Upstate United Releases End of Session Affordability Agenda

June 3rd, 2025

Read the Upstate United 2025 Affordability Agenda here.

With the 2025 Legislative Session scheduled to end in the coming weeks, Upstate United is releasing its 2025 Affordability Agenda. The non-partisan organization representing businesses and trade organizations focuses on being pro-taxpayer and pro-economic growth, with a strong emphasis on the needs of Upstate New York.

“The buzzword of the year in Albany has, and continues to be, ‘affordability,’” said Justin Wilcox, Executive Director of Upstate United. “The problem, however, is that we simply cannot make New York a more affordable place to live if we continue to pass costs down to ratepayers, business owners, consumers, employers, etc. New Yorkers are already paying for the mandates that loom over us under the ambitious Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), while also worrying about inflation on everyday items, uncertainty of federal funding, tariff impacts and being saddled with some of the highest taxes in the nation.

“With so much talk about affordability, it’s perplexing as to why policymakers are even entertaining proposals that would pile on costs rather than alleviate them. For example, passing the New York HEAT Act will increase costs for consumers while limiting choice for how they heat and power their homes. Passing legislation to expand the prevailing wage will increase construction costs and threaten jobs. Passing the FAIR Act will lead to more lawsuits than resolutions. We cannot afford the costs and consequences of these measures and encourage state leaders to reject them, among others, in the remaining days of session.”