Archives

Mar 15 2017

Unshackle Upstate Responds to Legislative Budget Resolutions

“Unshackle Upstate applauds Majority Leader Flanagan and his Senate colleagues for putting forward a budget resolution that follows a path of fiscal discipline and specifically addresses several key items of importance to the Upstate economy – including long-overdue Workers’ Compensation reforms and allowing ride-hailing Upstate. Last year, Unshackle Upstate and our partners conducted a survey […]


Mar 8 2017

Unshackle Upstate Applauds Effort of Workers’ Compensation Coalition

“Unshackle Upstate is proud to join with fifty-eight other organizations in pushing for sensible and long-overdue reforms to New York State’s costly and outdated Workers’ Compensation program. Employers across the state pay the third highest workers’ compensation costs in the nation. Unnecessarily high workers’ compensation costs are a hidden tax that place Upstate employers at […]


Feb 28 2017

Reforming Regional Economic Development Councils Will Do More Harm Than Good

“Since being established in 2011, New York’s Regional Economic Development Councils have played an important role in revitalizing the Upstate economy. We recognize that there is much more work to do on this front. However, enacting burdensome financial disclosure requirements will dissuade private sector volunteers from participating in the REDC process. These volunteers already abide […]


Feb 6 2017

Unshackle Upstate Lauds Senate Passage of Upstate Ride-Hailing, Calls on Assembly to Act

“Allowing ride-hailing services to operate in Upstate communities is long overdue and we thank the members of the Senate who voted in support of this proposal. Services like Uber and Lyft will provide Upstate residents and visitors with a safe, reliable transportation option that is already available in New York City and 47 states. Providing […]


Jan 30 2017

Unshackle Upstate Applauds Senate’s Passage of a Permanent Property Tax Cap

“We thank the members of the Senate who voted in support of a permanent 2-percent property tax cap. Since it was enacted in 2011, the property tax cap has saved hardworking taxpayers more than $7 billion dollars. We call on the members of the Assembly to join with their Senate colleagues and pass a permanent […]


Jan 25 2017

Unshackle Upstate Releases 2017 Legislative Agenda

ROCHESTER, NY – Unshackle Upstate, a pro-taxpayer advocacy organization, has released its 2017 Legislative Agenda. In the comprehensive document, Unshackle Upstate calls for continued fiscal discipline, reforms to New York’s Workers Compensation program, ride-hailing in Upstate and action on other pro-growth measures. “The sensible reforms and proposals contained within this year’s agenda will get the Upstate […]



Oct 27 2016

Unshackle Upstate Endorses Sue Serino for State Senate

Unshackle Upstate (www.unshackleupstate.com), through its political action committee UPAC, today announced its endorsement of Sue Serino’s re-election campaign in the 41st Senate district. “We’re proud to support Sue Serino’s campaign because she’s demonstrated a strong commitment to easing New Yorkers’ tax burden and promoting job growth in the Hudson Valley,” said Greg Biryla, executive director of […]


Oct 6 2016

Unshackle Upstate Announces 2016 Legislative Endorsements (Updated)

ROCHESTER, NY – Unshackle Upstate (www.unshackleupstate.com), through its political action committee UPAC, today announced its slate of 2016 legislative endorsements. The bi-partisan list is comprised of 12 Senate candidates and 22 Assembly candidates. “Voters across Upstate are concerned about sluggish job growth and the overall health of the economy. The 33 candidates that we’ve endorsed […]


Sep 28 2016

New Tax Foundation Report Shows New York’s Business Climate Remains Toxic

“The Tax Foundation has released its annual State Business Tax Climate Index and the results are troubling and frustrating. New York State has the second-worst business tax climate in the nation. That’s simply unacceptable. If a well-respected research organization published a report that had similar findings about our educational or health care systems, the outcry would be […]