(Photo Credit - Brett Carlsen, New York Times)

Synergy had been doing well in the Binghamton area. In 2008, the company expanded due to demand growth and “demonstrated superior sales and customer support,” according to Founder and CEO Corey Conklin. There was every reason to be positive about the company’s growth. Lee changed things for many businesses, as we are seeing down here in the Southern Tier.

Synergy representatives cited the costs to relocate to higher ground and other financial considerations in their decision to close. The financial considerations included taxes, energy costs, workers’ compensation and unemployment insurance costs. Quite simply – all things being equal – New York is just more expensive than other states.

This closure will result in the loss of 200 local jobs – yet another hit to the Southern Tier.  However, I respect the decisions that businesses have to make to remain operational.  Sadly enough, when you take the flood out of the equation you get a clear picture of what businesses are constantly challenged by – the cost of doing business in New York.

If New York continues to cost more than other states, it will constantly be at risk of losing business – whatever the catalyst may be.  I am confident that the Southern Tier will recover from the devastation of Tropical Storm Lee and our organization will continue to be a positive voice for business in Binghamton.  Stories like Synergy Solutions should provide a clear but painful reminder to Albany, that the best way to keep New York open for business is to simply cost less to be here.

http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Loss-of-stimulus-cash-to-hurt-state-814681.php

In what is an annual event, the various finance gurus from  the state’s Division of Budget, the Senate, Assembly, and Comptroller’s office get together and forecast the state’s financial picture. Little surprise here – the information is not good.  All agree that the state is facing at least a $9B deficit for next year.  Some say it’s higher.

So what are the root causes? You can boil it down to a few areas:

• Revenues, while up, are lower than forecasted.  Why?  Income tax collections are down.  If you recall, in the 2009 state budget a Personal Income Tax (PIT) increase was passed.  Called the “Millionaires’ Tax,” we were led to believe that people wouldn’t leave because their taxes went up.  Really?  Guess at least some of them did.
• Federal stimulus money will go away.  That means that roughly $5B worth of state spending that was moved over to the stimulus program (even though we were told it wasn’t and that the state actually cut spending) will now be coming back.  That includes about $4B for Medicaid and $1B for education.
• Speaking of Medicaid, the projections are now that nearly 1 out of every 4 New York residents will receive some form of assistance in 2011-12.  All told, the Medicaid rolls have grown by 700,000 during the past three years.  While I understand that the recession has been longer than anticipated and people need help, this isn’t the solution.

In a statement yesterday, Comptroller DiNapoli said “It is time to take off the rose-colored glasses and face the grim economic reality.  We cannot allow this year’s problem to fester. Doing so will only make these problems that much harder to deal with.”

Unshackle Upstate couldn’t agree more. it is time for the re-elected and newly elected members of the Senate and Assembly to heed the comptroller’s recommendation.  We simply have to stop this practice of kicking the can down the road, of waiting until tomorrow to find answers to our problems.  The only solution for our economic woes is to lower spending, reduce taxes and fees, and stimulate private sector jobs.  Anything less is just unacceptable.

I am enthusiastic that we can change the way our state government views the taxpayers and private sector businesses.  We can tell them clearly that the tax and spend program of yesterday must go away and be replaced with sound financial planning and a willingness to cut taxes to give us more and create more jobs.  How can we do that? By voting out those that have turned their backs on us.  It’s really a simple process.

Tomorrow, we can vote for 25 people that have made a commitment to us that they want to help fix what is broken.  That they are willing to cut spending, lower taxes, and create more private sector jobs.  That they will be independent thinkers that will act in the best interest of all of us, not just a few of us.

Please take the time to get educated and get to the polls.  The list of candidates below represent Unshackle Upstate endorsed candidates for tomorrow’s election. A vote for them is a vote for YOU. Get out and cast a vote tomorrow for our future… YOUR future.

