Senate Republicans Unveil Comprehensive Jobs Plan Designed To “Re-Open New York For Business”

Senate Republican Leader John J. Flanagan and members of the Senate Republican conference today released a set of common-sense solutions to help fix the ailing state business climate so that more hardworking families can live, work, and thrive in New York. Due to their failure to lead on job creation and their outright rejection of the Amazon HQ2 project, Senate Democrats cost New Yorkers 25,000 new jobs and $27.5 billion in new revenue.

The measures proposed by Senate Republicans would help reinvigorate the state economy and establish countless job opportunities for middle-class workers from Brentwood to Buffalo, and begin to undo some of the damage Senate Democrats have done by stopping the Amazon HQ2 project.

“If Senate Democrats don’t want to provide incentives to lure job-creating companies to New York, they have an obligation to work with us to change the economic climate so businesses small and large want to locate, grow, and create new jobs here. In light of the Amazon debacle, I strongly urge my Democrat colleagues in the Majority to join us in supporting these measures, because it’s the right thing to do for our economy and our working families,” said Senate Republican Leader John J. Flanagan.

“We are one month away from the state budget deadline and we cannot compound the loss of Amazon with additional missteps that further cripple our state. There is time to change the narrative by advancing across the board tax cuts, lowering energy costs, and blocking new taxes and fees – let’s encourage business growth, not turn our backs on it. New York has taken a hit, but there’s still time to rebound and rejuvenate our future,” said Senate Finance Committee Ranking Republican Senator James L. Seward.

“As the Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business, I wholeheartedly support our ‘Re-Open New York For Business Plan’ and look forward to working with my colleagues to advance this plan in the best interests of New York’s business job creators and employees. Whether I am visiting a factory or a farm, I hear the same thing from our job creators – New York is pushing them out, or they could save thousands by moving to any other state. We must cut spending and red tape for our job-creating small businesses and farms and invest in workforce development to unleash our state’s full potential. If we are going to restore New York to its rightful status as the Empire State, we need to partner with the private sector and give them the opportunity to succeed and create jobs, especially in rural and struggling parts of upstate New York. This package would help the communities I represent and the entire state. I urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to join Senate Republicans in helping job-creating businesses succeed in New York,” said Senator Pamela Helming.

Under this comprehensive jobs plan, Senate Republicans will be: 

• Fighting for Meaningful Tax Cuts for Small Businesses, including a $495 million income tax exemption for Small Businesses & Farmers, as well as a STAR program for Small Businesses, achieving another $275 million in savings;
• Fighting to Cut Burdensome Energy Taxes, including elimination of the 18-A Regulatory Assessment, and building upon the successful elimination of the Senate Democrats’ 18-A surcharge;
• Making the Property Tax Cap Permanent, currently a temporary measure which has saved taxpayers $37 billion since its inception, but was brought to the floor for passage this year by Senate Democrats without a three-way agreement in place for the final budget;
• Opposing any new taxes to balance the budget, including the Governor’s plan to impose new taxes on internet purchases and prescription drugs, among other fees in the Executive Budget proposal;
• Calling upon the Governor and Legislature to enact comprehensive regulatory reform for small businesses across the state this year; and
• Pushing for much-needed needed reform of the Public Authorities Control Board, so one person can never again misuse their vote to impede job growth and progress for New York. Just yesterday, Democrats unanimously rejected a sensible Republican amendment that would have prevented any conference or individual from blocking a project like Amazon HQ2 for political reasons.