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OPINION: NYS Budget Creates Opportunities for Growth, Includes Risks
Following a year of economic turmoil and uncertainty created by the COVID-19 crisis, New York State passed its 2021-22 fiscal year budget [on April 7.]. The $212 billion plan includes funding that will advance important opportunities and drive progress across New York. Significant investments are rightfully being made in schools, childcare, and higher education, which will create […]
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Following a year of economic turmoil and uncertainty created by the COVID-19 crisis, New York State passed its 2021-22 fiscal year budget [on April 7.]. The $212 billion plan includes funding that will advance important opportunities and drive progress across New York. Significant investments are rightfully being made in schools, childcare, and higher education, which will create long-term impact by supporting today’s workforce and tomorrow’s talent.
Likewise, infrastructure investments will support projects like I-81 and will also provide local governments with increased resources for road and bridge maintenance and repairs. Perhaps the most impactful for our member businesses is the COVID-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Program, for which we strongly advocated. It provides $1 billion in grants and tax incentives to companies with fewer than 100 employees — those that faced the most serious economic challenges of the pandemic.
While this funding is important, there are elements of the budget that miss the mark and are unsustainable as they put the state’s overall spending levels within striking distance of California’s state budget, though New York has half the population. Among the most significant points of concern is the hike in the corporate-tax rate on revenue above $5 million. Right now, businesses across the state are recovering from unprecedented hardships created by the COVID-19 pandemic and raising taxes will place an unnecessary burden on these economic engines. There is also significant risk of driving revenue out of New York by placing 50 percent of the income-tax burden on 2 percent of the population. New York’s competitive position is not improved by increasing our already-high tax rates.
We continue to review this budget and will work with state leaders to ensure businesses in the region can continue to grow and drive our economy forward. We encourage our members to connect with us about their concerns. To learn more about our advocacy work, contact Kevin Schwab, VP of public policy and government relations, at (315) 470-1944 or email: kschwab@centerstateceo.com.
Robert M. Simpson is president and CEO of CenterState CEO, the primary economic-development organization for Central New York. This article is drawn and edited from the “CEO Focus” email newsletter that the organization sent to members on April 8.

MICHELLE CORAPI and LAWRENCE (LARRY) WITTER have joined NBT Bank and are based at NBT’s Syracuse Financial Center, located in the AXA Building at 120 Madison St. Corapi serves as VP and cash management sales representative and brings more than 30 years of experience in financial services to her position. Her background includes relationship management and portfolio growth. Prior to
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MICHELLE CORAPI and LAWRENCE (LARRY) WITTER have joined NBT Bank and are based at NBT’s Syracuse Financial Center, located in the AXA Building at 120 Madison St.
Corapi serves as VP and cash management sales representative and brings more than 30 years of experience in financial services to her position. Her background includes relationship management and portfolio growth. Prior to joining NBT, Corapi served as a commercial branch manager with M&T Bank. She earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration from SUNY Buffalo State College.
Witter joins NBT as VP and bank secrecy act (BSA) officer and brings more than 20 years of experience in financial-crime investigation and compliance. He is a former adjunct professor at Keuka College and SUNY Morrisville where he taught subjects related to criminal justice. Witter earned his master’s degree in criminal justice from American Military University and is a graduate of the FBI National Training Academy.

TAMI SCOTT has joined Klepper, Hahn & Hyatt as marketing and administrative assistant. She has worked as an editor and writer for more than a decade. Scott studied communications at SUNY Oswego.
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TAMI SCOTT has joined Klepper, Hahn & Hyatt as marketing and administrative assistant. She has worked as an editor and writer for more than a decade. Scott studied communications at SUNY Oswego.
BCK Partners, Inc. has added another full-time member to its team. This follows an added employee/position and an internal promotion late in 2020. GRACI COMPTON was recently hired to fill the position of director of first impressions. She completed her bachelor’s degree in recreation management at Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania. Compton previously was a
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BCK Partners, Inc. has added another full-time member to its team. This follows an added employee/position and an internal promotion late in 2020. GRACI COMPTON was recently hired to fill the position of director of first impressions. She completed her bachelor’s degree in recreation management at Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania. Compton previously was a manager for a nonprofit organization and worked in the health-care industry.

