Assemblyman David DiPietro (R,C-East Aurora) and several of his colleagues in the Assembly Minority Conference called on legislative leaders and Gov. Andrew Cuomo to shut down the START-UP NY program. Following an extensive audit by New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli and the dismal job creation numbers, the tide has turned against the program. DiPietro voted against the legislation that created START-UP NY in 2013.

“Albany doesn’t create jobs,” DiPietro said. “The idea that we can just waive taxes for 10 years and inspire a great new wave of private sector employment was, and still is, foolish. This program has cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars to create just 76 jobs. Anyone who has spent any time in the private sector will tell you that you can only create jobs and foster a positive economic climate by forcing government out of the marketplace, not injecting more into it.”

“We must solve the longstanding issues with our economy to create and foster economic growth and ingenuity. We must lower the tax burden and eliminate the needless bureaucracy and red tape which manage to kill businesses before they even launch. START-UP NY has failed, and it’s time to learn this lesson and move forward with real solutions.”

DiPietro is the Ranking Minority Member of the Assembly Committee on Small Business, and has owned and operated his own small business for nearly 25 years. He is a sponsor of the Small Business Full Employment Act, which would provide sweeping regulatory and tax relief for businesses with fewer than 100 employees.