NYS Comptroller:

Harry Wilson

NYS Senate:

• 45th District: Betty Little (R,C,I)
• 48th District: Patricia Ritchie (R,C,Taxpayers)
• 49th District: Andrew Russo (R,C,Taxpayers)
• 53rd District: Tom O’Mara (R,C)
• 57th District: Catharine M. Young (R,C,I)
• 58th District: Jack Quinn (R,Taxpayers)
• 59th District: Patrick Gallivan (R)
• 61st District: Michael Ranzenhofer (R,C,I)
• 62nd District: George D. Maziarz (R,C,I,WFP)

NYS Assembly:

• 105th District: George Amedore (R,C,I)
• 108th District: Steve McLaughlin (R,C,Taxpayers)
• 112th District: Tony Jordan (R,C,I)
• 122nd District: Ken Blankenbush (R,C)
• 125th District: Tom Reynolds (R,C,I)
• 128th District: Robert Oaks (R,C)
• 129th District: Brian Kolb (R)
• 130th District: David Nachbar (D)
• 131st District: Kenneth Krause (R,C,I)
• 134th District: William Reilich (R,C,I)
• 138th District: John Ceretto (R,C,I,Taxpayers)
• 139th District: Stephen Hawley (R,C,I)
• 142nd District: Jane Corwin (R,C,I)
• 144th District: Brian Biggie (R,Taxpayers)
• 146th District: Kevin Smardz (R,I,Taxpayers)

It is your responsibility to know when and where you will need to be in order to vote.  You can find out the site of your polling location by clicking here.  There is no reason for you not to get there tomorrow.

It is your responsibility to get out tomorrow and pull the lever of those who deserve your vote.  How can you find out who they are?  Well, a good place to start is our scorecard.  You can find it here. Take a look and see how your Assembly member or Senator scored (if you are not sure who represents you, click http://nymap.elections.state.ny.us/nysboe).  If they are in a primary, they scored well and you are satisfied with their work, then vote for them.  But if you aren’t happy with their performance, and there is a challenger, then take the courageous step and vote for somebody new.  Help start rebuilding our state government.

It is your responsibility to help one another.  You do that by exercising your right to vote.  If you believe that your vote doesn’t matter, then you haven’t been paying attention.  Since 2000, more incumbents have been put out of office by indictment than by the voters.  That’s horrible.  We return roughly 98 percent of our senators and assembly members to office.  And what have we gotten for our effort?  Out of control spending, one of, if not the, highest tax burdens in the country and a state government that continues to disregard our calls for change.  We need to take a stand. And we need to start tomorrow.

Imagine where we might be today if half of you that decided not to vote had actually done so.  How might our state be different?  Which of the current incumbents might not actually be there?  What if the person you didn’t elect, because you chose not to vote, would have represented the final vote to defeat a massive spending plan that added more taxes and fees?  We don’t have time to hesitate, to weigh the odds or to assume our vote is meaningless. If we want to make a difference in New York State, we must take action NOW.  The possibilities start with us, and they start tomorrow.

Be sure to get out and vote.  And please continue to follow Unshackle Upstate as we seek to change how the government of the State of New York treats its taxpayers.  We will continue to fight for you.  We hope that you will continue the fight with us. Judgment Day—Nov. 2—is just 50 days away. Each day that passes between now and then represents a chance for us to join forces and take back OUR state.

It may not appear on HBO, but this fight will resume in the middle of this week coming to every TV, newspaper and blog near you.  On Sunday, Governor Paterson announced that he is calling the state Legislature into special session to try and reach a final agreement on the 2010/11 budget.  On top of the budget, the governor wants the legislators to also vote on items they previously said no to including: enacting a property tax cap, selling wine in grocery stores, taxing sugary drinks and letting public colleges set tuition rates.

So who are we waiting for? The Senate, who have yet to approve the revenue bill to complete the budget.  Who keeps getting unfairly knocked around? You do! Although we are the ones watching the fight, we are the ones most affected by those in the ring, with high taxes, increased spending and dare I say the b-word…borrowing.

Gov. Paterson also included many of his legislative initiatives from earlier, hoping to put the legislators on the spot if they do not accept his agenda items.

