Local GOP Candidates Stump for Jobs Growth Legislation
Two Republican state legislators and a GOP candidate for the state Senate last week called on the Democratic-controlled Assembly to pass a bill that they contend would spur job growth throughout New York.
State Sen. Greg Ball (R-C/Patterson), Assemblyman Robert Castelli (R-C/Goldens Bridge) and Bob Cohen, who is running for the 37th Senate District, converged at A&S Market in Mount Kisco on Friday to urge the Assembly to support the 2012 New Jobs legislation that has been approved by the Senate. The bill could come up for a vote when lawmakers reconvene for a special session later this year.
Key points of the legislation include elimination of taxes paid by manufacturers for three years; reduction of the corporate tax rate for small businesses; a 10 percent personal income tax credit for small business owners; phasing out an energy tax approved in 2009; and providing a tax credit of up to $5,000 for each new job created. The credit would increase to as much as $8,000 if a new job goes to someone who is unemployed and up to $10,000 for a new job provided to a returning member of the armed forces.
Ball, Castelli and Cohen also hope to push legislation that would allow the state to create public-private partnerships for capital projects such as construction of the new Tappan Zee Bridge.
During Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s administration the state has taken measurers to encourage job creation but more needs to be done, Ball said. The state needs to “overturn the openly hostile environment that has been created for small businesses owners” over the years, he said.
“We have an opportunity with the Tappan Zee to create tens of thousands of local jobs, high paying jobs, jobs that will allow people to send their kids to college, to make their mortgage payments, real jobs and to do that we have got to begin to partner with the private sector,” Ball said.
”I think it’s critical that we continue to allow small businesses to grow and expand here in New York State,” Cohen added. “As a small business owner I realize that they create almost 60 percent of the new jobs.”
Castelli said A&S Market is an example of a new business “that’s infusing some energy into our communities.” He said the Assembly and Cuomo should support the bill “to ensure that New York is open for business again and we remain the Empire State.”
Ball said he was confident that Cuomo could convince Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver to have his chamber support the Senate jobs bill.
