NORWICH – It’s time for business people to become more active, to write letters and make calls to New York State representatives and Chambers of Commerce in support of economic development and job creating policies.
That was the principal message delivered to Chenango County yesterday from Albany’s leading business advocacy organization, The Business Council of New York State Inc. President and Chief Executive Officer Heather Briccetti told those attending a Commerce Chenango and NBT Bank-sponsored breakfast at the American Legion that activists who oppose economic development have to become louder.
“We all need to be activists to make sure the legislature stays on track as pro-business and pro-job growth,” she said. “For too long the antis have been very, very vocal. The business community needs to band together and say something positive in support of growth and jobs.”
During her powerpoint presentation, Briccetti tipped her hat to Governor Andrew Cuomo for closing a $2 billion spending gap and strengthening New York’s economy for the past two years in a row. The Governor has laid a strong foundation upon which existing businesses can grow and new corporations are welcomed, she said, and the Business Council fully endorses him.
“I remember after 9/11, and the jobs lost on Wall Street. People in Albany weren’t sure we would ever get those jobs back. ... But we did, and we have to maintain state fiscal discussions to keep New York on track.”
The Business Council supports local government regulatory relief, broad business tax reforms, promotes private capital investment, particularly in upstate New York, and endorses Marcellus Shale development. Briccetti sits on a state panel created to ensure that state agencies and local governments will have the adequate resources to monitor hydraulic fracturing activities should the state decide to permit shale drilling. The council’s pro-gas drilling position is responsible for between 30 and 40 “hate e-mails” that Briccetti personally receives daily.
“We think it can be done safely, in an environmentally sound way and in a way that benefits those counties like Broome and Chenango where the shale is. But the antis have been more vocal. We need to be pro-activists,” she said.
The Council supports the Governor’s public pension reform plans. Tier VI, which was backed by the Chenango County Board of Supervisors just last week, would create more restrictive pension benefits for new state hires, and according to Briccetti, save state taxpayers $100 billion over a 30-year period.
“Since the middle class pay most of the taxes, this is a reform that will help the middle class, not hurt them as some would have you believe,” she said.
Another example of Business Council advocacy is to eliminate what the CEO called a “dumb” and “burdensome” Wage Theft Prevention Act that was passed during former Governor David Paterson’s term. The act requires workers to complete documents and hand them into their employers every two weeks.
“Businesses with thousands of employees don’t need this extra paperwork every two weeks. It’s a small sample of regulatory reduction, but we have objected to it. It’s a dumb, dumb bill that means nothing.”
Briccetti encouraged her audience to adopt an activist approach by supporting New York State Electric and Gas at public hearings this week. NYSEG filed an application with the Chenango Industrial Development Corporation for sales and use tax benefits on a line that is intended to enhance regional reliability in the face of increasing demand for electricity brought about by expansion plans at Chobani Greek Yogurt manufacturer, Agro Farma, Inc. Briccetti said business “should help each other get through regulatory hurdles.”
The Council offers Chambers and business owners a new interactive website called “Fix NY” that carries the issue of the day and a way to simply click and advocate for it in Albany. Companies can link their websites to “Fix NY” and their employees can go online to see the actions taken on their behalf.
Briccetti, 46, has been at the Business Council for four years. She was the lobby's interim chief since February 2011, and is the first woman to be appointed to the top position. The Business Council has 2,600 members, and is supported by a staff of seven who collectively represent more than 150 years of lobbying experience.