Cuomo urged to rescind unemployment fees
The top Republican in the state Assembly has called on Gov. Andrew Cuomo to rescind extra fees hitting businesses around the state.
The state is charging most companies up to $21.25 per employee to cover $95 million of interest payments it owes to the federal government.
THE WAY FORWARD TO PROSPERITY
CAP STATE SPENDING, REFORM THE TAX CODE, BAN UNFUNDED MANDATES, GET MOVING ON PRIVATE SECTOR JOB CREATION
Legislative column from Assembly Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb (R,I,C-Canandaigua)
Much of the news these past few weeks has focused on our nation’s capitol with its heated back-and-forth discussions about raising the nation’s debt limit, passing real spending cuts and enacting structural reforms to programs that will finally bring the federal budget back into balance. As expected, a great deal of the “debt debate” in Washington has been dominated by partisan politics and political rhetoric.
NEW YORK NEEDS AN ADULT CONVERSATION ABOUT FISCAL REALITY
What seems to have gotten lost in Washington’s partisan squabbling is the genuine need to restore fiscal sanity at ALL levels of government. Here in New York State, I genuinely believe that we need an adult conversation about getting our Empire State back on track and headed toward long-term financial health. This journey begins – and ends – with restoring fiscal accountability that will lead to a stronger, more affordable and prosperous New York State.
While the 2011-12 State Budget achieved some progress on this front, New York State still faces massive financial challenges. Those challenges are not far off on some distant horizon – they are right here, today, and are as follows:
State government still spends too much;
New York’s tax code is too confusing, complex and costly for taxpayers and businesses and acts as a disincentive to private sector job creation; Albany continues to pass its buck – along with its costs – onto the backs of local governments and school districts leading to higher property taxes;
Our economy remains stuck in neutral and there are not enough good-paying private sector jobs to keep our kids here.
Fortunately, there is a real solution to every problem – and solving New York’s financial problems are no exception. I believe that the solutions are straightforward: cap state spending; reform New York’s tax code so it is fairer and flatter; prevent Albany from continuing to pass unfunded mandates, and remove regulatory barriers to private sector jobs creation.
CAP STATE SPENDING
New York State government does not have a revenue problem, it has a spending problem. Case in point: over the past decade, state spending has risen by nearly 50 percent!
Without question, Albany must learn how to live within its means and stop spending more than it takes in. Liberal politicians in Albany always promise to cut spending but we all know what those promises are worth. The true solution requires enacting a state spending cap that imposes fiscal discipline on Albany. I have introduced legislation – Assembly Bill A.5370 – that would establish a cap limiting the growth of state spending to no more than the average rate of inflation of the three previous calendar years. This cap will make fiscal accountability a reality and prevent Albany from continuing to run up the public credit card.
REFORM NEW YORK’S TAX CODE
New York’s tax code is nearly six thousand pages long and requires an advanced degree in accounting, economics and the law to comprehend fully. It is no exaggeration to say that our state’s complex, complicated and costly tax code is a major disincentive to job creation. Businesses look to other states with less complicated tax codes that do not penalize earnings, savings, investment and innovation the way New York does. We need to move forward with real tax reform that leads to a simpler, fairer and flatter tax code resulting in lower tax rates for everyone. Fixing New York’s tax code will reduce tax rates for families and businesses and it’s what President Reagan achieved as part of bi-partisan tax reform during his administration. Our economy would benefit as real tax reform could unleash a wave of private sector job creation.
BAN ALBANY’S UNFUNDED MANDATES
Whenever Albany tells local governments to do something – start a program, provide a service, meet a perceived need – and doesn’t provide any funding, that is an “unfunded mandate.” The increased costs caused by unfunded mandates are absorbed by local governments and school districts and lead to increased local property taxes for homeowners. I have introduced two legislative initiatives – Assembly Bills A.4811 and A.8447 – that would place a permanent moratorium on certain unfunded state mandates imposed on local governments and school districts; require fiscal notes on bills stating the estimated annual costs to affected communities; and create the “Unfunded Mandate Reform Plan” to identify unfunded mandates that need to be repealed. My bills would target unfunded mandates and stop Albany’s continued cost shift.
