Senate Adopts Jobs Plan

The latest jobless figures for Northern and Central New York have been released—and the news is not good. Upstate New York continues to feel the effects of a crushing national recession that has cost the jobs of thousands of our neighbors.

These sobering figures make it more clear than ever before that we need to act to reverse the trend of job losses, and get New York back in the business of creating jobs.

The State Senate is wasting no time. As one of the first actions of the New Year, the Senate passed a plan that can put people back to work, and get New York back on track.

A centerpiece of the Senate plan was my proposal to provide a $5,000 tax credit for every new job that businesses create in Oswego, Jefferson and St. Lawrence Counties. Passage of that plan was a promise I made to the people of the 48th Senate District as I visited their communities, and listened to their concerns, throughout last Summer and Fall.

The Senate’s plan also makes good on another promise I made: reining in runaway state spending and stopping Albany’s tax hike binge.

If we want business to locate and grow in our region, then we need to change the way that Albany does business.

The Senate’s “Jobs Creation and Taxpayer Protection Plan” includes a moratoria on new taxes, fees and burdensome red tape.

It also accelerates the planned rollback of certain 2009 tax hikes on small businesses, and a new provision that will make it harder for Albany to raise our taxes by requiring that 2/3 of all legislators vote in favor of any proposed tax increases.

You and I realize that small business is the backbone of our state’s economy and especially in our three counties. I believe that helping small businesses to create new jobs is the best way to end the current recession that has paralyzed upstate New York for too long.

Of course, there is much more to do. I will keep you posted on our progress.