I was pleased to hear the words “zero-out corporate taxes for manufacturers in Upstate New York.” This is something my colleagues and I have advocated for years. This would provide real incentive for manufacturers to re-invest in our region and bolster our economy.

I was glad to hear talk about cutting corporate taxes for all businesses. This too has been a priority of mine since taking office. We need to reduce regulations and make it easier to do business in this state, to welcome job creators to our regions, and also value our current manufacturers and employers. Cutting taxes for businesses is one real step our state can take toward being competitive in a global economy.

Earlier this week, news media reported that New York had the second highest rate of residents leave to move to other states. This news brings clarity once again to the importance of keeping our residents here and remaining competitive with other states—with property tax reductions and job creation.

Though there may be many local governments throughout the state, what I didn’t hear the Governor talk about was state and federal mandates and cost shifting that are passed down to localities. Medicaid, for example, usually takes up the majority of a locality's budget, which requires taxpayers foot the bill. The circuit breaker is one solution but it doesn’t get at the root of our problems with unfunded mandates. I think we can combine services to be more efficient. I look forward to learning more details as we start this next session and representing the 120th Assembly District so that our region is one we can all be proud of.