Assemblymember Didi Barrett (D-Mid Hudson) announced that the 2013-14 Assembly budget proposal would focus on improving the economy across New York State by encouraging job and business growth through numerous business-friendly proposals, including tax credits and initiatives to help small businesses. The Assembly’s budget proposal is also good news for local farmers, as it would provide important funding for various agricultural programs (E.182).

“We must always look for the best ways to improve our local economy and assure that our residents are afforded the opportunity to find good-paying, private sector local jobs so that our families remain here in our communities,” Assemblymember Barrett said. “I believe the Assembly’s budget proposal addresses these needs in a balanced manner that will continue to help us recover from the economic downturn.”

The Assembly budget proposal provides $100 million for a new jobs initiative. Funding would go toward reconstruction of communities, advanced manufacturing and certification assistance, and education and job training for science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.

“It’s important that we prepare our young women and men for jobs in high-tech industries that are starting to take seed in our own backyard,” Assemblymember Barrett said. “A well-educated workforce will create more job opportunities in our community, creating incentives for young people and families to stay and be successful here.”

In order to strengthen small-business growth, the Assembly budget proposal includes $12.5 million for the Small Businesses Revolving Loan Fund and $500,000 for Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Outreach and Technical Assistance.

“Our small businesses are critical to the Mid-Hudson Valley and by giving them the opportunity to grow, we can help provide the good-paying local jobs our families need right now,” Assemblymember Barrett said. “It’s vital that we continue to promote a business-friendly atmosphere in our region, so we can attract more companies to the region.”

The proposal also restores $365,000 in additional support for the Minority- and Women-Owned Business Development and Lending Programs for a total of $1 million.

Agriculture continues to be a priority in the Assembly budget proposal. In addition to the Maple Producers Association ($100,000 restoration) and the Apple Association ($100,000 increase, for a total of $306,000), the Assembly budget proposal restores crucial funding to the following programs:

• Farm Viability Institute: $821,000 (for a total of $1.22 million);
• Farm Net: $100,000 (for a total of $484,000);
• Tractor Rollover Protection Program: $100,000; and
• Cornell University Rabies Diagnostic Lab: $100,000 (for a total of $150,000).

The Assembly budget also added $750,000 for Agricultural Industry Competitiveness Assistance.

“Assuring we are looking out for our local farmers and their families continues to be one of my primary concerns in the Assembly,” Assemblymember Barrett said. “I will continue to fight through the rest of the budget process for adequate funding to programs such as the NY Maple Producers Association and the NY Apple Association, as well as those important programs that help small and mid-sized farms through tough times.”