Here in the 122nd, much of our rural economy revolves around small businesses and the agriculture community. Unfortunately, there are many policy makers in Albany who have never run a business or met a payroll, and who, therefore, just don’t quite understand the unique economic needs and challenges of the North Country and upstate New York.

I believe our government should be run like we run our businesses or manage our family budgets—you can’t spend what you don’t have. Thankfully, I am not alone in advocating for such common sense policies—such as cutting job-killing taxes and wasteful government spending; delivering mandate relief; cutting bureaucratic red tape; and ending Albany’s one- size-fits-all cookie-cutter approach to economic development.

I believe in a less costly state government and promoting a better business environment to ensure the availability of more jobs for all New Yorkers. I will continue to advocate and fight for each of these initiatives during this year’s Legislative Session. Specifically, my priorities will include:

Reduce Taxes and Wasteful Government Spending

• Reduce wasteful government spending, cut job-killing taxes and promote fiscal reform to strengthen New York’s financial future;
• Enact a statewide property tax cap that includes significant mandate relief for local governments and school districts;
• Impose a state spending cap that limits annual increases in state spending; and
• Fight for a financially responsible and on-time State Budget that includes no new taxes.

Shrink Government Size & Cost to the Taxpayer; Restore Fiscal Sanity to Albany

• Eliminate New York’s budget deficit by focusing on cutting wasteful government spending first;
• Adopt a hard hiring freeze for state and local agencies;
• Reform government’s borrowing practices; and
• Reform New York’s costly Medicaid program.

Grow New York’s Private Sector, Rebuild Our Economy; Support our State’s #1 Industry

• Support a more competitive business climate by removing or reducing onerous regulations, especially those imposed on farms;
• Lower the cost of energy in New York State for businesses and consumers, and create a permanent economic development low-cost power program that also includes agriculture; and
• Fully fund and support valuable economic development and R&D programs, such as the Farm Viability Institute, Center for Dairy Excellence and Northern New York Agriculture Development Program.

These are just some of my priorities for this year’s legislative session. If you wish to discuss these initiatives or any other state-related matter with me, please feel free to contact me at 315-287-2384 or e-mail me at blankenbushk@assembly.state.ny.us.