Approved April 11, 2023

RESOLUTION OF THE GREATER UTICA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN OPPOSITION TO POLICY MATTERS IN STATE BUDGET

WHEREAS,  New York Governor Kathy Hochul has included policy initiatives and new law as part of her State budget and fiscal plan; and

WHEREAS,  an example of such policy changes in the Governor’s 2023 budget proposal included a wide-sweeping initiative to fund or incentivize the construction of 800,000 new residential dwelling units over the coming ten-year period; and

WHEREAS,  this proposal also includes a provision that would allow the State to override local zoning laws and codes, against the will of local property tax payers, when deemed by the State to be necessary to overcome perceived “obstacles”; and

WHEREAS,  matters of policy and law making should be debated openly and separately from spending measures;  and

WHEREAS,  policy decisions and new laws that are embedded in an overall budget plan can become tied to priority spending packages and therefore become hostage to other issues; and

WHEREAS,  the budget is passed as a comprehensive omnibus bill and may include specific policy decisions that individual legislators have not been able to properly evaluate;  and

WHEREAS,  this process limits the ability of legislators to gain feedback from the public on matters of policy and law making;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Greater Utica Chamber of Commerce urges Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature to stop the practice of creating new laws through the adoption of the annual state budget.