The process helped 10 regions across the state to create regional plans and identify transformative projects that will lead to private sector job growth. The plans were submitted earlier this month, and while we wait to see which plans will win funding, we’re turning our attention to make the job creation conditions even better for all business by reforming the regulatory environment.

Our suggestions fall into two major buckets: speeding up approvals for economic development projects and improving the overall regulatory environment.

In the first category, we’re seeking changes to the State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) Act. We’d like to see definitive timelines and deadlines established for the review process so that projects can get the go-ahead sooner, allowing faster job creation. As part of this, we want to limit the ability of the state Historic Preservation Office to only request archeological surveys for projects that exceed 25 acres. And we’d like to do more to encourage use of the Design Build method of planning to expedite project timelines.

The second category is more complicated and cuts across more programs.

On the list, we must encourage the use of Public Private Partnerships (P3) to facilitate improvements in the infrastructure of New York by passing S.5445/A.8487 – an act to amend the transportation law, the executive law and the public authorities law, in relation to authorizing innovative infrastructure development.

Second, we must find ways to lower energy costs. We’re calling for the state to allow the Article 18A surcharge on energy to expire, phase out the Systems Benefit Charge and encourage improvements in the utilities’ infrastructures and grids.

Another way to lower costs in this state would be to allow SUNY and CUNY institutions systems to lease space to private companies, a move that would encourage more partnerships.

On the subject of Medicaid, we’re calling for a $250,000 cap on medical malpractice claims. As of 2006, 32 states have already passed some form of medical malpractice caps.

And we believe it is vitally important to obtain unified support from across the state for any federally funded projects that will enhance private sector job creation.

The tax cap is moving New York into a brave, new world, one that will allow our state to prosper and grow. Let’s build on this important first step by enacting the business mandate and regulation relief that will make it all work.

For Unshackle Upstate, their six dedicated partners, and the dozens of partnering business groups, the best part of representing Upstate business interests is that we represent people who, despite the challenging economic climate and ever increasing global competitiveness, want to remain here and operate their business here.  For MACNY specifically, a recent study of ours reflects this. The Manufacturing Research Institute of New York State, the policy and research arm of MACNY, commissioned Zogby International to survey 100 manufacturing executives from across New York State on what they thought of the business climate and of doing business in New York State. The results are sobering.  However, the underlying message is clear: they are here, they are doing business, and despite a difficult business climate, they want to continue doing business here.

Take a look at a few key points from the report.  First the bad news:

• Nine in ten manufacturers across NYS have a negative outlook on the current state of manufacturing within New York
• Three out of five surveyed reported that maintaining operations with NYS has worsened, attributing this to the state of the economy and taxes as major contributors.

And, the good news:

• However, despite this negative outlook, nearly half surveyed stated that their ability to maintain their operations within NYS will improve
• When asked about the benefits of operating in NYS, a combined 25% stated location, a strong workforce and the people are some of the best things about operations
• And finally, a combined 61% of those surveyed report their company size has either remained the same or grown within the past five years

These numbers and outcomes indicate that when all is said and done, manufacturers remain in New York State, they are resilient and strong, and most importantly, want to be here.

This is why Unshackle Upstate is so important to our region.

Simply put, we as a region and business coalition need to work together to create a better business climate for manufacturers and businesses to be enabled to do what they do best: create quality products, generate revenue and significant dollars into their regions, and sustain and create good quality, family supporting jobs.

Stifling business costs such as the high taxes and the excessive costs associated with workers compensation are just some of many challenges Upstate businesses and residents are forced to deal with everyday in New York State.  Costs of healthcare, excessive regulation, and others are all added costs of doing business, that must be mitigated at the policy making level.  The high costs of doing business will continue to challenge the State’s business community, but these challenges are surmountable.  Collaboration among the state’s businesses through our Unshackle Upstate coalition, its many partners and friends, and government will surely produce positive results.  MACNY will continue to work with the partners of Unshackle in the 2012 legislative session for our ultimate goal of fiscal relief for residents and businesses alike.  Because as Unshackle Upstate is well aware, with the government, coalitions, businesses and workers all adapting to the ever-changing global economy, Upstate New York can and will be a place for significant economic opportunity in the 21^st Century.

