Steve McLauqhlin

From:
Sent:
To:

Steve McLaughlin < mclaughlins@assembly.state.ny.us>

Thursday, May 26, 201,61:47 PM

Subject:

How to make sure NY isn't last every year

'brcnys@exec.ny.gov'

To Whom It May Concern:

Thank you for creating an email account to explore opportunities to help New York's struggling
business environment.

I am deeply troubled by how our state treats small businesses. Politically-motivated gimmicks and
exorbitant tax amnesty programs are not addressing the root causes of decline and failure: taxes, regulations and
labor costs. The fact that we literally have to pay businesses to operate in New York, costing future generations
billions, speaks to the misguided approach of our state's political elite. New York is, and has been, dead last in
business climate for years.

It is no surprise that small businesses are failing at an alarming rate. While they make up 98 percent of
businesses in New York State, they employ 52 percent of our workforce. Increasing health insurance costs,
burdensome government regulations, a hostile legal environment, and high taxes are driving small businesses
out of New York. The Wall Street Journal previously christened our state as the "Tax Capitol of the World."
The foilowing legislation may help resolve these issues, so you should consider them as opportunities
for your business panel:

The Small Business Full Employment Act provides tax and regulatory relief to small businesses, which
includes reducing the Corporate Franchise Tax (CFT) and expanding the Personal Income Tax (PIT)
exemption for small businesses. (5898, Kolb).

The "Learning for Work" Program includes a three-part plan to accelerate career readiness and reduce
the burden of student loan debt. Businesses will receive a $ 1,500 per apprentice tax credit for taking part
in the Youth Apprentice Program (A.8695, Lupinacci).

The Veteran Owned Business Enterprise Act extends state benefits to honorably discharged veterans as
they are currently offered to minority- and women-owned business enterprises (A.4418, Kolb).

The "Grow NY" pilot program provides grants to economic development entities that give assistance to
second-stage companies that employ five to 99 people (A.2677-A, Kolb).

The "BizBoom" startup program cuts all application fees for new businesses by 50 percent for the first
year, while eliminating business income taxes for the first year and reducing income tax rates for the
second and third years (A.4074, Kolb).

"Innovators Corps" establishes a four-member division of business experts to identify, recruit, and/or
retain domestic and international high-technology businesses (A.4082, Kolb).

A wage tax credit should be provided to employers who employ New York National Guard men and
women, reservists, volunteer firefighters, and EMS personnel (A.3202, Hawley).

We should allow local social services districts, at their option, to immediately contact a welfare recipient
who fails to comply with job training or work experience requirements. After providing the recipient
with a verbal notice of the failure to comply, social services can immediately conduct a verbal
conciliation effort to resolve any good faith issues needed to re-engage the recipient in job training
(A.51 19, Goodell).

Our state's tax, fee, fine and harass mentality is fbrcing businesses to pack up shop and leave our state in
record numbers, eroding our tax base and destroying families. Handpicked and politically-motivated 'winners'
and 'losers' are costing taxpayers exorbitant amounts of money and the process seems to be riddled with pay-toplay schemes and bureaucratic inetficiencies. We don't have two, five, or ten years to waste on half-baked
economic development experiments and empty promises.
We need to immediately shut down the clearly unsuccessful Start-Up NY program. Throwing good
money away and wasting $45 million on ads designed to change the image (but clearly not the reality) of New
York has failed miserably.

This is our children's and grandchildren's future we are talking about and action must be taken
immediately. I have outlined a number of well-crafted solutions and my hope is that you treat them with the
same consideration as your own marginally-successful economic development initiatives.
In closing, I thank you for your consideration and look forward to working together for the benefit of
our struggling small-business community. If you should have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate
to contact my office.
Sincerely,
Steve
1

07th

Mclaughlin
Assembly District