Issue Position: Economy and Jobs

Issue Position

Creating Jobs

As one of six children in the Breslin family, Neil knew just how important a job was. He saw his father work hard to put food on the table and his mother helped lead the family on a path towards public service.

As a State Senator, Neil understands how crucial it is for the state to play a pivotal role in creating new jobs and putting people back to work. Neil was a co-sponsor on and worked with his Senate colleagues to pass a permanent "Economic Benefit Power Program" to streamline and build on the success of "Power for Jobs" and other successful low cost power for economic development programs across the state.

The new program will protect more than 250,000 jobs statewide. Part of the program includes having businesses qualify around the state for seven-year agreements for low-cost energy which will provide them the financial stability to attract and maintain long-term employment commitments. The program takes a comprehensive approach to using low-cost power and the resources of the New York Power Authority to maximize retention and job creation across New York.

The Excelsior Jobs Programs

The Excelsior Jobs Program is another initiative Neil supported in order to create new jobs right here in the Capital Region and across the state. The Excelsior Jobs Program is a $1.25 billion investment over 10 years that will provide tax credits to strategic industries, implement stringent accountability standards, and caps program spending to ensure the best investment of taxpayer dollars.

Neil understands how important business retention and expansion is to our local economies in Upstate New York. In order to expand businesses in our communities, we need to welcome new investment to create new jobs and strengthen the entire upstate economy.

Excelsior singles out economically-depressed areas for economic development by providing real property tax credits to entice companies to locate in New York's hardest hit economic areas. The $62.5 million carve out for these tax credits will help businesses in Upstate New York compete more successfully in today's innovative economy.

Keeping Parks Open Means Jobs

Being at the forefront of keeping New York's parks open, Neil knew it was essential for our families and local economies. He also knew how important it was for the 2,929 jobs that are created through the Capital/Saratoga regions parks.

Protecting Workers

Neil was a co-sponsor and worked with his colleagues to pass legislation that is a first in the nation, the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights. This bill gives more than 200,000 domestic workers new standards of worker protections in an industry that has gone unregulated for far too long.

Because domestic workers are excluded from federal labor laws, they often face exploitation and abuse in the workplace. A study conducted by Domestic Workers United, a non-profit organization of domestic workers and advocates, found that 33 percent of domestic workers reported verbal or physical abuse at the hands of their employers while another 67 percent reported sometimes or never receiving overtime pay.

Neil hopes that this legislation will serve as a model for other states across the country in affording basic protections that nearly every other field of employment takes for granted.

Construction Industry Crackdown

For far too long, the construction industry has been able to misclassify employees as "independent contractors." This practice has caused the state to lose tens of millions of tax revenue each year.

Neil was a co-sponsor and supported the passage of the "New York State Construction Industry Fair Play Act" which assumes that all construction industry workers are employees unless they meet specific criteria that would then classify them as independent contractors. The bill also provides workers with notice of their classification status, protects them from retaliation for reporting violations and imposes penalties against employers and corporate officers who knowingly violate the law.

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