Senate Democrats Reject GOP Effort to Include Jobs Plan in State Budget

Comprehensive Recovery Plan Would Help Small Businesses, Manufacturers; Create Jobs for Workers Dealing with Worst Economy since the Great Depression

Even though New Yorkers are facing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, Senate Democrats today refused to include a comprehensive jobs plan offered by Republicans in the State Budget that would create new jobs and revitalize Upstate communities which have been hit hard by recent job losses.

In addition, the amendment sought to eliminate the 12-month waiting period currently imposed on small businesses who wish to join the State’s Healthy NY program, in order to help them reduce their health insurance costs by as much as 75 percent.

“While New Yorkers are increasingly worried about losing their jobs and providing for their families, Senate Democrats seem to only be concerned about finding additional revenue to pay for their irresponsible spending binge. The fact that the enacted budget doesn’t include a single initiative to create any new jobs in New York State, shows just how out of touch New York Democrats really are,” Senate Republican Leader Dean G. Skelos said.

“With nearly 1 in 10 New Yorkers out of work, the most compelling issue in this State is jobs. Senate Republicans have offered a viable plan that will create and retain jobs, and it’s unfortunate that Democrats would treat our legitimate efforts to jump start the economy and help workers in such a callous way,” State Senator James S. Alesi (R,C-Perinton) said.

The Senate GOP plan includes new, job creating tax cuts for small businesses and manufacturers that will make them more competitive. In addition, the plan would provide tax credits tied to the creation of new jobs; would reduce unnecessary, costly and burdensome government regulations, provide tax credits and interest-free loans to students who stay in New York State, and encourage new investments in community revitalization.

Senate Republicans slammed the Governor and the New York City led Senate Democrats for not having the foresight to make job creation a priority in this year’s Budget. The Governor’s Executive Budget even proposed taking promised Empire Zone benefits away from 2,000 businesses who had already qualified.

According to the New York State Department of Labor, the statewide unemployment rate is now 7.8 percent, an increase from 4.6 percent just one year ago.

Pockets of Upstate New York have been even harder hit and desperately need Albany to cut taxes to create jobs. Those areas with unemployment rates higher or significantly higher than the statewide average include Binghamton-9 percent, Buffalo-9.6 percent, Niagara County-11.5 percent, Oswego County-11.6 percent, Glens Falls-10 percent, Elmira-9.9 percent, Orleans County-11 percent, Rochester-8.5 percent and Syracuse-8.9 percent.

Meanwhile, the current unemployment rate in Jefferson and Lewis counties are 11.1 percent and 12.8 percent, respectively.

Highlights of the Senate’s job creation plan include:

• Cut taxes on small businesses in half and eliminate business taxes for small manufacturers;
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  Create new tax credits tied to job creation and job training by manufacturers;
  Help small businesses obtain loans to grow;
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  Reduce health insurance costs for small businesses;
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  Expand tax credits for investments by emerging technology businesses;
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  Provide low cost student loans and create a tax credit program for students who go to college in New York and stay in New York;
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  Eliminate state regulations, red tape and paperwork; and
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  Give local governments greater authority to provide tax breaks for community and neighborhood revitalization projects.

“The Democrat only Budget spends too much, taxes too much and doesn’t do anything to create new jobs,” Senator Skelos concluded.