REMOVE BARRIERS TO PRIVATE SECTOR JOB CREATION
As we wait for Governor Cuomo’s Regional Economic Development Councils to get moving, almost 800,000 unemployed New Yorkers continue hurting. We need to get Albany’s focus back where it needs to be: jobs, jobs, jobs. This means removing regulatory barriers to private sector job creation and transforming State Agencies so they work with, instead of against, job creators and support the job-creation environment New Yorkers have been demanding.
Capping spending, reforming the tax code, banning Albany’s unfunded mandates, and removing regulatory barriers to private sector job creation – these are common sense steps that we can, and should, take to move New York forward and increase prosperity here in the Empire State. We already know the problems; now is the time for Albany to get moving on real solutions!
As always, constituents wishing to discuss this topic or any other state-related matter should contact my district office at (315) 781-2030, or e-mail me at kolbb@assembly.state.ny.us. You can also follow me on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and informational updates regarding state government and our Assembly Minority Conference.
Guest essay: New York: Open for business
By Assemblyman Brian Kolb
Messenger Post
WEEK OF: JULY 15, 2011
Canandaigua, N.Y. —
Now that the 2011 legislative session has concluded, state legislators need to focus on jump-starting New York’s economy and creating the hundreds of thousands of jobs our state needs to get people back to work. Doing so will restore the Empire State to its status as a national leader in economic development, entrepreneurship and innovation.
My background in starting and running successful private companies has shaped the non-partisan legislative agenda I am promoting. My agenda has one goal: making New York the jobs state. So expect to hear these three words for the next several months: “jobs, jobs, jobs.” They represent the agenda I will push Albany to pursue.
New York has one of the best-educated, hardest-working, most productive workforces in the nation. Harnessing the creative capital of New Yorkers, clearing government regulatory roadblocks, and enacting pro-growth economic policies are all keys to unleashing the true economic and job-creating potential of our state. All of this will happen if we listen to New York’s business community and workforce, and respond by giving them the tools they need to succeed.
New York’s unemployment rate for May 2011 stood at 7.9 percent, with a reported 752,100 individuals classified as unemployed. Getting this many New Yorkers back to work begins, and ends, with creating more private-sector jobs, promoting regional economic development and encouraging the entrepreneurial spirit of our citizens.
There are several policies our state can enact to get the economy back on track and promote job creation, innovation and entrepreneurship:
• No new taxes. This includes fees, assessments, surcharges or any “revenue enhancers,” which are tax hikes by another name. Tax hikes destroy jobs.
• Stop any new unfunded mandates imposed by Albany that drive up costs for businesses, local governments or taxpayers.
• Move forward with the governor’s Regional Economic Development Councils and have them immediately begin working to attract domestic and international investment to New York from private sector companies and promote regional economic development projects.
• Continue shrinking the size and cost of the state bureaucracy and make state agencies more responsive and attuned to the needs of job creators.
• Cap state spending.
• Invest in manufacturing by forging new private-public partnerships between private sector businesses and our educational and vocational institutions such as SUNY and BOCES. Offer targeted tax incentives to manufacturing businesses for each new person they hire.
• Streamline the state’s bureaucratic rules, remove regulatory burdens on job creators, and help businesses cut through government red tape on everything from grant applications, facility siting and environmental review.
• Have every agency, department or other every entity of state government send a clear and consistent message: New York State is open for, and wants, your business, and is a terrific place to start a new business or expand an existing business.
These are just a few of the many public policies I am advancing as legislation, and will continue developing, to get New York’s economy back on track and create more jobs. Putting people back to work and growing our economy are absolute necessities.
For too long we have accepted the false premise that New York State is the wrong place to invest and create jobs. It is time to re-write that script and for the Empire State to once again control its own economic destiny.
Canandaigua Republican Brian Kolb is the state Assembly’s minority leader.
Copyright 2011 MPNnow. Some rights reserved
Kolb: “It was a very good session”
By Robert Harding
Source: AuburnPub.com | Posted: Thursday, July 14, 2011 12:04 am
Legislators on both sides of the aisle have given positive reviews of this legislative session.
Count Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb among those believing the session was a good one.
In a recent interview, Kolb shared his assessment of the session and also talked about hydrofracking and prison closures.