SUNDEEP JASSAR, M.D., a board-certified physician specializing in family medicine, has joined St. Joseph’s Health. He completed his residency at St. Joseph’s Health and will continue to provide quality care to St. Joseph’s Health patients as a hospitalist. Jassar earned his doctor of medicine from Ross University in Dominica, West Indies and his bachelor’s degree
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SUNDEEP JASSAR, M.D., a board-certified physician specializing in family medicine, has joined St. Joseph’s Health. He completed his residency at St. Joseph’s Health and will continue to provide quality care to St. Joseph’s Health patients as a hospitalist. Jassar earned his doctor of medicine from Ross University in Dominica, West Indies and his bachelor’s degree in physical science and biological sciences from the University of Alberta in Alberta, Canada. Jassar is also working toward a master’s degree in public health from the University at Albany. He is certified by the American Board of Family Medicine and has been a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians since 2014. Jassar assumed his role in late 2020 and is seeing patients at St. Joseph’s Health Hospital.
LINDSAY HOWARD, D.O. has also joined St. Joseph’s Health. She earned her doctor of osteopathic medicine from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Erie, Pennsylvania and her bachelor’s degree in integrative neuroscience from Binghamton University. She completed her residency in psychiatry at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Oregon. During this training Howard served as a chief resident. Prior to returning to Central New York and joining St. Joseph’s Health, Howard, an Oswego native, worked in an outpatient clinic in Portland, Oregon. During this time, she provided medication management, psychotherapy, and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Howard was board-certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in 2020. She assumed her role in late 2020 and is seeing patients at St. Joseph’s Hospital’s Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program (CPEP).
JOSHUA PITICARU, M.D., has also come aboard St. Joseph’s Health. He earned his doctor of medicine degree from the University of Toronto and completed his residency at the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine at McMaster University’s Waterloo Regional Campus. During his residency, he served as the chief medical resident at Juravinski Hospital in Hamilton, Canada and earned the Hui Lee Senior Medical Resident Award. Prior to joining St. Joseph’s Health, Piticaru completed a fellowship in adult critical care also with McMaster University during which he engaged in multiple research endeavors, led educational initiatives, and contributed to the COVID-19 pandemic task force. His ongoing interests are quality improvement in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), use of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) and innovation in invasive and non-invasive mechanical ventilation. Piticaru joined St. Joseph’s Health in late 2020 and is seeing patients in the ICU at St. Joseph’s Hospital.

DOROTHY SUSICE recently retired from Carthage Area Hospital after 37 years of dedicated service. She worked on the hospital’s former Skilled Nursing Unit for 34 of her 37 years. Susice started out as an aide, then became a unit coordinator for 23 years before the unit was closed in 2017. She transitioned to medical records,
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DOROTHY SUSICE recently retired from Carthage Area Hospital after 37 years of dedicated service. She worked on the hospital’s former Skilled Nursing Unit for 34 of her 37 years. Susice started out as an aide, then became a unit coordinator for 23 years before the unit was closed in 2017. She transitioned to medical records, where she finished her professional career as medical-records clerk.

EMILY GRAY has recently joined Hancock Estabrook, LLP as an associate attorney. She will practice in the firm’s Trusts & Estates and Elder Law & Special Needs practices and will focus on assisting clients with wills, trusts, estate planning, and retirement planning. Gray received her law degree from Albany Law School and her bachelor’s degree
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EMILY GRAY has recently joined Hancock Estabrook, LLP as an associate attorney. She will practice in the firm’s Trusts & Estates and Elder Law & Special Needs practices and will focus on assisting clients with wills, trusts, estate planning, and retirement planning. Gray received her law degree from Albany Law School and her bachelor’s degree from Hartwick College. She is admitted to practice in New York state.

Gear Motions has hired MIKE TOPER as director of business development. In this new position, he will be responsible for strategic business development to identify and create business markets and opportunities. Toper brings with him 20 years of experience in the industrial sector, with proven success in strategic planning and execution, and implementing new programs.
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Gear Motions has hired MIKE TOPER as director of business development. In this new position, he will be responsible for strategic business development to identify and create business markets and opportunities. Toper brings with him 20 years of experience in the industrial sector, with proven success in strategic planning and execution, and implementing new programs. Most recently, he served as the Northeast sales manager for Gerard Daniel Worldwide.

Application period opens for third year of Grow-NY business competition
The application window for the 2021 Grow-NY business competition is now open for submissions. Grow-NY is a business competition that focuses on “enhancing the emerging

Tompkins County leads all New York counties on COVID vaccinations, but one
ITHACA, N.Y. — Nearly 54,300 people in Tompkins County, or 52.8 percent of all residents, have so far received at least one dose of a
Stay up-to-date on the companies, people and issues that impact businesses in Syracuse, Central New York and beyond.