Unshackle Upstate Statement Regarding Governor Cuomo’s 2019 Budget Proposal

January 15th, 2019

“We fully support the Governor’s adherence to a 2-percent state spending cap and his call for a permanent 2-percent property tax cap. The property tax cap has saved overburdened homeowners approximately $25 billion since its passage. Enacting a permanent property tax cap should be a top legislative priority in the coming weeks.

We’re also encouraged by the Governor’s commitment to Upstate infrastructure investment. Repairing our aging roads, bridges and water systems is imperative – a strong economy requires a strong foundation.

Despite these positive measures, the Governor advanced a number of proposals that would severely weaken our economy and hurt taxpayers.

The proposal to apply prevailing wage to all projects that receive state funding is a death sentence for Upstate economic development initiatives. Under this mandate, efforts to fix our crumbling infrastructure would be far too expensive to pursue. We also oppose the Governor’s energy production mandate that would dramatically drive up costs for commercial and residential energy consumers. These measures may be touted as progressive, but in reality, they’re just painful.

Additionally, we are staunchly against taxpayer-funded political campaigns. Wasting the state’s limited tax dollars on high-priced political consultants and annoying robocalls is simply unacceptable.

As Governor Cuomo has said in the past, New York has no future as the tax capital of the nation. New Yorkers will continue to flee the state until Albany takes action to reduce taxes across the board and improve the state’s harsh business climate. Governor Cuomo and the Legislature must take full advantage of the new opportunity to stand up for struggling taxpayers. This moment in time must not be wasted.”