Approved March 30, 2022

RESOLUTION OF THE GREATER UTICA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN OPPOSITON TO THE USE OF STATE TAX DOLLARS TO AID EXCLUDED WORKERS AND TENANTS

WHEREAS,  the state budget for the current fiscal year ending March 31, 2022 included $2 bilion dollars in aid for people who do not qualify for unemployment of federal pandemic assistance payments;  and

WHEREAS,  the vast majority of people excluded from these payments are people who entered the country illegally in violation of U.S. immigration laws and are thus considered “undocumented workers”;  and

WHEREAS,  the distribution of state tax dollars as aid to people in this country illegally provides a financial incentive for others to enter the country illegally seeking similar financial assistance; and

WHEREAS,  there is a legislative proposal to include another $2 billion in the proposed state budget for the fiscal beginning April 1, 2022 to be used for the same purpose; and

WHEREAS,  there is an additional proposal within the legislature to make such assistance an ongoing program with a permanent fund to be included as annual appropriations in future budgets;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Greater Utica Chamber of Commerce opposes the use of New York State tax dollars as a form of public assistance to “undocumented workers” who have violated U.S. immigration law and entered the country illegally.