So you might be wondering why this was historic.  Well, it is the first time that these organizations came together to support a common agenda.  In fact many of us were on opposite sides of the tax cap battle last year.  But we all know one thing, and that is articulated well by this Editorial from the Auburn Citizen, http://auburnpub.com/news/opinion/editorial/article_aea6d92e-05ba-11e1-a694-001cc4c03286.html, that if the cap is to be as successful as we know it can be, then mandate relief has to happen this year.

But our challenges are deep.  Shortly after we released the agenda, the leadership of CSEA said, “Their bile is a perversion of reality that misrepresents the facts about very complex issues facing our state.”  There is nothing perverse in our plan.  The simple fact of the matter is that when roughly 80% of local government spending is in workforce costs, you have no choice but to cut costs in that area.

What we have advanced is a fair, reasonable, and responsible way for the elected officials in Albany to make our communities affordable.  And isn’t that what we all want at the end of the day…an ability to make our communities strong so that we can be proud to once again call New York our home?  We cannot sit back and wait for others, those entrenched groups that want nothing to change so that their gravy train can continue on, to set the agenda for New York.  It is up to us to determine what we want from our local governments and what we are willing to pay for it.  It is our choice…the largest special interest group in New York…the TAXPAYERS!

I hope that you will join us in supporting Let NY Work: A Common Agenda for the Common Good – http://unshackleupstate.com/assets/news/Let_NY_Work_-_A_Common_Agenda_for_the_Common_Good.pdf. Sign up for the Unshackle Army now to get more information in the future about this issue and many others that are important to taxpayers and private sector businesses.

But the reality is that the next step in the one-two punch of our recovery will be meaningful and significant mandate relief for local governments.  We can no longer just tinker around the edges and pretend the issues aren’t there.  So, what will that look like you ask?  Well, the only thing I can say at this point is that people that have not typically worked together are now aligning.  And they are creating a common agenda that will help make our communities affordable.

Check back here early next week.  I think you’ll like what you’ll see.

A business owner in Syracuse alerted us to the fact that the New York State Thruway Authority (NYSTA) recently made two requirements of the company:

• The sign on their building, which was 3 ft by 10 ft and faced the NYS Thruway, was too big and needed to be taken down and replaced by one that was 4 ft by 1.5 ft.  Please keep in mind that the sign is blocked by trees and thus not in full view except in the winter and spring
• The company then needed to pay NYSTA $50 to have the sign inspected and an additional $20 per year to have the sign on the building

Now, that may not seem like a big deal to many readers.  After all, it is only $70 and the company still gets to have a sign up.  And perhaps you’d be right.  However, here is the big kicker…the pinnacle of an authority overreaching…the building in question is OWNED by the company.  Yes, that’s right.  The NYSTA REQUIRED that a company could not have affix a sign to the building that it OWNS.

Now, come to find out that Section 361-A of the Public Authority Law and Part 105 of the Rules and Regulations of the Thruway Authority prohibit on premises advertising devices within 660 ft of a right of any portion of the Thruway system without a permit granted by the Authority.  And I can understand why they have the rule.  They are concerned about what may be on the advertising device and if it is appropriate.  But a company that is simply using their own building to advertise their company, a lighting company to boot, is an overreach.

It is time for the NYSTA to take a look at this section of law and rewrite it to be fair and responsible.  And they should not charge a company, if they own the building, to advertise.  That is somehow…just so wrong.

And as if that won’t be challenging enough, some are now also using  this as an opportunity to challenge the new property tax cap. Already we are hearing that the cap, which was passed this last session, will hinder the clean-up efforts.  Some local government officials are saying that the cap ties their hands in what can be raised to make the repairs.

In the face of such a difficult challenge and so much personal suffering, blaming the cap is easy. It lets us fall back on the excuse that “this is how we’ve always done it. “  But before we allow ourselves to go down that familiar, dead end road – and I’m sure many more attempted challenges to the cap lie ahead – let’s instead try to get creative about how we do things.

Let’s think: What can be changed that will allow local governments to rebuild, and do it cost effectively and under the cap?.  Here are a few suggestions:

• When reconstructing or repairing government buildings, suspend the Wick’s Law which by requiring  4  prime contracts raises project costs.  NYC schools have been exempt from the law for years and the savings are well documented;
• Eliminate any Project Labor Agreement (PLA) or Prevailing Wage requirements, which also drive up construction cost;
• Advance to the Governor for his signature a bill by Sen. Ranzenhofer and Assemblyman Heastie which calls for the obtaining best value for contracts for public work and purchase contracts;
• Allow for alternative project delivery, specifically design build, which yields a greater return on investment than traditional design bid build.

