Assemblyman Christopher S. Friend (R,C,I-Big Flats) is calling on Gov. Andrew Cuomo to end his START-UP NY program following the release of a government report citing poor job-creation numbers from the controversial program. The report released this week, which was originally due by December 31, 2014, lists total jobs created under the program at 76, and the state has spent $53 million in taxpayer dollars on the program.

“START-UP NY has been an expensive failure,” Friend said. “This program illustrates everything wrong with the argument that government creates jobs, and that, somehow, centralized economic planning will work this time. This is a failed ideology. Instead of solving the whole issue of high taxes and burdensome regulations, Gov. Cuomo attempted to pick winners and losers. Instead of helping the small businesses that continue to struggle against an ever-increasing stream of regulations and taxes, he spent millions on out-of-state advertisement. Businesses aren’t made in Albany -- they’re made in basements and garages and end up on Main Street. We need to get out of their way, and we need to do it now.”