It’s safe to say we all want the best for our children and grandchildren. We want them to grow up in a vibrant, safe and successful community. We want them to fulfill their dreams and get good jobs. We want to instill in them certain values and a strong work ethic. The bottom line is that we want to be able to provide all of these things for generations to come. Gov. Cuomo’s ‘Fight for $15’ jeopardizes that ability.

The last time Gov. Cuomo pushed his New York City economic agenda, we got a complete failure in ‘Start-Up New York.’ This program failed so miserably it actually lost the state money due to its excessive advertising costs. The program itself was always destined to fail. Its components were aimed at attracting new business to the state and giving them tax breaks, theoretically allowing them to grow. It never addressed helping the small businesses that were already established in New York. These are the businesses we as legislators should be supporting.

Now we fast forward to 2016 and Gov. Cuomo’s ‘Fight for $15’ proposal. He is going all out on this proposal, bussing an RV around the state, in an attempt to promote his ill-advised, downstate policies. The governor is demanding small businesses pay employees $15 an hour, claiming it’s what can and should be done, while his cronies have recently fired state employed park officers for cheaper, private replacements. This is beyond hypocritical, and proves how inexperienced and unsuited our governor is to fix the economic environment in our state.

We all want the best for our families, and want to provide them with every chance at success. Currently, New York is the most taxed state in this country and the burden has decimated our economy. The plan I support cuts taxes and supports local small-businesses. This plan, introduced by Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb, is called “Small Business Full Employment Act” (A.5898). I co-sponsor this bill because not only would it reduce taxes for our small-businesses, but would also stop increasing school taxes in the form of unfunded mandates. We have to create an atmosphere for businesses to thrive, and put money in our residents’ hands to spend at those businesses. Gov. Cuomo’s ‘Fight for $15’ would destroy that, and ultimately hurt our families and communities.

I welcome your thoughts on raising the minimum wage in our state or any other legislative matter. Please contact me by emailing blankenbushk@assembly.state.ny.us or calling my office at 493-3909.