Time to discuss ‘elephant in the room’
Long before the COVID-19 pandemic, New York’s economy was floundering.
This past week, we held a legislative session that while addressing some aspects of the pandemic, did little to deal with the challenges our economy was facing long before the virus struck and caused further damage.
As we better prepare for the potential of a second wave of the virus and for a future pandemic, we must work to safely reopen New York’s beleaguered economy so people can go back to work and help small businesses rebound.
However, we don’t want to go back to the environment we had before that led to massive population loss and a struggling economy, particularly in Upstate New York. We need to take this opportunity now to reboot the state’s agenda to make our economy more competitive for the future.
Consider these troubling metrics: The Empire State is ranked number one in the nation for highest tax burden according to a study by USA Today.
New York is ranked 50th in the nation for “Tax Freedom Day” (May 3rd) when taxpayers symbolically pay off all their tax obligations on the federal, state and local levels and start pocketing their hard-earned money.
New York came in as the second worst state to retire in 2019 based on a study by Bankrate.com.
As of July 1, 2019, the Census Bureau estimates show 180,649 more residents moved out of New York State than moved in from other states over the previous 12 months, the Empire Center for Public Policy found.
Last year was the fourth straight year New York has lost population.
New York State followed up its net loss of 1.7 million residents from 2000 to 2009 with a loss of 1.4 million residents this past decade. This loss leads the nation in largest overall population decline, according to Census data.
New York is also facing a skills gap where 42 percent (5.65 million) New Yorkers have a high school diploma or less and are being left out of the technology and clean energy jobs that the state has made a push to attract.
Despite what some have said, it’s not just “the weather” as to why people are leaving New York as 16 percent of those who left the Empire State went to “sunny and balmy” New Jersey, according to the Empire Center.
It’s expected this population loss will result in New York losing at least one congressional seat in the 2022 redistricting, further reducing the state’s clout on the federal level.
It’s important to note
that all of these depressing statistics are pre-COVID-19. We can only guess that the ongoing economic shutdown, due to the pandemic, will have significantly negative long-term impacts on our state and may lead to even more people escaping from New York.
Regardless of one’s philosophical viewpoint, it’s clearly an indication that the state’s economic agenda is failing if people who can afford to leave the state do so! And the burden of funding important services falls more and more on a declining population and those from the middle class and lower income levels.
It begs the question, when enough people who can afford to leave New York State are gone, who will be left to pay for the infrastructure, health care, schools, public safety and other necessities?
While the pandemic has temporarily distracted the effort, I have begun the process of working with my colleagues in a non-partisan way to shine a bright light on this elephant in the room to stop the massive exodus of New Yorkers who have fled our state by reversing the failed agenda which has helped cause this incredible population loss.
We can begin to make our economy more competitive by creating a climate that incentivizes job creation and small business development by focusing on spending priorities such as education, health care and infrastructure and not wasting tax dollars on things like the Governor’s $420 million tax giveaway to Hollywood film studios.
We need mandate relief to help lower local property taxes for residents and businesses and regulatory reform to cut through bureaucratic red tape.
The Governor has issued dozens of executive orders during this crisis to cut through the layers of state government. We can do this outside of the pandemic to help small businesses fuel job growth and enable entrepreneurs to invest in our state. This won’t happen unless we use the bully pulpit and take the lead to engage the public and media and highlight this issue.
New York has a chance to be the Empire State again but we can’t do that unless we admit there is a problem and talk openly and honestly about the elephant in the room – the exodus of people from the state and the failed economic policies that’s driven that incredible out-migration. When our state’s leaders begin to do that, we can then flip the script and change the agenda in Albany and prevent the Empire State from becoming the Empty State.
Senator Jim Tedisco (R,C,I-REF-Glenville) represents the 49th State Senate District which includes parts of Saratoga, Schenectady and Herkimer Counties and all of Fulton and Hamilton Counties.