For years, many have argued that construction mandates make public works project more expensive.  Others say the additional cost is negligible.  Either way, Irene offers us a chance to study the effects of these laws by temporarily suspending them so that the rebuilding process can start immediately.  At the same time, we can compare project costs with past projects and determine once and for all if these construction mandates do cost more.

Our thoughts and sympathies go out to those affected by the storm.  But New York can help them rebound by fixing the construction mandates we identified.  Suspending the laws will also help our local governments control their costs so that they don’t feel the need to override the tax cap…which in the end would be another costly blow to residents of the affected areas.

What’s Inside

• A Message from Brian Sampson
• Property Tax Cap Agreement Announced*
• University at Buffalo Presents UB 2020 Proposal at Albany Summit*
• Senate Confirms Superintendent of the Department of Financial Services*
• Governor Seeks Federal Disaster Assistance for Spring Floods*
• Attorney General, Comptroller to Work Together on Public Integrity Cases*
• Democrat Wins Special Election in 26th CD*
• Coming Up*
• Unshackle Upstate in the News*

* Content only available to Unshackle Army members.

Sign up today to get the full version of the Unshackle Upstate Update!

A Message from Brian Sampson

Our fight for a property tax cap continues!  On Tuesday, I attended a press conference with Gov. Cuomo and the Legislative Leaders announcing a tentative agreement on a 2-percent property tax cap bill.

While this is certainly great news for the taxpayers across this state, and a direct result of your assistance in helping Unshackle Upstate push this issue, our work is far from over.  We at Unshackle Upstate will continue to work in our communities and in Albany to ensure that a property tax cap bill is signed into law.

We are very close to seeing this critical taxpayer protection become a reality, but we can’t let up in our efforts until the bill is signed into law.

Join our Tax Cap Fight!

Our opponents are trying to derail the agreement on a property tax cap through paid media campaigns, newspaper editorials and lobbying efforts.

Let’s be clear: these groups are fighting for more spending and higher taxes to pay for it.

New York’s taxpayers and businesses shouldn’t tolerate any further delay on this critical issue.

Please ask your family, friends, neighbors and co-workers to join with us in calling on legislators to enact the long-overdue property tax cap.

Click here to send your pro tax cap message directly to the Legislature.

Support Unshackle Upstate

We need your help!  Unshackle Upstate continues to fight for Upstate’s taxpayers and job creators and for a New York State with lower taxes, lower spending, reduced mandates and reduced state debt. Our efforts to revive the Upstate economy and promote private sector job growth would be impossible without your support. Whether it’s $50 or $500, your contribution will enable us to amplify our voice in Albany and help fight back against well-funded interests that are committed to maintaining the status quo.  Only by working together, can we change New York and make it a better place to live and work.

Click here to contribute to Unshackle Upstate’s efforts.

If you know of someone who may be interested in Unshackle Upstate Update but who might not be on our distribution list – friends, family members, co-workers – please feel free to forward it to them.  If we are going to get our representatives in Albany to take the tough steps that need to be taken, we need all the help we can get.  In addition, if you would like Unshackle Upstate to speak to your group or make a presentation at an event, please do not hesitate to contact us.

If you have any suggestions about how we can improve this product, please feel free to contact me via e-mail at brian.sampson@unshackleupstate.com.

But from Unshackle Upstate’s perspective, that doesn’t really matter. Because in the votes that were cast, we see a validation of our Judgment Day message that has us fired up for the 2010-11 legislative session. 

Judgment Day was about getting the right people into office – people who understood and respected the needs of taxpayers and job creators. Our message clearly had an impact as virtually every candidate campaigned on a platform of fixing Albany’s dysfunction and lowering taxes and spending.  That message resonated with voters, as the majority of our endorsed legislative candidates won their races. 

We’re calling it a victory for Unshackle Upstate. But potential for a much bigger, and more important victory lies ahead.

The 2010 Elections were just one leg of a distance race, and we won’t be truly victorious until we convince our legislators to change their tax-and-spend ways, to be more fiscally responsible by reducing taxes and aggressively supporting (or at least quit hindering) private sector job creation.

That’s where you – the taxpaying public, their constituents – come in. When we launched the Judgment Day campaign back in February, our main goal was to educate and empower voters across the state so that they could make the best possible decision in the voting booth. To help spread our message and our information, we drafted the Unshackle Army, now nearly 25,000 strong and growing. 

