Vigilance needed for continued progress

The annual Economic Forecast Breakfast event [held on Jan. 9] was an opportunity to take a closer look at how a robust year of growth and investments in 2018 has set the stage for a strong 2019. 

Our regional GDP growth accelerated more than threefold in 2018, our best performance in six years. Unemployment is also at a record low, 3.8 percent, with 2,800 more people in the workforce getting a paycheck. Seventy-four percent of respondents to our Economic Forecast survey described their business in 2018 as being strong or very strong. Seventy-five percent say they anticipate overall sales and revenue growth in 2019, up from 67 percent the previous year. Forty-nine percent expect to make capital investments, up 5 percent from last year. 

We also heard from our forecasters that 55 percent are expecting an increase in hiring in 2019, while at the same time the ability to find and retain talent reached the top of the list of business concerns. The survey found 49 percent say talent attraction and retention will impact their business this year, up from just 26 percent last year. 

In his analytic assessment of national and regional economic trends, keynote speaker Gary Keith, M&T Bank’s regional economist, stated that growth should remain positive in the coming year, but warned that competition for talent will continue to intensify. [He said] collaborative approaches are essential if we are to address labor-supply shortages and workforce-skill gaps and continue the region’s economic progress. 

Our challenge now is to maximize this opportunity while bringing more people in our community into the workforce to be part of this progress. To do so will require a multi-dimensional approach to attracting and retaining talent, and innovative solutions to expanding our existing labor pool. Whether it is engaging with educational providers to tailor programs to the needs of industry; carefully reviewing hiring practices to see that productive, capable workers aren’t unintentionally excluded from potential applicant pools; or partnering with the Talent Task Force to pilot new and creative strategies to help us attract more talent, we must collectively embrace a civic-leadership role to help ensure continued growth in the year ahead. 

There are also smaller steps we can take to help transform the narrative about this region. When you have or hear of job postings, share them using #CNYJobs. Likewise, when you are enjoying our vibrant quality of life, share those messages too with #CNYLife. Imagine the impact we could have if we all committed to be an active and vocal ambassador for this region throughout the year. 

The untold story of 2019 is how each and every one of us reacts to the opportunities before us, how we collaborate on the things that matter. With your continued leadership and support, 2019 will be another year of progress for the Central New York economy.       

Robert M. (Rob) Simpson is president and CEO of CenterState CEO, the primary economic-development organization for Central New York. This viewpoint is drawn and edited from the “CEO Focus” email newsletter that the organization sent to members on Jan. 10. 

On Jan. 9, the New York State Legislature gaveled in for the first time this year marking the start to the 2019 legislative session. I always look forward to this day. It brings a renewed sense of hope and change for the upcoming year and allows for the opportunity to set priorities for this session with my colleagues. I want to share some of those priorities this week. These common-sense reforms, if enacted, would help restore public trust, bolster the economy, and overall, improve New York.

Reform the state’s approach to economic development:

• Provide tax and regulatory relief to small businesses.

• Provide oversight of lump-sum appropriations so that the state comptroller and attorney general are part of this process.

• Conduct independent audits of state economic development programs.

Restore public trust and crack down on pay-to-play politics:

• Increase transparency and break up the consolidation of power that has led to corruption and poor public policy.

• Reform legislative grants to prevent conflicts of interest.

• Enact term limits for legislative leaders and committee chairs.

• Create a new crime for failure to report corruption.

Invest in infrastructure:

• Increase state support for CHIPs (Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program).

• Use additional settlement dollars to improve roads, bridges, culverts, and other critical infrastructure.

• Eliminate the 25 percent local match requirement under the Harmful Algae Blooms Program so more communities can qualify for assistance.

Have the state take over cost of Medicaid and reduce property taxes:

• Provide for the full takeover of Medicaid over a 10-year phase-in period.

• In tandem with the Medicaid takeover, freeze property taxes then assume the property tax growth of local governments or school districts that stay within the 2 percent tax cap.

• Create a real property tax redesign team to reduce mandates and to find at least $500 million in annual recurring savings.

Keep education a priority in the budget:

• Target school aid to low-wealth and high-needs districts.

• Continue to support and expand career-ready programs for high-school students

• Ensure libraries are adequately funded to provide vital social and career connections for families and individuals.

Support low-income families by:

• Expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit

• Doubling the New York State Child and Dependent Care Credit

• Creating incentives for New Yorkers on unemployment to work part time

Protect those with Developmental Disabilities by:

• Increasing funding for housing, respite, transportation, and employment opportunities.

• Ensure direct-care workers receive a living wage.

We need to pass legislation that will move our state forward and help our upstate New York economies to flourish. I look forward to working with my colleagues to get these changes enacted. In addition to these reforms, I plan to push back on some of my downstate colleagues’ agendas that will harm Upstate and hurt small businesses.       

William (Will) A. Barclay is the Republican representative of the 120th New York Assembly District, which encompasses most of Oswego County, including the cities of Oswego and Fulton, as well as the town of Lysander in Onondaga County and town of Ellisburg in Jefferson County. Contact him at barclaw@assembly.state.ny.us or (315) 598-5185.