The Budget Proposal delivered by Gov. Cuomo today was the typical smoke-and-mirrors approach he has popularized during his term as governor. The governor remains attached to START-UP NY, the “tax-free” gimmick that ignores businesses like mine, which have struggled against the economic current for decades, and delivers corporate handouts to new businesses that he deems acceptable. Economies do not respond to focus-group-tested branding, and they don’t respond to flashy presentations. Perhaps the governor would have a more coherent economic development plan if he allowed for conservative voices in his budget drafting.