Blog | Upstate United

Jul 25 2023

The Impact the CLCPA Has Had to Date…

Last week it was revealed that the Public Service Commission has approved to date $43.7 billion in costs related to the CLCPA that ratepayers will shoulder. This does not include another $5 billion approved at yesterday’s meeting – which would bring the total to $48.7 billion. What is astonishing is that while only $2 billion […]

Dec 22 2022

The Climate Action Council’s Final Scoping Plan Comes With Major Risks and Many Questions

On Monday, December 19, New York State’s Climate Action Council (CAC) formally approved the New York State Climate Action Council Scoping Plan. The final vote count was 19-3 with the dissenting members explaining their objections. We’ve also voiced our concerns about the flawed plan in recent months: · New York’s $340 Billion Plan To Go Green […]

Dec 20 2022

$11 billion in fraud demands change at Labor Department

The following op-ed was originally published in the Albany Times Union on December 20, 2022. State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli’s recent audit of the Department of Labor’s mismanagement of the Unemployment Insurance system found that at least $11 billion was lost due to fraudulent payments. This massive amount of fraud was aided by the department’s failure […]

Dec 2 2022

NYISO’s 2022 Reliability Report Shows Shrinking Margins and Growing Problems

On Wednesday, November 30, New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) released its 2022 Reliability Needs Assessment. The 92-page report includes a wealth of information about what New York’s electric grid needs to maintain reliability margins in the future. That future appears to problematic due to New York’s climate policies and all-electric push. This particular passage […]

Nov 17 2022

Comptroller’s Audit Finds Massive UI Failures at Department of Labor

On Tuesday, November 15, New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli published a damning audit of describing numerous failures involving the New York State Department of Labor’s unemployment insurance claims. “The agency resorted to stop-gap measures to paper over problems, and this proved to be costly to the state, businesses, and New Yorkers. The department needs […]

Sep 19 2022

Stand Up for Upstate Farms: Tell Commissioner Reardon to Stay At 60

Given the size and importance of New York’s agriculture sector, you would think that the New York State Department of Labor would do a better job of letting New Yorkers know about the public comment period on the Farm Laborers Wage Board report. For unknown reasons, the Department of Labor hasn’t made a significant effort […]

Sep 2 2022

6 Reasons to Stay At 60

On Tuesday, September 6, the Farm Laborers Wage Board will hold its last virtual meeting. At that meeting the Wage Board will likely advanced a report to New York State Commissioner Roberta Reardon that will recommend a gradual phase-in of a 40-hour overtime threshold for farm laborers across the state. We know this because the […]

Sep 1 2022

Op-Ed: New York’s Climate Plan May Put CHIPS on Ice

The following op-ed was originally published in the Central New York Business Journal on September 1, 2022. There is no doubt that the global semiconductor-chip shortage is problematic across many sectors. Phones, vehicles, computers, ATMs and health-care devices use this important technology and power us through our daily lives. While it’s encouraging to see New York’s […]

Aug 12 2022

Op-Ed: Future of New York farming is at risk

The following op-ed was originally published in the Auburn Citizen. Governor Hochul recently announced the start of a statewide listening tour at farms across the state. The focus of the tour will supposedly examine the climate, workforce and economic challenges that farmers face every day. While those issues are undoubtedly problematic for New York’s agriculture […]

Jul 18 2022

The First Wave of New York’s UI Crisis is Here

Employers across New York are about to get blindsided by an “Interest Assessment Surcharge” from the New York State Department of Labor. According to an update from the Department of Labor, surcharges stemming from New York’s unemployment insurance debt to Washington are about to hit employers. The surcharge is approximately $27.60 per employee. That may […]