E-mail: info@johnceretto.com

The Wall Street Journal recently called New York State the "Tax Capital of the World" because it has the highest state and local tax burden. In 2009, New Yorkers had to work 115 days (until April 25th) until they earned enough money to pay all of their combined taxes. New York State, like the rest of the nation, is facing the worst economic crisis in decades. Families are struggling to make ends meet and are looking for relief from the State Legislature. 

New York government must curb spending. Over the past ten years, state spending increased by $58.7 billion, or 80 percent. If state government had kept spending to the rate of inflation for those ten years, taxpayers would have saved approximately $38 billion and New York would see a surplus now rather than a deficit. New Yorkers are already facing some of the highest local property taxes in the nation. In fact, when property taxes were measured as a percentage of home value, 10 out of the top 10 counties in the nation were located in Upstate New York.

The numbers don't lie - New York remains a "Tax Hell" as Money Magazine once called it. Since 2000, 1.97 million residents have left New York, the largest exodus experienced by any state. If relief is not provided immediately, more families and businesses will be forced to leave. One major cause of New York's overwhelming tax burden is unfunded state mandates on local governments. A top priority must be to extend Governor Paterson's Executive Order #17 on mandate relief to require a fiscal impact study on all legislation. This would help to curtail the unintended fiscal consequences that so often accompany even the best-intentioned legislative initiatives.

According to the Brennan Center for Justice, the New York State Legislature still maintains the title of the most dysfunctional legislature in the country. This dysfunction is evident through late budgets and uncontrolled spending. I am committed to sponsoring legislation enacting comprehensive reforms to bring efficiency, transparency, and accountability to our state government.

I also pledge to work with my colleagues in a bipartisan effort to cap state spending and ensure on-time and fiscally responsible budgets every year. While New York families and businesses struggle under the current fiscal crisis, state officials must work together to provide them the relief they need. That is why we must enact reforms to fix the broken system and restore the public's confidence in government.

New York's economy is dependent upon businesses' ability to create and retain jobs. Nearly 98 percent of all New York businesses are small ones - about 1.7 million in the state, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. More than half of all working New Yorkers earn a paycheck from a small business owner. Unfortunately, the sheer cost of doing business in New York has forced many businesses to close shop, resulting in numerous job losses. According to the New York State Department of Labor, the state lost a net of more than 212,200 private-sector jobs in the past year. More than 41,000 of those lost were manufacturing jobs.

New York State has the second-highest cost of doing business in the nation, following only Hawaii, according to the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). This ranking can be attributed to New York's high energy (4th highest) and health care costs (9th highest) and the worst combined tax burden in the nation, according to the Public Policy Institute. In fact, the Public Policy Institute concluded that government-related costs of living and doing business in New York are $35 billion above the national average, approximately $1,830 a year for every person in the state and $5,015 for every private-sector job above what they would be if the state imposed costs at an "average" rate. This extreme cost burden on families and businesses is impeding economic progress, weakening our competitive advantage in the global economy and causing a brain-drain by forcing skilled labor out of the state.

I support the creation of a statewide economic development plan that makes New York more competitive in attracting and creating new private sector jobs, while developing initiatives that retain jobs. This economic development plan must include Empire Zone reforms that make the program more business-friendly and a more effective tool for job creation and investment. I also believe that all Empire Zone program contracts with Qualified Empire Zone Enterprises  for 2008 and 2009 must be upheld to ensure the state meets its obligation to provide benefits promised for businesses investing in New York's economy.

I support Industrial Development Agency (IDA) reforms that reauthorize financing for not-for-profit civic facilities and more effectively promote local development with an emphasis on creating private sector jobs. To improve New York's infrastructure, a new five-year statewide capital plan for roads and bridges must be established to increase the safety and reliability of New York's roadways and help create jobs.

In addition, we must enact measures to reduce the tax burden on business, lower energy and health care costs, eliminate harmful regulations and provide incentives for job creation and retention.

The manufacturing industry has been devastated by New York's unfriendly business atmosphere. Between 2000 and 2008, approximately 209,000 manufacturing jobs were lost in the state, a loss of 27 percent of all upstate manufacturing jobs. I understand that manufacturing is critical to the health of the upstate economy. That is why I will propose measures to lower the tax burden on manufacturers and assist them with their training and job retention needs.

ATTAINING ENERGY EFFICIENCY

ADVANCING AGRICULTURE AND TOURISM

Agricultural production contributes significantly to the health of New York's economy, bringing in over $4.5 billion in 2007 alone. New York has 34,200 farms that occupy 7.5 million acres or approximately 25 percent of the state's land base. Despite the state's historic and economically vital agricultural tradition, many New York farmers are struggling to make ends meet. In fact, from 2006 to 2007, over 800 New York farms closed, due to high taxes and additional government regulations compounded by increased operational costs.