Compared to past sessions, Kolb thought it was a good session. He pointed to the passage of a property tax cap, ethics reform and an on-time state budget. He also mentioned passage of Article X legislation and Power for Jobs.
“All of those in one year have been things I’ve been clamoring for for a long time,” he said. “I think it was very good from that perspective.”
He added later: “I think there were significant accomplishments made.”
But Kolb also pointed out certain topics that the legislature did not address. The legislature did not do “significant” mandate relief, Kolb said, and did not address Medicaid and pension reform. He called it a “missed opportunity,” even though the legislature did secure $127 million in mandate relief this year. But that total is far below what mandate relief supporters wanted.
Kolb also mentioned independent redistricting as an issue that wasn’t addressed. He hoped the legislature would address redistricting this session and has taken his redistricting reform message to radio shows this week.
“There was no clear signals there was going to be any real work done on it since the two majorities would just as soon not have independent redistricting,” he said.
Aside from those criticisms, however, Kolb believes the session was successful, especially when comparing it to his previous sessions in office.
“I think it was significantly better than prior years. Prior to Governor Cuomo coming on board, the prior three years under Governor (Eliot) Spitzer and Governor (David) Paterson were flat at best. I think it just goes to show you when you have a strong governor, that person can make a difference in the process bringing people together and pushing to get things done,” he said. “From a productivity prospective, it’s been very good.”
On prison closures, Kolb said “it was no secret” that closures and consolidations were coming. Because of the times, Kolb said, while closures aren’t preferred, tough decisions need to be made.
Long term, Kolb expressed concern over the state’s criminal justice policies. He questioned whether these policies were putting more criminals back on the streets. He said there is a need to be “vigilant” about not going soft on crime in New York.
“That’s a trend we don’t want to go back to,” he said.
Kolb has reviewed the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s preliminary revised draft SGEIS. He thought it was good that the DEC would rule out some geographic areas of the state for drilling, including watersheds, and believes that the drilling would be mostly in the Southern Tier.
“Ultimately, we can have hydrofracking done in a safe way in New York State and the DEC will be the shepherd to make sure that happens,” he said.
Looking ahead, Kolb said mandate relief, Medicaid reform and pension reform are a few areas to focus on. He also said jobs and the economy are important.
This was Kolb’s second full session as minority leader of the Assembly Republicans. He was elected leader in 2009, replacing Assemblyman James Tedisco.
NYS ASSEMBLY MINORITY LEADER BRIAN KOLB: “2011 SESSION ACHIEVED REAL PROGRESS ON TACKLING NEW YORK’S CHALLENGES; FOCUS MUST SHIFT TO UNFUNDED MANDATE RELIEF, CREATING PRIVATE SECTOR JOBS”
STATEMENT FROM NYS ASSEMBLY MINORITY LEADER
BRIAN M. KOLB (R,I,C-CANANDAIGUA)
The 2011 Legislative Session achieved real progress on tackling some of New York State’s most pressing challenges. This session we:
• Closed a $10 billion deficit without resorting to tax increases or borrowing;
• Passed an on-time State Budget for the first time in a long time;
• Made the “Power for Jobs” program permanent;
• Reduced spending and began rightsizing state government;
• Enacted a real property tax cap that made a down payment on relief for homeowners;
• Renewed Article X, New York’s expired power plant siting law;
• Implemented a rational SUNY tuition policy to help families better plan for future education costs, while keeping SUNY a national leader in educational excellence; and
• Passed bi-partisan ethics reform.
These accomplishments were cornerstones of the public policy agenda Assembly Republicans have long championed. Each of these reforms was better than what New York had, but we can do even better than this. Absent significant relief from unfunded mandates and Albany-imposed cost drivers, New York’s property tax crisis remains. The unfunded mandate relief contained in tonight’s session-ending omnibus bill was insufficient; it did not address two of Albany’s biggest cost drivers: Medicaid and pensions. Going forward, we need to:
• Remove Medicaid mandates off the backs of localities;
• Enact defined-benefit, defined-contribution pension reform;
• Pass a state spending cap to ensure Albany lives within its means; and
• Move forward with a true economic development and private sector job creation plan that puts the hundreds of thousands of unemployed New Yorkers back to work.
