Unshackle Upstate Responds to Minimum Wage Agreement

March 31st, 2016

“Rather than taking the opportunity to make New York more business friendly or grow its economy, this budget agreement imposes additional burdens and challenges for employers – especially those in Upstate communities.

This unprecedented minimum wage mandate on employers – in addition to a paid leave program – will ensure that New York’s business climate will remain one of the worst in the nation, even as our tax burden remains among the highest in the nation.

As bad as this agreement will be for Upstate businesses and taxpayers, the original minimum wage proposal would have been much worse.

We commend those lawmakers, especially members of the Senate Republican Conference and Upstate Assembly members, who fought for small businesses, farmers and taxpayers in the face of intense pressure from powerful special interests. We also acknowledge their efforts to include much-needed tax relief as part of this agreement.

Our leaders in Albany should spend the rest of this legislative session working to enact positive measures that will put Upstate New York on a path to long-term prosperity.”