Sen. Aubertine Pushing Agenda for Job Growth and Retention

Legislative package announced today fits with ongoing efforts to boost economy, sustain jobs

ALBANY (March 25, 2010)—State Sen. Darrel J. Aubertine today joined his colleagues in announcing an innovative jobs and economic development program to get New Yorkers back to work that builds on an ongoing effort to create jobs and make New York more business friendly.

This legislative package announced today includes three proposals—Restore New York II, the Main Street Initiative, and Open for Business NY—which fit well with Sen. Aubertine’s Economic Benefit Power Program proposal and agricultural development plans, including the Farmer Tax, Fee and Mandate Relief Act, introduced last month.

“Creating and preserving jobs must continue to be the forefront of our agenda,” Sen. Aubertine said, who serves as chair the Senate Upstate Caucus and a member of the Economic Development, Small Business & Commerce Committee. “It’s critically important that we continue advancing policies that are business and job friendly. I am committed to listening to the needs of this state’s employers and doing what we can to improve economic development. The input collected at roundtables, hearings and any number of conversations with business interests has been the focal point of our efforts.

Last week, the Senator introduced the Economic Benefit Power Program legislation to improve on New York’s current Power for Jobs program and other economic development initiatives that use low cost power and the resources of the New York Power Authority to retain and create jobs. It will be used in negotiations with the Assembly and the Governor to craft a final plan to maximize job creation, retention and investment. The Senator, who serves as vice chair and ranking majority member of the Senate Energy & Telecommunications Committee, held roundtables and hearings across the state last fall to talk to employers before crafting his legislation and the proposal has won praise from business groups for what it proposes.

“We need a permanent low cost power program to replace Power for Jobs that gives businesses the stability and certainty they need to make significant investments in New York,” Sen. Aubertine said. “I’ve introduced my proposal for the Senate Majority with support from key business interests and I look forward to working out a plan with the Governor and Assembly to make this successful program even better.”

The Farmer Tax, Fee and Mandate Relief Act (S.6947) includes long overdue reforms that will alleviate some of the taxes, fees, restrictions, and mandates placed on farmers. It will require notice for agricultural district hearings, create a tax credit for farm investment, exempt farm wineries from sales tax reporting requirements, ease the corporation filing fees farmers pay, cut permit fees with the Department of Environmental Conservation, and clear up restrictions for farm vehicles on our highways and taxes levied when Upstate farmers sell their goods downstate.

“When discussing economic development, agriculture must be a centerpiece,” said Sen. Aubertine, who is chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee. “We’ve passed legislation to promote local produce and also increase the profitability of our wine producers, grape growers, maple and honey producers. Likewise, I’ve pushed for legislation and other action to help our struggling dairy farmers. The tax, fee and mandate relief act is part of this push because the survival and growth of our farms contributes directly to the well being of not just rural New York, but the entire state as this industry remains the foundation of our economy.

The program announced today, ‘New Jobs New York,’ consists of three targeted initiatives that will:

·         Create jobs immediately to provide a much-needed economic boost out of this recession;

·         Boost the confidence of small business owners to grow;

·         Implement a tax incentivization program that works for businesses already in New York, and attracts new investments and jobs for the future.

‘New Jobs New York’ builds upon ongoing efforts the Senate Majority led to create jobs and revitalize the economy. These efforts include:

·         Power for Jobs, supports more than 330,000 jobs by providing low-cost energy to businesses who, in turn, keep jobs in New York State.

·         Green Jobs NY, the first-in-the-nation “green jobs” program, this plan creates 14,000 good-paying construction jobs, lowers energy costs, and weatherizes more than one million homes.

·         TANF/Federal Stimulus Funds, develops a 21^st century infrastructure model for New York, creates 50,000 new construction jobs and also adds 1,400 public safety sector jobs.

·         Other programs include reforms to the Minority- and Women-Owned Business (MWBE) program and IT-insourcing.

The Majority jobs plans consists of three initiatives: Restore NY II, the Main Street Initiative and Open for Business NY.

Restore NY II will establish thousands of new jobs within nine weeks of implementation by funding small-scale transformational demolition, restoration, and construction projects with an emphasis on small community construction and restoration projects.

The Main Street Initiative is crucial to the revitalization of our economy as small businesses are the first to get us out of a recession. This initiative will create nearly 2,000 new jobs and allow businesses to retain an additional 2,200 existing positions by developing a grant and assistance model to give small businesses the resources they need to begin hiring again.

Open for Business NY replaces the inefficient Empire Zone program and seeks to stimulate our economy and maintain economic growth over the long-term by supporting existing business and attracting new investments through targeted job creation in both legacy and innovation-based industries. Enrollment in this program will allow participants to earn access to a variety of refundable tax incentive options, including a Jobs Tax Credit, Investment Tax Credit, Research & Development tax Credit and Property Tax Credit.

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