What is the fight about and how long do we have to sit back and watch? Well, the budget the governor wants passed is a $136 billion budget. Not so cheap, is it? Don’t forget the $9.2 billion deficit.  Considering it has taken so long for the budget to be passed, that means more revenue will be needed, with less and less time to raise it.  The revenue bill that the Senate has yet to approve also contains nearly $1 billion in new taxes.  It’s a game of cat and mouse, who’s right and who’s wrong?  If our representatives had really represented what NYS taxpayers need and want, perhaps a stronger and more fiscally sound budget would have been passed already. Wishful thinking.

Paterson’s other agenda items besides those already mentioned, include:

• A contingency plan in case NYS does not receive the $1 billion in Medicaid funding.
• A new program, Energize New York that will replace the Power for Jobs program, which provides more accountability in providing lower cost electricity to selected employers to add or retain jobs.

So tune in today for the fight of the decade….well, the past few months.  Before you get too excited and prepare for the final bell to ring, while the Legislature must report to Albany, they are not required to vote or debate the issues, let’s just hope they do and do it right.

Either way, someone will eventually get tired. Let that be YOU. We have sent them off to Albany, time and time again, to fight for us, some of them instead fight each other or make the fight and focus about their own reelection.  Let November 2^nd really be JUDGMENT DAY! Remember what some of our lawmakers failed to fight for and those who made promises that they couldn’t keep.

It’s time for a 16^th Round TKO. Judgment Day style.

More than 100 days have gone by and about 15 weeks have passed, yet still no budget.  It seems like the stops on this road trip are endless! How many more stops before we reach our final destination?

Our “legislative road trip” began with promises of fun, savings, stability and a timely arrival of April 1^st.  Our 212 tour guides, remember there is a lot of us on this trip, got us excited and trusting for what was in store…little did we know….

After going through Paterson, New Jersey, we reached the Property Tax rest stop.  We ran into a group from Massachusetts who had been at the rest stop for awhile and were very familiar with it since they have been very successful after introducing the 2.5% property tax cap.  Upon leaving, we saw a bus from New Jersey pulling in.  Just recently, Governor Christie of New Jersey signed a 2% property tax cap bill.  While they were new visitors themselves, they planned on staying around for awhile.  While we should have stayed and chatted, considering a tax cap is one form of relief that would go to everyone and we are 79% above the national average of property taxes, we didn’t stay there long.  Apparently, our tour guides, who we will call “legislators”, decided it wasn’t worth the time, so we left.

More time was wasted as our bus got a flat tire and we had to wait for two of our “legislator guides”, who we’ll call Sampson & Silver, to negotiate the most effective way to get it changed.  We were there for hours.

We stayed overnight at the hotel for Taxation and Fees, the rooms were quite expensive but our guides decided that instead of cutting spending for the night and going to the less expensive hotel to balance our trip budget, we would just use the “extra” money that we really didn’t have.

We kept on traveling and made a quick, unannounced stop and one of our legislator guides said something about going to “borrow” a few dollars.  Wouldn’t it have made more sense to spend less throughout the trip so when we got low on money (some had none at all) we wouldn’t have to borrow to cover our past expenses? Sounds like a deficit just waiting to happen.

I don’t know about you New York, but I’m tired of this trip.  I’m ready to arrive at our location, destination: budget.  We cannot allow our tour guides “legislators” to take us on this lengthy trip year after year.  Judgment Day is coming! For those that didn’t listen, make that THEIR last stop.

Hey Albany, are we there yet?

Along those similar lines, it looks like unemployed New Yorkers aren’t the only ones not “reaping benefits.”  The legislators are not getting paid!  Well, scratch that.  The legislators are receiving a “measly” $170 per day for time spent in Albany and other travel while $4.9 million in legislative paychecks are being held by the state comptroller’s office.  Although it is the Senate that has yet to vote on the final bill, the Senate Democrats are using this “negotiating” strategy to get key policy issues, through the reluctant Assembly, to be considered, including property tax relief, a contingency fund if Albany doesn’t get the $1 billion in expected federal Medicaid money and the SUNY schools autonomy issue.  Without that final bill to complete the budget, the paychecks will not commence.

