minded leaders.
Andrew J. Rudnick
© 2006-2012 Buffalo Niagara Partnership. All rights reserved.
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