BORELLI, MALLIOTAKIS PUSH FOR TAX REFORM
Assemblyman Joseph Borelli (R,C,I-South Shore), and Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis (R,C,I-Mid Island) are calling on Governor Andrew Cuomo to include New York City in the proposed reduction of the corporate tax on manufacturers outside of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority region. The two Staten Island Republicans have been joined by Queens Democratic Assemblyman William Scarborough, and Borelli was recently featured in a Daily News Op Ed on this topic.
Available data shows that between 2001 and 2008, New York City alone saw a higher rate of manufacturing jobs lost compared to every other region in the state. Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens are ranked 1st, 2nd and 4th among New York State’s counties in terms of the number of manufacturing jobs lost. Manhattan, alone, lost more jobs than all of the counties of western New York combined. On Staten Island, there were 379 jobs lost, representing 25% of all manufacturing jobs in the borough.
The Governor has made it clear that the intention of this proposal is to strengthen Upstate’s ability to attract and keep manufacturers. However, it ignores the fact that a greater number of New York’s job losses in this sector come from the very region he is excluding.
“If we want to protect manufacturing jobs, we need to target areas that are losing them, including New York City,” said Assemblyman Joe Borelli. “While the goal is laudatory, it won’t have a significant impact on job growth unless it affects the whole state. Instead, this sets up a sort of economic wall and further perpetuates the Upstate-Downstate divide.”
“There has been a tremendous effort to restore New York to the manufacturing giant it once was. Our economic recovery still has a way to go but won’t be complete until our state’s manufacturing industry is resurgent, both upstate and in New York City. We can expand this well-intended strategy to help more of our state’s workers and create long-lasting, good-paying jobs,” said Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis.
