Business Council Of Westchester Praises State Budget Deal

The , the county’s business advocacy and membership organization, said Tuesday that the reached in Albany should have a positive impact on the Westchester business community. 

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the agreement Tuesday, with state lawmakers hoping to possibily finalize the package by Friday.

Here's the statement by the business council on the budget agreement:

With 2% or less growth in state spending, as well as a net reduction in All Funds spending for the second year in a row, our leaders demonstrate they remain committed to fiscal responsibility. 

The phased takeover of local government Medicaid administration expenses over the next three years should result in direct savings to businesses and taxpayers. With this critical element of mandate relief in place, the Business Council will work with the legislature and state government to progress other priorities, including reform of the State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) process. 

With the appointment of Lieutenant Governor Duffy as Chair of the Spending and Government  Efficiency (SAGE) Commission, the Business Council will continue to forcefully advocate in favor of structural and operational changes that will streamline the organizational structure of state government, for creation of a shared services model that will help create savings for the state, and development of metrics and targets to help improve performance and make government more open, transparent and accountable.

These fiscal reform measures are only one piece of New York State’s recovery. It is our hope that the launch of the New York Works Task Force, an initiative designed to develop a coordinated capital infrastructure plan among agencies and authorities, will help refine the use of resources and accelerate construction of critical infrastructure. $1.2 billion in new spending for these projects will literally help pave the road to recovery.

Building on fiscal reform and progression of infrastructure projects including the Tappan Zee Bridge, job creation is the core of our economic growth. The second round of funding to implement regional strategic plans developed through the Regional Councils totals $150 million in new capital funding. The Business Council will not only continue to serve on the Mid-Hudson Regional Council, but collaborate with our partners to better prepare our constituents to apply and compete for those funds, and ultimately create jobs in our region and county.