News from Assembly Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb
Albany Office:
LOB 725 • Albany, NY 12248 • 518-455-3979
District Office:
70 Elizabeth Blackwell St. • Geneva, NY 14456 • 315-781-2030
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Paying New York Prices Is Becoming Costly & Concerning

Legislative Column from Assembly Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb (R,C-Canandaigua)

New York’s cost-of-living death spiral is scaring New Yorkers away, and, sadly, it has shown no signs of improvement. A recent poll from Quinnipiac University shows 35 percent of New York state residents do not feel like they can afford to live in the state. Even worse, more than one-third of those polled also said they “will be forced to move in the next five years for better economic opportunity.”

New York is consistently ranked one of the highest taxed states, across the board, as well as one of the worst places to retire and own a business. These are huge systemic problems that we cannot continue to sweep under the rug.

A separate Siena College poll asked upstate New York CEO’s to gauge their confidence in the government’s efforts to improve business conditions. Unsurprisingly, the Index of Business Leader Confidence was down from a year ago, and business leaders reported the state is heading in the wrong direction on regulation, ethics, spending and workers’ compensation reform. Repeated calls for tax and spending cuts have fallen on deaf ears.

We are approaching the deadline to deliver a state budget for the upcoming fiscal year, but there doesn’t appear to be any financial relief in sight. New York needs major, ground-up regulatory reform, spending reductions and tax cuts. But instead, the majorities in the Assembly and Senate have offered billions in new taxes and increases in government spending.

ASSEMBLY MINORITY CONFERENCE OFFERS RELIEF PLAN

The Assembly Minority Conference has pushed hard to make the 2 percent property tax cap permanent, place a moratorium on the property-tax-driving unfunded mandates from Albany and keep the middle-class tax cut in place. I have also sponsored the Small Business Full Employment Act (A.4553, Kolb) with the hopes of cutting small business taxes, eliminating onerous regulations and preventing the state from passing laws and then forcing municipalities to pay for their associated costs.

Making New York more attractive to job creators is a critical step toward making the state more affordable. More working New Yorkers, in good-paying jobs, will stimulate growth and give people a reason to stay here – rather than continue the troubling outmigration trend we’ve experienced in the last decade.

Residents, business owners and forward-thinking lawmakers can see the writing on the wall; New York is trending downward. Poll after poll clearly shows the people of this state want change. The governor and legislative majorities must commit to relieving the economic pressures placed on New York residents before the weight is simply too heavy to bear.

What do you think? I want to hear from you. Send me your feedback, suggestions and ideas regarding this or any other issue facing New York State. You can always contact my district office at (315) 781-2030 or email me at kolbb@nyassembly.gov.