Positive stories about the improving economy are popping up in the news on a more regular basis. The unemployment rate is ticking down. Growth, while slow, is steady. And we appear to have shaken the worst recession since the Great Depression.

As your state Assembly representative, creating good-paying jobs on the East End is my top priority. We’ve made progress so far this year by investing in economic development programs and cutting taxes for small businesses to help create jobs. We are working together to promote a more business-friendly environment in our state – New York is indeed open for business.

This year’s state budget includes $438.1 million for the Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIPs). The 21 percent increase – the first increase in five years – will rebuild our roads and bridges while creating desperately needed jobs. The budget also:

• establishes the New York State Innovation Venture Capital Fund and the New York State Business Incubator and Innovation Hot Spot Support Act to assist the start-up and growth of newly established business and technology companies in the state;
• provides tax credits to businesses that hire veterans who have fought so hard to protect our country;
• adopts the federal expansion of the Shared Work Program, which helps prevent employees from losing their jobs by providing employers with an alternative to laying off workers.

Additionally this year, the long-awaited three phase Montauk Highway resurfacing project has commenced, which finally resurface the entire stretch of Montauk Highway from Southampton to Montauk.

I also recognize the need to ensure our state university system has the infrastructure to properly educate students for the jobs of tomorrow. That’s why this year’s budget contains $55 million in capital funding for a third round of NYSUNY 2020 Challenge Grants.

This year, a new 15,000-square-foot, $8.5 million Marine Sciences Center will open at the Stony Brook Southampton Campus. This new Center will be the hub of marine educational, research, and outreach activities for Long Island, bring additional research jobs and research dollars to the East End. The Stony Brook Southampton Campus is also expanding its new model of film instruction at an arts incubator, attracting people and jobs to our region.

I also am excited about the new START-UP NY program, which designates tax-free zones for eligible businesses near SUNY and CUNY campuses – as well as private colleges and universities – to foster job creation. The program also reduces burdensome regulations for businesses and enhances the Excelsior Jobs Program to provide investment incentives to businesses in strategic industries such as manufacturing, high-tech and clean energy.

In addition to investing in new businesses, we must continue to support New York’s vitally important agriculture industry. This year I helped restore funding to key programs like the Farm Viability Institute, and New York Wine and Grape Foundation.

East End families have been working hard the past few years to find good-paying jobs and make ends meet in a tough economy. I’ve been doing my part in the state Assembly, helping to cut costs for businesses and bolster state funding for job-creation programs that work. You have my pledge: I’ll keep working every day to improve the business climate and bring good-paying jobs that will keep our bright students and hardworking families here on the East End.