Kolb wants mandate relief addressed before end of session
Source: Auburn Public Citizen, AuburnPub.com
June 22, 2011
By Robert Harding
Contributed Photo: Assembly Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb (R,I,C-Canandaigua) is pictured (center, speaking at podium) calling for unfunded mandate relief to protect local taxpayers during a press conference in the Assembly Parlor in Albany on Monday morning. Leader Kolb was joined by his Assembly Republican colleagues, along with Rensselaer County Executive Kathy Jimino (pictured to Kolb’s immediate right) and Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks (pictured to Kolb’s immediate left). Also participating in today’s press conference were Tom Quackenbush, Chairman of the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors, and Tim Kremer, Executive Director of the New York State School Boards Association. Leader Kolb’s message was that there was still time to pass unfunded mandate relief before the 2011 Legislative Session concluded.
While legislative leaders and Governor Andrew Cuomo negotiate deals on outstanding issues, including a property tax cap, Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb wants the state to address one more issue before the legislative session ends: Mandate relief.
Kolb, who has introduced the Taxpayer Protection and Mandate Relief Act in the Assembly, believes addressing unfunded mandates for local governments should happen now and legislators should not wait.
“Unfunded mandates – the endless stream of rules, regulations and bureaucratic requirements imposed on high from Albany onto local governments and school districts – result in higher property taxes for homeowners. Whether it is filling out administrative paperwork, building a school, delivering Medicaid services, or providing health care and pensions, state government mandates what localities should do, and how they should do it, without providing funding to pay for it. It’s wrong, it’s irresponsible and needs to stop,” Kolb said.
Kolb continued: “As someone who has served on a school board, as well as in town and county government, I know firsthand that state unfunded mandates are nightmares for localities, as is Albany’s fiscal irresponsibility, yet these issues have been left on Albany’s backburner. Robert Kennedy once said ‘There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why… I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?’ Today, a coalition of state legislators, county leaders and local government advocates dares to dream of a better future for taxpayers and asks ‘why not?’ Why not unfunded mandate relief this year, this session? Why not an up or down vote on unfunded mandate relief and fiscal restraint proposals introduced in the Assembly and Senate? Why not set partisan politics aside and take action to protect the pocketbooks of local taxpayers from Albany’s mandated cost drivers before session finishes?”
Kolb may get his wish. The AP reported Tuesday that an agreement between Cuomo and legislative leaders will include mandate relief. What exactly that means is unclear, as the full details of the agreement have not been unveiled.
Kolb Lauds Ruling Allowing Collection of Cigarette Taxes
Source: WAUB, WGVA Radio
Finger Lakes Daily News.com
6/22/2011 6:17:51 AM
Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb released the following on his reaction to the court ruling today …
“Today is a good day for upstate. The just-announced State Appellate Division ruling that lifted the temporary order preventing the collection of taxes on cigarettes sold on Native American lands to non-Native American Indians is a big victory for taxpayers, businesses and everyone who believes in the rule of law.
“We have endured court case after court case, delay after delay, excuse after excuse. Now, all the legal roadblocks have finally been removed. New York has a ‘green light’ to move full speed ahead with enforcing the law, collecting the taxes and leveling the playing field.
“I urge the Department of Taxation and Finance to begin the tax collections immediately. It has taken 17 years, but we are finally at the point where the law is going to be enforced and we will have justice and fairness for all.”
Revisiting Mandate Relief
By Alice Maggiore
Credit: New York State Assembly, Brian Kolb’s Office
June 20, 2011
Albany, NY (WBNG Binghamton) Before the 2011 legislative session wraps for the summer, some leaders revisit mandate relief. It’s an issue they say is important, but has sit on the backburner for too long.
Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb and other members of the Assembly are calling out to Governor Cuomo and state government, saying it’s time to provide cuts in unfunded mandates.
Kolb says it’s not about party lines, but about taxpayer ideas.
They say the state has a responsibility to lessen the burden to New York counties, municipalities and school districts.