To assist farmers, I will support initiatives to increase farm-based renewable energy resources such as bio-fuels, wind power and anaerobic digesters. I also will work to promote buy-local agricultural initiatives.

Agriculture is also a major contributor to New York's tourism industry, with millions of people visiting the state's farms, vineyards, parks, and waterways each year. In 2007, tourists contributed $51 billion to New York's local economy, a 9 percent increase from 2006. Agriculture, fishing, and mining accounted for a combined $473 million, while recreation and entertainment accounted for $5.6 billion in sales. Visitors to New York City generated over $31 billion in sales alone. In addition to supporting opportunities for business expansion and the creation of jobs, I support measures to ensure the success of New York's agriculture and tourism industries so they continue to prosper and thrive statewide

I am committed to ensuring that all children in our state receive a quality education and graduate to become productive and contributing members of New York's workforce and society. During the 2007-08 school year, total education expenditures in New York were $51.7 billion (including federal, state and local shares) for an average of $15,211 per pupil. According to a U.S. Census Bureau 2008 report, New York's spending per student is the highest in the nation. Despite taking the lead in spending, New York still falls short in the areas of test scores, graduation rates and school district accountability.

New York has some of the best teachers and administrators in the country; however, taxpayer dollars are wasted through misuse of school district property and pension fraud. Instances of taxpayer abuse appear all over the state costing taxpayers millions. Over the past year, the State Attorney General's office has uncovered more than 70 cases of lawyers falsely listed as employees of school districts for the sake of securing them taxpayer funded pension benefits.


Both state government and local school districts must take appropriate action to stop abuse and guarantee taxpayer dollars are used appropriately. That is why I support measures to enhance educational opportunities for student success and ensure that children get the full return on every dollar invested in state education.

While there have been some successes on this front, including enacting a civil confinement law, strengthening Megan's Law, expanding the DNA database, and eliminating the statute of limitations for the worst sex crimes, we must continue to fight to protect our families and communities from dangerous sex offenders. That is why I support a comprehensive legislative package to provide law enforcement the tools necessary to convict sex offenders, the courts the authority to impart higher maximum sentences, and citizens the proper notification when sex offenders are released back into the community.

I recognize the need to address crime at the many levels it threatens our safety and life enjoyment. Whether providing law enforcement the tools to combat gang-related crimes, stiffening penalties for chronic criminals, addressing crimes committed at schools, or addressing the threat of terrorism, I support sound strategies to fight crime in our communities

Those strategies include my support of the Chronic Criminal Act, which would create the crime of "Aggravated Criminal Conduct" when a criminal commits a Class A Penal Law misdemeanor after having been previously convicted of three or more Penal Law misdemeanors (or felonies) within the previous 10 years, punishable as a Class E felony and up to four years in state prison;  Three Strikes and You're In, which would require defendants who have been separately convicted and sentenced for three or more violent felonies, and who are determined by a court to be persistent violent felony offenders, to be sentenced to life imprisonment without parole; Suzanne's Law, which would increase the penalties for specific crimes if committed upon school grounds and also increase number of areas designated as "school grounds"; and Bullying and Hazing in Schools which would increase penalties for hazing. It would also define and prohibit the bullying or cyber-bullying of students and others on school property, as well as require disciplinary action to be in accordance with each district's code of conduct.

Home ownership has traditionally been part of the American Dream. Nevertheless, in today's tough economic times, many New Yorkers are finding it difficult to afford a new home, keep a home or make necessary repairs to maintain an existing home.

In 2008, the number of foreclosure filings in New York State was up 29 percent from 2007 and up 129 percent from 2006, for a total of 50,032 foreclosed properties, according to the latest RealtyTrac U.S. Foreclosure Market Report. Although New York was below the 2008 national average increase of 81 percent from 2007, the housing crisis is having a negative impact across the state.

I will not stay silent while dreams of owning a home slip away from New York families. That is why I support vital property tax relief and housing initiatives to make home ownership more affordable.

I very much appreciate the commitment and sacrifice made every day by members of our armed forces and emergency service volunteers. Whether serving overseas or in our neighborhoods, these brave and selfless individuals put their lives on the line to keep our families safe.

It is imperative that we recognize the need to honor our military personnel, volunteer first responders and their families for their sacrifice and dedicated service. That is why I support measures to help ensure these brave heroes receive the proper help and resources they deserve.