From the President's Desk . . .

THE BEST OF THE WORST

For the fourth consecutive year, CEO Magazine's 2009 survey of the "Best & Worst States" rated New York the second worst state in the nation in which to conduct business.

"Our survey, year-over-year proves that those states with the worst records continue to practice the same policies that alienate business," noted JP Donlon, Editor-in-Chief. "As the nation's economic problems continue to snowball and an increasing number of states experience budgetary problems, state governments ought to take a hard look at their taxation and unionization policies if they want to turn the page and attract new businesses and capital," he added. New York, by the way, has the highest percentage of union workers in the country. We also have the highest welfare expenditures. We over sudsidize our institutions, our agencies and our social programs. And, we're #1 in personal income taxes and #2 in corporate income taxes.

So what does New York do? Well our "leaders" adopt a budget that has the largest tax increase in the history of the state. A budget that causes Dan Cantor, executive director of the Working Families Party to declare, "What this really shows is we were justified in our belief that it was really right for us to help the Democrats take the Senate."

Our "three men in a room" have decided to increase spending by nine percent, or $10.5 billion, while we're enduring the greatest downturn in the economy since the Great Depression. And, the array of new taxes on business are "just the ticket" for these economically depressed times.

E.J. McMahon, director of the fiscally conservative Empire Center for New York State Policy, said this budget "virtually assures that we trail far behind whatever national recovery occurs, whenever it occurs."

From what I've been able to glean from this budget, there isn't a single initiative or component that will create a single job in New York State; that will induce any company to relocate to NYS or that will encourage any company to stay in NY.

So, be of stout heart my friends, New York will rise to #1. Unfortunately, it will be as next year's worst state in which to do business. This budget virtually guarantees us that distinction -- we're going to be the Best of the Worst. Aren't you proud?