News Archive | Page 3 of 23

Jun 14 2024

POLITICO: Environmental advocates worry Hochul may pause another major policy

Hochul has touted a cap-and-trade program, dubbed “cap and invest,” to limit emissions and achieve the state’s climate goals. Read the article by Marie French here. ALBANY, New York — Environmental advocates are worried about the future of one of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s signature policies, following her suspension of congestion pricing. Hochul has touted a […]

Jun 6 2024

Upstate United: NYISO’s Latest Report Should Be a Wake-Up Call

The following statement can be attributed to Justin Wilcox, Executive Director of Upstate United. “The New York Independent System Operator’s 2024 Power Trends report should serve as a wake-up call to every policymaker in Albany. “If we want to keep the lights on, attract more economic development projects, and protect our people, Albany must reconsider its […]

Jun 5 2024

Upstate United: Extended Producer Reliability Cannot Be Rushed Across Finish Line

The following statement can be attributed to Justin Wilcox, Executive Director of Upstate United “At a time when residents are facing high prices as a result of inflation and leaving New York State at record levels, lawmakers should be looking to make the state more affordable for consumers. Instead, the current Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) proposal […]

May 31 2024

Syracuse Post Standard: Electric vehicle target is NY’s latest climate-induced fantasy

Guest Opinion by Justin Wilcox – May 31, 2024 Justin Wilcox is executive director of Upstate United, a nonpartisan, business and taxpayer advocacy coalition focused on growing the Upstate economy. The organization is based in Rochester. Much like the state’s widely documented failure to establish offshore wind projects, New York’s 2035 ban on vehicles with […]

May 23 2024

Upstate United Releases 2024 End of Session Priorities

Upstate United has released its 2024 End of Session Priorities ahead of the final scheduled week of this year’s Legislative Session. The non-partisan organization, which represents businesses and trade organizations, focuses on being pro-taxpayer and pro-economic growth, with a large emphasis on the needs of Upstate New York. Upstate United has outlined the top three […]

May 9 2024

Extended Producer Responsibility Bill Must Be Stopped

A statement from Justin Wilcox, Executive Director of Upstate United “With one month left to go Senate and Assembly leaders are fast-tracking a new version of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation, a measure that will increase consumer costs and ban some of the essential goods New Yorkers purchase daily. While the intentions of legislation […]

May 9 2024

Buffalo News Another Voice: Climate policy in New York should prioritize tangible impact over aspirations

Visit the Buffalo News to read the full piece. Among all the debates in Albany, there’s little disagreement over the reality of climate change. This is a serious issue that impacts all New Yorkers. Unfortunately, Albany’s climate plan is seriously flawed. Lawmakers believe that the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) and other initiatives […]

Apr 22 2024

UPSTATE UNITED RESPONDS TO 2024 ENACTED BUDGET

The following statement can be attributed to Justin Wilcox, executive director of Upstate United “While the 2024 enacted budget reached a record high of $237 billion and was passed several days after the April 1 deadline, the reality is that the final result could have been much worse for New Yorkers. “We were pleased to […]

Apr 16 2024

THE CLOCK IS TICKING FOR THE NYS BUDGET

The following statement can be attributed to Justin Wilcox, executive director of Upstate United “The deadline for New York’s Fiscal Year ‘25 spending plan came and went without much consternation, and now two weeks later we have nothing more than ‘parameters of a conceptual agreement’ for a multi-billion-dollar budget. “To an Albany insider, a late […]

Mar 13 2024

STATEMENT FROM UPSTATE UNITED FOLLOWING THE RELEASE OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY ONE-HOUSE BUDGETS

Statement attributed to Justin Wilcox Executive Director of Upstate United “We are beyond disappointed that both the Senate and Assembly’s One-House Budget proposals included measures to raise income taxes, a complete disregard of Comptroller DiNapoli’s warnings back in December. Fortunately, Governor Hochul has signaled that raising income taxes is a non-starter for her and we […]