Little: Job Creation Plan Must Be Budget Priority

     Citing the recent announcement of more than 78,000 American jobs lost in one day, State Senator Betty Little today said job-creation initiatives must be a cornerstone of this year’s state budget.

     “We need to grow our way out of this recession,” said Little.  “The best way to help the economy recover is to help businesses, both big and small.  Families and businesses are obviously very worried about their future.  Raising taxes, as has been proposed in the executive budget, would only add to their despair, erode consumer confidence further and drive us deeper into financial recession.”

     Since December 2007, New York has lost more than 122,000 jobs.  The Glens Falls region, which includes Warren and Washington Counties, saw the fastest rate of unemployment over the past year.
 
     Senate Republicans proposed and passed a job creation plan last December that would:
 
      -- Reform the Empire Zone program by redirecting unused program funds to businesses to create jobs and improve accountability;
      -- Help small businesses obtain loans through a state loan guarantee program;
      -- Reduce health insurance costs for employees of small businesses by expanding the Healthy NY program;
      -- Expand tax credits for investments by emerging technology businesses;
      -- Provide low cost student loans to families and create a tax credit program to offset loan costs for students who go to college in New York, and stay employed in New York for 10 years;
      -- Eliminate state regulations, red tape and paperwork that shackle small businesses through a “Berger” style commission that would review regulations and issue recommendations that would become law, and,
      -- Give local governments greater authority to provide tax breaks for community and neighborhood revitalization projects.

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