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Upstate Night/Lobby Day Report and Ongoing Political Action
February 10, 2010

This week, the Partnership joined with our partners in the Unshackle Upstate coalition for our annual Albany event and lobby day. Well, actually, Upstate Night - which this year's event was called - was an expansion of Buffalo Niagara Night from previous years. In the midst of political intrigue related to rumors about Governor Paterson and reality about Queens Senator Hiram Monserrate, our coalition had a very productive two days.

At the event, we were joined by SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpfer, who we introduced to business community leadership from throughout the state to talk about the Public Higher Education Empowerment and Innovation Act. The advocacy for this SUNY legislation that is so important to the future of UB2020 and the Buffalo Niagara region is now a statewide effort with Buffalo Niagara taking the lead. We are reaching out to other business organizations throughout the state - and our partners at SUNY, with organized labor and our elected reps will be working with their counterparts statewide, as well.

For Unshackle Upstate lobby day, representatives from the coalition had a full day of meetings with electeds from across Upstate - despite the buzz that there would be a vote to expel Senator Monserrate (which ultimately happened by a 53-8 vote yesterday evening). Interestingly, Monserrate's departure leaves the State Senate once again with no majority, a scenario that will undoubtedly be a major factor in the state budget process.

Our lobby day agenda message was simple; we need Albany to reduce spending, reduce taxes and eliminate (and prevent new) anti-business regulation. State representatives from both parties told us they understood the importance of keeping the 2010-11 budget in check - we pressed them that with a $20 billion deficit on the horizon for 2011, "in check" wasn't good enough, and presented Unshackle Upstate's plan to cut $12 billion from the state budget.

On policy, we had lengthy conversations on a number of specific issues - including our firm opposition to the Hoyt/Thompson IDA "reform" bill and the Farmworkers Fair Labor Practices Bill of 2009. We also pushed our delegation for their leadership on the SUNY legislation.

To put weight behind our lobbying efforts and our message, the Partnership will be holding a "We'll Remember in November" fundraiser for our Political Action Committee - the Committee for Economic Growth - on Thursday, March 25. Our goal is to raise $100,000 to supplement a statewide coalition effort to ensure that the message is heard loud and clear:  There will be change in Albany this year - it will come either on the floor of the legislature or in the voting booth on Election Day. For further information on this March 25 event, please contact Craig Turner.

If you've had enough of Albany's actions, I urge you to get involved with our efforts at the appropriate times - there will be plenty of opportunities between now and Election Day.

Andrew J. Rudnick