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| Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce |
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Chamber Corner for March 7  |
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A WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY
By Todd Tranum, President/CEO, Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce
As Americans we pride ourselves on our ability to rise to the occasion when things get tough. Well things could not be much tougher in Albany right now. The bottom has fallen out of New York State Government and it is going to impact the lives of each and every one of us across the State. It is not just the financial crisis, it is the general level of dysfunction in New York State politics that is creating a perfect storm. Yet, it is a classic moment to rise to the occasion; it is a window of opportunity to implement reform. There will be no stimulus this year to buy us more time. Significant tax revenues to State coffers from Wall Street are not on the near horizon. As citizens of New York State we have been taxed and hit with fees to the max. Therefore going again to an already overtaxed citizenry should not even be considered an option. So, where is the opportunity? The answer is reform. The opportunity is in the “right now.” Our elected officials must seize the moment.
Studies and recommendations have been made. Now is the time to take action. The Commission on Local Government Efficiency and Competitiveness, also known as the Lundine Commission, outlined several specific reforms that could improve New York State. In summary the Lundine Commission recommendations create a path for more efficient and effective local government systems. State action is necessary to further empower our local communities to enact the recommendations of the Lundine Commission.
Your Chamber of Commerce has been pushing reform and protecting our members from law changes, fees and taxes that hurt New York businesses. Working with several business associations including the Business Council of New York State, Unshackle Upstate, the Chamber Alliance of New York State and the Manufacturing Alliance, we are advocating for reform. Clearly this is a process that is slow with outcomes that are very hard to measure. Some may ask “why bother?” The answer is simple. To preserve the true engine of growth which is private sector businesses, we must continue the fight. Just because change is slow and victories seem few and far between, we cannot leave the battle field or surrender.
This is where the Chamber stands on a few of the issues being discussed in Albany:
Budget Crisis: We need Albany to reduce spending, reduce taxes and eliminate (prevent new) anti-business regulation. State Government must demonstrate spending constraint. In the year 2000 the state budget was at $75 billion and in 2009 it was at $131 billion. Spending has been out of control. Controlling spending must be a priority.
Farmworkers Bill of Rights: The Chamber of Commerce is opposed to the Farmworkers Bill of Rights. This legislation would devastate Chautauqua County’s farmers. The proposed collective bargaining rights in this bill do not include any protections against a strike in the middle of harvest, nor are they appropriate for farm workers charged with the daily care of animals. The overtime pay provision of the bill is also irreconcilable with the seasonality of agribusiness. The bill requires farm owners to guarantee a forty-hour work week. The reality is that the pressure to harvest an entire year’s work in a short amount of time, factoring weather conditions, does not afford farmers the ability to guarantee a forty-hour work week. The bill also sets new unemployment and disability insurance thresholds on farmers.
Hoyt/Thompson IDA Bill: The Chamber of Commerce is opposed to the Hoyt/Thompson IDA bill. This bill forces any employer utilizing or indirectly impacted by IDA programs to have a prevailing wage mandate on their projects. It is estimated that such a requirement raises the cost of construction projects by 28%. Employers save 10-15% (typical IDA benefits) on projects. If that savings was offset by a 28% increase, it would deter economic development.
Property Tax Cap: The Chamber of Commerce supports property tax cap legislation. The Commission on Property Tax Relief has made a recommendation to limit the growth of school property taxes. We believe a school property tax cap is necessary and that it should be combined with legislation that reduces the burden of mandates on schools and simplifies processes to allow local communities and school administrators to implement school centralization efforts.
Spending Cap: The Chamber of Commerce supports a spending cap. The current spending cap legislation that has been proposed would limit the growth of State Operating Funds to the average rate of inflation from the previous three calendar years. It is estimated that if the cap had been in place from FY 2002-03 to FY 2007-08, state spending would have been $17 billion less.
Parks: The Chamber of Commerce supports keeping Long Point State Park open and recommends looking at privatization models to reduce costs. At a minimum the marina at Long Point State Park should be kept open. The marina is an important component of Chautauqua County’s tourism industry and provides needed services to those who enjoy the lake. The Chamber recommends that the State investigate privatization opportunities that would help with cost reductions in the park systems.
We urge the business community to take a stand. Reach out to the Governor and our local elected officials and let them know your issues and concerns.
A COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER
The Chamber of Commerce commends the individuals and organizations that responded to the fire in Dunkirk last week. We see it time and again in our community as people rise to the occasion and under stressful circumstances do what needs to be done to take care of each other. The City of Dunkirk lost a portion of the center of its city last week. Businesses and organizations were displaced, files and equipment lost. A historic building is no longer a part of downtown Dunkirk. Fortunately, no human life was lost in the blaze. Behind the scenes multiple organizations moved quickly to support those impacted by the loss. We commend the City of Dunkirk and the fire fighters who worked tirelessly to put out the fire. The County Executive for responding quickly to keep County services operating and relocate affected county workers. Our elected state leaders have responded to the challenge and have offered their support. Private companies such as DFT moved quickly to address communication issues of displaced organizations. The Workforce Investment Board and One Stops who lost their Dunkirk operation have moved quickly to make accommodations available for their clients. A variety of organizations such as the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator, Chautauqua Opportunities and JCC have provided temporary space and meeting locations for those displaced from the building. There are certainly many more organizations and individuals who have rose to the occasion that are not named here but to whom we communicate our appreciation for your efforts.
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