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Upstate taxpayers must "Remember in November"
March 9, 2010

Election year politics are as big a roadblock to change as anything. Last year was a disastrous one for business and personal taxpayers in Upstate New York, as Albany increased spending by more than $10 billion and raised taxes by more than $8 billion. In 2010, with reelections on the line, it’s a safe bet that very different rhetoric will come from our elected reps. And despite that fact that some seem to have “seen the light,” too little attention has been given to fixing last year’s fiscal debacle. As a result, voters seeking change in Albany will need to remember back to what happened in 2009… On Election Day, 2010.

So, how do we help voters to “Remember in November”? As we see it, we have three responsibilities: education, maintaining voter anger and political action.

For education, Unshackle Upstate recently released its “Judgment Day” program – evaluating our state reps’ support on pro-business issues and, perhaps more importantly, their record on anti-business legislation. For voter anger, the Unshackle Army provides daily updates on Albany ’s attacks on Upstate taxpayers as well as a forum to weigh into the conversation.

But the key to Upstate’s future is what we, as taxpayers and voters, do with that information and our passion to see things change. On Thursday, March 25, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Burchfield Penney Art Center, the Partnership will host a “We’ll Remember in November” fundraiser for the Buffalo Niagara business community to combine its resources toward that change. The event will kick-off a multi-faceted campaign to raise funds to aggressively support the employer community’s demand of Albany electeds to:  Reduce spending, reduce taxes and eliminate anti-business regulations. We’ve set a fundraising goal of $100,000 for enacting change in Albany – and we’re doing it in a high-profile way to let anyone running on an anti-business agenda in 2010 consider him or herself a target.

Our goal? In collaboration with our business organization partners in Unshackle Upstate and downstate, the Partnership is working to defeat incumbents in targeted State Senate races across New York in order to elect an Upstate-friendly majority in the State Senate. Why? The two maps below speak for themselves. It’s scary how underrepresented Upstate is in the current alignment!



As a direct result of this configuration, actions in the past year by a New York City-centric state administration and legislature have been horrific. Worse, we will have long-term horror if the upcoming post-2010 census redistricting is controlled completely by those same downstate electeds.

Every state office is on the ballot in 2010, and you can be an integral part of this campaign to motivate New York voters to “Remember in November” what Albany electeds have done to us.  

I hope to see you at the March 25 event. A successful event will send a new message that ineffective, expensive state government will not be tolerated. If you can’t make it, however, I encourage you to contribute toward the Partnership’s increased political action on your behalf. Please find a contribution reply card, including current contribution guidelines, here.

Change in Albany won’t come unless we all “Remember in November.” We need your help in getting that message out.

Andrew J. Rudnick