For some, but not all, legislators are really starting to feel the burn.  Most legislators hold second jobs, with dozens having jobs with law firms…they seem to be ok.  For those, who do not have such esteemed positions outside of their “elected official duties” it is not so pleasant. I say, welcome to the world of unemployment, layoffs etc.  The only difference being that the legislators, at some point, will get paid the missing part of their salary.  All of the taxpayers and NYS residents that are out of work will not.  But there’s always unemployment benefits…right?  Barely.

The point is, pass a budget!  Not just any old budget, but a budget that will keep businesses here, bring businesses here and allow New York State taxpayers to be able to afford to stay here.

As some of our legislators “suffer” under these conditions, maybe, just maybe they’ll start thinking differently.  Wouldn’t it be smart for the legislators to use their current “setback” as an example for our state budget?  If the money is not there, then you cannot spend it.  If the money is not there, then you cannot create imaginary revenue. One can only hope.

If I had a million dollars…I’d buy some of them a clue.

Well it’s crunch time for the New York state budget, but unfortunately, we’re not seeing any hero emerging to resolve this crisis. In fact, as a collective group, our elected officials are doing just the opposite.

Let’s take a look at some of the turning points in this game.

For one, the state budget is two months late. Do they act like heroes, dig in with a burst of adrenaline and go for a decisive victory, pull an all nighter to resolve the problem? No, they continue to pass budget extender after budget extender, without passing an actual budget.  Then when the governor’s threatens a government shutdown, they rush to push ahead whatever product they’ve got, whether it’s good or not.

Second, they need to reach a balanced budget and close the mounting deficit. Do they act like CEOs, make the tough decisions and willingly accept the consequences, in other words, cut spending?  No, they spend more to give more, adding new taxes, fees and assessments in a state that already has one of the highest tax burdens in the nation.

Third, they’ve been asked to approve a property tax cap, an idea already proven highly effective in neighboring Massachusetts. Do they recognize a good idea when they see it, give credit where it’s due and give the green light for implementation? No, they look for gimmicks that will make it more popular with certain constituent groups,  like circuit breakers that really are only a shell game benefiting a few.

New York’s families and businesses are struggling under the weight of the greatest property tax burden in the nation – 79 percent above the national average. A tax cap, in our mind, is a highlight of Gov. Paterson’s budget proposal, which must be why the majority leader took it out of his fiscal plan.

Then there’s a whole bunch of other last-minute legislation that hurts Upstate, such as a census change to count prisoners as residents of their original counties rather than as living in the county where they are incarcerated.

Good thing Judgment Day is coming. Only 126 days until Nov. 2 when we as voters can take back our state and choose some real leaders, some real heroes who will be there during crunch time and really deliver.  If you need to know who needs to hear from you TODAY click here. Send your elected officials a message that they either act like clutch players and vote NO on this bloated budget or we’ll send them to the bench, to the unemployment lines come November.

Yesterday, the prevailing wages for service workers bill was passed by the Senate, generally along party lines.  Sponsored by Sen. Eric Schneiderman and Assemblyman Michael Gianaris, the bill will extend wage mandate requirements to private businesses with a focus on energy companies.   New York State’s high energy costs did not just occur overnight, but result from an extensive history of being subject to high taxes, fees and regulations in this country.  If enacted, the bill will dictate to many companies across NY that they will need to pay prevailing wage to various levels of service workers.  This bill, if signed, would be another hidden tax on Upstate homes and business owners.

There is good news and the bad news on this bill:

• Good news:  The bill has not yet passed the Assembly
• Bad news: The bill was passed by the Senate last evening.

If the Assembly follows suit and passes this bill, it will mean that each of us will be paying more for our utilities.  This is simply the wrong time to be passing on more wage mandates and hidden taxes.

Keep in mind that state and local government taxes make up more than a quarter of New York electric bills, according to a report released by the Public Policy Institute in March of 2010.  Now with this bill, homeowners and business owners will have to deal with their energy costs going up and the reliability of the energy grid becoming compromised.  While taxes and fees go up, the amount of available resources goes down.  Disasters such as the 2006 Queens blackout and the 2007 explosion outside Grand Central Terminal occurred due to older and out of date equipment.  This legislation will take away some of the critical pieces of New York’s energy production & delivery, which are necessary for the energy infrastructure to be capable of serving the needs of a 21^st century economy.

