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NYSAC Report On The Gathering Economic Storm Provides A Roadmap
For Realigning Public Policy For A More Prosperous Future In NY
February 19, 2009
As New York State prepares for an infusion of $24 billion in stimulus funds from the federal government, a new report issued by the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) called The Gathering Storm addresses a range of coalescing challenges brewing over the Empire State—challenges to be addressed for the state to fully recover from the current economic recession.
The report details trends affecting all of New York and particularly upstate. It highlights our stagnant population growth, the continuing exodus of the young and educated to other states, an increasing population of those over age 65, higher rates of poverty than the nation as a whole, dismal private sector job growth, increasing unemployment and a business climate ranked as one of the most costly in the nation.
For a copy of The Gathering Storm, visit www.nysac.org. A three page executive summary is attached.
“Despite these significant challenges all hope is not lost, as long as we begin to act in a concerted effort to turn this ship of state around,” said NYSAC President Sarah Purdy, the Yates County Administrator. “The federal stimulus funds are buying us time to step back and resolve some of the challenges plaguing our state and to invest in the core strengths of our communities.”
The report details the changing people of New York, poverty rates in New York, how the census numbers will impact federal aid and political representation, what current indicators say about the New York economy and what business leaders say about doing business in New York state.
“This research report lays out our biggest challenges and our inherent strengths, and provides policy makers with a road map that will lead us in the direction of growth and prosperity,” says Stephen J. Acquario, NYSAC Executive Director.
The Gathering Storm cites several reasons for the decline of the state’s economy and predicts it will continue without policy changes designed to relieve the burden on businesses and taxpayers. The report says decades of over-spending, over-taxing, over-regulating and over-mandating have contributed to New York’s private sector growth ranking of 35th in the country over the past 10 years and the flight of businesses to other states. Almost 1.5 million New Yorkers have followed job and career opportunities to other states in that time period, contributing to our economic decline.
The report calls for state and local leaders to work together on developing an overall policy agenda that will allow the state to cope with this severe economic downturn while positioning ourselves to take full advantage of its potential opportunities for growth when the economy begins to recover.
“Government at all levels needs to rein in spending and realign service delivery to correspond with revenue during this economic recession. This is an historic opportunity to make meaningful change in New York, and we can start with the economic and public policy issues laid out in this report,” said Acquario.
The New York State Association of Counties is a bipartisan municipal association serving all 62 counties of New York State including the City of New York. Organized in 1925, NYSAC’s mission is to represent, educate and advocate for Member Counties and the thousands of elected and appointed county officials who serve the public.
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