Now with the elections over, we’re asking you to stay tuned. We need that Army to stay engaged, to help us keep the pressure and ensure that our representatives follow through on their campaign pledges.

2010 was a galvanizing year for Unshackle Upstate, as we became a grassroots organization focused on putting in office state legislators who would truly be responsive to the largest special interest group – the taxpayers. We knew we faced an uphill battle. And although the election is behind us, we will not give up our charge. Unshackle Upstate will continue to be highly visible in Albany, pushing for the reduced state spending and lower taxes essential for future economic growth.

We trust you’ll be there with us. We’re looking forward to it.

How do I know who my representatives are?

We are the voices of New York State, but our representatives speak for us in Albany.  If you aren’t sure who represents you visit the NYS Board of Elections website and find out.

All 212 seats are open, with the notion of Incumbents vs. Challengers, should I only support the challengers, does that invoke real change?

Not every incumbent voted for this unbalanced budget and was anti-taxpayer. Not every challenger has plans that align with Unshackle Upstate’s goals for job creation, no unfunded mandates, lower taxes and fees. If you aren’t happy with the way your representative has voted in the past, then take that step to vote for someone new. It is time to rebuild! We should pay attention to their voting record and plans to make New York State a better place to live.  Change will come when we turn our frustrations into action.

What should I keep in mind as I go to the polls on Judgment Day?

-          The current legislative body passed (predominantly along party lines) a $136 billion budget that raised state spending by 7.6%

-          The average family of 4 has been hit with $1300 of new taxes and fees

-          9 of the 10 highest taxed counties in the nation are all located in New York State

Some people only care about the statewide races and not the legislative, what can I do to help GOTV?

We have to start rebuilding our economy from the ground up. These 212 seats are most vital when beginning that process. While the statewide races are important, these 212 legislators represent each of us on a local level. They take our issues to the statewide level. We have to start somewhere, and if we want to see New York State keep their residents here, lower taxes and get businesses back we have to get the right people in office to do that.

What other resources can I use to make my decision & share with others for 11/2/10?

National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) released their 2009-2010 Legislative Voting Record. The Business Council of New York State (BCNYS) released their 2010 Pro-Jobs Voter Guide agenda outlining key issues that affect New York State’s job climate.

Share with family and friends how we continue to get buried with taxes and how New York State has been nickel and diming us for too long.

It’s time to GOTV so we can take our state back! It only takes one and it starts with you!

212 seats are on the line and it is up to you to see which legislators are for you, for keeping and expanding businesses and for making our economy better. Check Unshackle’s list of endorsements and use your ONE vote to help get a pro taxpayer legislator in office who will embrace our agenda of reducing taxes, fees and assessments; cutting state and local spending; reducing state borrowing and curtailing mandates.

$171 a day our Albany lawmakers received to return back to Albany to vote on a budget that took 16 weeks to pass. Your ONE vote can help to get a legislator in office whose voting record demonstrates they have acted in the best interest of the NYS taxpayers.

$136 billion budget, passed predominantly along party lines, that raised state spending by 7.6%. There was obviously no balancing this budget! Your ONE vote could help get a legislator in there who will not vote to increase spending while NYS remains in a deficit.

125 days past the deadline, the New York State budget that we all waited for finally passed. What did we get out of it? Higher spending and more taxes with almost no presence of creating new jobs or improving the broken economy. Your ONE vote can elect an official who will not vote for numerous budget extenders just to give us a late and anti taxpayer budget.

62-member Senate that passed a 4% property tax cap. However higher than the 2.5% Unshackle proposed, your ONE vote could keep those in office that listened to the taxpayers need for a cap. Where was the Assembly with their votes?

8% of additional taxes and fees NYS taxpayers were hit with last year, and we are still getting buried. Your ONE vote will help to make sure that the average family of 4 no longer gets hit with $1300 of new taxes and fees.

Elected officials and Albany hopefuls have produced commercials, mailers and robo calls telling you what they plan to do, but ask them what they have done – get educated and informed. Share with your family and friends how important their ONE vote is…if we don’t get it right now, when will we?

The FACT of the matter is: Our Frustration should lead to Action that can bring about Change for our NYS Taxpayers. Vote based on facts, not opinion.

Your Voice. Your Decision. ONE Chance. ONE Vote.

11.2.10 – YOU be the judge!