“They feel the pinch every single day. Whether it’s a tax at the pump, a tax on the cell phone bill, whether its their property tax, sales tax, the poor taxpayers of the state of New York have had enough and we need to find ways to reduce their costs, not just hold them steady,” says Brian Kolb, a republican.
Kolb says he hopes Monday’s conference will spur debate and discussion.
Feed time was provided by the New York State Assembly.
NYS ASSEMBLY MINORITY LEADER BRIAN KOLB: UNFUNDED MANDATE RELIEF FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS CANNOT WAIT, ALBANY MUST DELIVER BEFORE SESSION CONCLUDES
STATEMENT FROM NYS ASSEMBLY MINORITY LEADER
BRIAN KOLB (R,I,C-CANANDAIGUA)
“As the 2011 Legislative Session enters its final week, the unresolved issue
of unfunded mandate relief cannot wait – or be allowed to fall through the
cracks in Albany as seems to happen every year. Delivering unfunded mandate
relief that actually saves money for local governments and school districts
is a must-do priority before session concludes June 20. Just as we have on
the property tax cap, ethics reform and other unfinished business, Assembly
Republicans are also leading the fight in calling for action on unfunded
mandate relief, this year, this session.
Unfunded mandates – the endless river of rules, regulations and red tape
that Albany imposes on local governments and school districts that
ultimately raises local property taxes – are true budget busters accounting
for as much as 80 to 85 percent of many Counties’ expenses, according to the
New York State Association of Counties. Unless Albany does something to
address these principal cost drivers, state government will simply keep
passing its buck, and its costs, onto the backs of local governments,
forcing local taxpayers to make up the difference. This vicious circle must
be broken. The vast majority of local governments and school districts have
already tightened their belts and reduced operating costs. Now, Albany
needs to step up to the plate and actually deliver on the promise of
unfunded mandate relief as our Conference and I have been urging for years.
Eliminating administrative mandates is a decent start, but we can, and
should, go further. We have to deliver serious unfunded mandate relief that
actually saves money for local governments and school districts. This means
providing a moratorium on new unfunded mandates for as long as a property
tax cap is in place; freezing County Medicaid costs; giving the Governor and
state Legislature the power to repeal existing unfunded mandates; allowing
localities to seek waivers from state government on specific unfunded
mandates and enacting comprehensive pension reform. Equally important, we
need a state spending cap to ensure state government tightens its belt as
localities already have done. In fact, if a spending cap had been in place
over the past 10 years, spending would have been $30 billion less this year.
These are just some of the common sense steps we can take toward delivering
unfunded mandate relief and addressing Albany’s cost drivers that hurt local
governments, school districts and taxpayers.”
People’s Convention’ coming to town
Thu, Jun 2nd 2011 02:15 pm
Source: NFP, Niagara Frontier Publications
Assemblyman John Ceretto, R-I-Lewiston, and Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb will host a “People’s Convention to Reform New York” town hall meeting in Niagara Falls on Wednesday, June 8. The event is scheduled from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at the Niagara Falls Public Library, 1425 Main St.
The forum is being held to build support for the People’s Convention to Reform New York Act (Assembly Bill A.1262), legislation designed to provide state residents with an opportunity to bring change to state government by holding a People’s Convention to amend the state constitution. If enacted, the bill would put the question of whether New York should convene a People’s Convention on the 2011 ballot, rather than waiting until 2017 to hold it, as it is legally mandated.
“A People’s Convention provides another avenue to end the traditional partisan, gimmick-driven politics that New Yorkers have become accustomed to,” said Ceretto. “Citizens are demanding real long-term solutions that address our state’s fiscal problems – state government can no longer use the wallets of New York residents as its personal ATM. Our conference believes strongly that, if enacted, this legislation puts power in the hands of New Yorkers, giving them the ability to transform their state government into one that works for them once again.”
A People’s Convention to Reform New York is a grassroots, non-partisan reform effort to empower citizens so they can take back their state government and, in the process, chart a positive, new direction for New York. Furthermore, the legislation specifically requires that any elected official seeking to run as a delegate for, or serve in, the People’s Convention must first resign his office.”
“I invite members of the community to join Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb and I in an important conversation about the People’s Convention to Reform New York and learn how this non-partisan grassroots reform effort would benefit them as taxpayers,” said Ceretto.
