Senator Skelos on what New York needs to grow

About a week ago, my colleagues afforded me the privilege of representing them as senate majority leader. Since then, I have traveled to Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Binghamton, Utica and other locations across Upstate to introduce myself to local leaders and to listen to their concerns. After my trip, I had two immediate observations: one, Upstate N.Y. is alive with ingenuity and determination, and its residents are working harder than ever to raise their families and improve their lives And two, many of those same families are working paycheck to paycheck and really struggling to make ends meet. They're feeling the crush of rising property taxes, rising gas prices, rising energy and health care costs, and the rising costs of necessities like bread and milk, and they need some relief. Upstate New York's economy is facing real challenges. Once a proud manufacturing hub with robust job and population growth, Upstate now lags behind the nation in job growth and competitiveness. We must lay a stronger foundation so workers can have good jobs, pay as little as possible in taxes and be successful in Upstate N.Y. Not long ago, Long Island faced these same issues: the downsizing of manufacturing and defense-related industry jobs, and young people leaving the area to seek greater opportunity elsewhere. We have worked hard to stop those losses through a partnership between industry, labor and our university and because Upstate already has many of those partnerships in place, it too can do the same. Just last year, the senate majority passed "UpstateNow," a comprehensive plan to create jobs and opportunity in cities and towns all across the region. The plan would transform and revitalize the Upstate economy, generate billions of dollars in new investment and create thousands of new jobs for New Yorkers who need them. UpstateNow includes initiatives to reduce taxes, energy and health care costs for employers; strengthen small businesses, manufacturing, agriculture, tourism and other key industries; make Upstate an international leader in new and emerging technologies; revitalize downtowns and local communities; support clean, renewable energy; strengthen the workforce; and enact sweeping reforms to make the region more competitive. We kept the pressure on for nearly a year, and as part of this year's budget we secured more than $1 billion for new capital investments for public colleges and universities - as well as investment in businesses to create jobs across the state - especially in Upstate N.Y. And we will do more. During the budget process, the senate majority rejected proposed increases in broad based taxes, including an assembly plan that would have given New Yorkers the highest income taxes in the nation and hurt our efforts to revitalize the Upstate economy. Before the legislative session closed, we were able to reform the state's Brownfield Cleanup Program to clean up and redevelop abandoned industrial sites to help revitalize Upstate cites, while also making the program more accountable to taxpayers. When it comes to the property tax crisis N.Y. is facing, the senate majority is committed to delivering a result that provides real relief, and we are working toward that goal. There has been much discussion about enacting a property tax cap, and if a cap is part of the solution then we will support a cap. However, it needs to be part of a more comprehensive fix that provides mandate relief for schools and actually reduces taxes for homeowners. It's important to note that the senate continues to be the only house to approve a property tax cap in any form, the only house to introduce the governor's property tax cap program bill, and the only house that has shown a willingness to address this important issue. As we have repeatedly made clear, providing real property tax relief continues to be the top priority of the senate majority conference. The senate majority fought against toll hikes imposed by the Thruway Authority, won a cap on gas taxes two years ago, called for a "summer gas tax holiday" this year (which was rejected by assembly democrats) and stopped the car tax and new taxes on gasoline that were advanced in this year's executive budget. And we will continue to work to cut taxes and create an environment more conducive to job creation and economic growth so Upstate families can be assured of their economic and financial security. Dean Skelos is the majority leader for the NYS Senate.