For your records, the bill was passed along party lines with the Democratic Majority and one GOP Senator (Frank Padavan) all voting for it.  That includes Senators Bill Stachowski, Antoine Thompson, David Valesky, Darrell Aubertine, and Neil Breslin…all of whom are from Upstate NY and supposedly looking out for our best interests.  This is the third time that bills have been passed that will hurt Upstate NY.  That includes:

• The 18A Assessment from last year’s budget was a $575 million dollar tax
• The bill that was passed last week to open all of the State Parks, which included a new tax on some manufactures with the bulk of that tax being covered by Upstate businesses

We need each of you and your organizations to help us continue to battle this bill.  There are three things we need you to do:

1. If your Senator voted no (all GOP Senators except for Senator Padavan opposed the bill), please call them and thank them for supporting their constituents and doing what was right.
2. For those of you that had a Senator vote to pass the bill, call them and remind them that it is the senseless pandering to big, organized labor unions that continue to erode the economy of our state and drive away our private sector jobs and our citizens.  Remind them that this issue will appear on our Judgment Day Scorecard and they will be responsible for their actions.
3. Call your Assembly members and strongly urge them to vote NO on A.10257A.  We need to stop this bill from getting passed in the Assembly and to do that we must begin the calls now.

Now is not the time to be shy my friends.  With roughly three weeks left in this session, there are still many problematic bills that remain in play.  Let’s keep the conversations going and the noise level high… we are united in our efforts to reform NYS Government and make it work for the people.

You should know that this is a scorecard issue for Unshackle Upstate and the Unshackle Army.  Those who took the initiative to oppose this bill will be rewarded with a clearer conscience, while those who were in support will have to suffer consequences for decisions that were made.

We will not forget this when we go to the polls on Judgment Day 11/2/10!

Gov. Paterson recently introduced a program bill that would call for a one-day furlough for each week that the budget is late.  Although it is only a one-day program, he has been right in calling for a furlough of state workers to help balance the budget.   The leaders of the public employee unions have snubbed their noses at all of us by refusing to take any furloughs, pay cuts or pass on raises.   Of course, at this point the leaders of both houses of the legislature have rejected introducing furloughs.  They state that the governor has the power to do it if he really wants to.  So today, the governor indicated he would be advancing his furlough plan.

Unshackle Upstate has been pushing for a more comprehensive furlough program.  In our list of budget cuts for this year, we put forth a full 10-day furlough that would have saved the state significant money and help balance the budget this year.  It is time for the governor to be the leader we need him to be and not advance any budget extenders that do not include stronger furlough language.

So, if Gov. Paterson does include his language, the legislature will be forced to do one of two things:

• Accept the budget extenders, start the furlough process and keep government working or;
• Reject the budget extenders and potentially bring state government to a stand-still due to limited funding

This could be a really interesting time within our government.  If the governor finally takes action and puts the furlough language in his budget extender, he will be doing what many have called for…making public employees pay their fair share as we in the private sector have been doing for months.  Employees that are potentially furloughed shouldn’t be angry with the governor or the legislature.  They should be angry with their union leadership that has refused to even discuss the simplest of changes to help the state and thereby forced this move.

But what happens if the governor does put in the furlough language and it is rejected by some rank and file members of the legislature?  Those who oppose the language will be sending us one very clear message: They care more about what the leadership of the public employee union thinks  than they do about you, me and all of our neighbors.

It is time for our elected officials to do what is right for all of us – take on the tough issues, make the tough decisions and start acting like leaders.

So once again we have to ask…does Gov. Paterson have the willingness to act like his colleague, Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey, and take on the entrenched unions?  And if he does, will a majority of rank and file members join him?  Or could our government potentially grind to a halt?

If that happens, will you remember and act accordingly on Nov. 2 – Judgment Day?