RBA Speaks Out in Albany: Members Share Concerns and Perspectives with Legislators
By Rebekah Binger
March 21, 2008

Albany legislators and officials welcomed the concerns and perspectives of members of the Rockland Business Association when the two groups spoke in the State Capitol this month on RBA Lobby Day. RBA President/CEO Al Samuels led the group, which included Richard Kohlhausen, Rosemarie Monaco, Jerry Nappi, Robert Salmon, and Richard Syrek.

“I thought the day was really great,” said Syrek, President of Mentor Management, LLC in Cold Spring. “I found the representatives that we spoke with to be very attentive and understanding. The dialogue was very good and supportive.”

Syrek said he expressed his frustration with the process by which small businesses bid for government contracts. “There is a form that you need to fill out that can be about 50 pages. For a large business to complete that paperwork is one thing, but for a single person and a small shop it is a larger barrier.”

Rosemarie Monaco, owner of Group M in Englewood Cliffs, NJ, also made known to state legislators the challenges she faces as a small business owner. “It is difficult going up against bigger public relations agencies for government work,” she said. “It was encouraging to think that we were being given the audience to talk to and they were receptive to hearing our concerns.”

Robert Salmon said the timing of the meetings were beneficial because the budget had not yet been finalized. “Our legislators have the opportunity to understand what they can do to help us and still have a chance to get it in the budget,” said Salmon, Senior Partner at H&S Sales and Consultants, Inc. in Suffern.

The group also talked with legislators about the need for new Article X legislation. “We were able to point out why Article X, the power plant siting law that has been expired for more than 5 years, should be a priority to reauthorize,” said Jerry Nappi, State Director for NY AREA.

Other issues discussed included modification of the Wicks Law that gives Rockland the same threshold as Westchester and Long Island, and the efforts to curtail the effectiveness of Industrial Development Agencies and Empire Zones.

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