Albany, NY – Today in Albany Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon (D-119), Chair of the Assembly Standing Committee on Small Business, joined Assemblyman Al Stirpe (D-127), Chair of the Assembly Standing Committee on Economic Development, Job Creation, Commerce, and Industry, and Assemblyman William Conrad (D-127), Chair of the Legislative Commission on Skills Development and Career Education, for a joint public oversight hearing at the Legislative Office Building.

The hearing brought together lawmakers, agency leaders, and business voices from across the state to assess how state-funded economic development initiatives are serving new and existing businesses, the workforce challenges businesses face, and whether these programs are effectively preparing business owners and the workforce for the rapidly changing technology landscape.

“As Chair of the Small Business Committee, I have heard from businesses in my district and around the state that emphasize the need for continued investment in workforce development,” said Assemblywoman Buttenschon. “They are struggling to fill their positions with qualified candidates. Today’s hearing reinforced the need to listen to our businesses and engage in intentional, data-driven, and community-informed economic growth.”

Starting the testimony today was Hope Knight, President and CEO of Empire State Development (ESD), the agency that oversees economic development initiatives funded by the state, and Commissioner of the Department of Economic Development. Her testimony focused on the actions and new initiatives taken by ESD to support and strengthen New York’s economy, including a new Small Business Roadshow, which seeks to bring ESD’s nearly 30 programs focused on small businesses to communities across the state. She also noted the launching of a Chambers of Commerce Outreach Initiative, designed to ensure that local partners have a full understanding of ESD programs in order to best support their members.

“I was honored to partner with President Knight and her team at Empire State Development on an MWBE Roundtable and Expo at SUNY Poly over the summer,” said Buttenschon. “This event helped to bring attention to the great work done by minority- and women-owned businesses across the Mohawk Valley, and to connect them to resources at ESD.”

Representatives from the Mohawk Valley played a key role in the discussion. Testifying jointly were Bruce Hairston, Executive Director of the Rome Area Chamber of Commerce, and Kari Puleo, Executive Director of the Greater Utica Chamber of Commerce. Their remarks emphasized the need for sustained investment in attracting talent to New York State, expanded pathways for skilled careers, and including housing and other work supports as part of workforce investments. Additionally, they stressed the need to make state assistance more accessible small businesses and to help facilitate the connection of existing resources, such as employers, educational institutions, and community organizations. Hairston and Puleo delivered a unified message that reflected the shared needs of both urban and rural parts of the region.

Throughout the day, Assemblywoman Buttenschon engaged deeply with testifiers, asking thoughtful and community-focused questions that reflected her commitment to lifting up small businesses across Oneida County. She also spoke about the importance of supporting existing businesses in the community and raised concerns she has frequently heard from local owners, such as the overwhelming amount of paperwork required to apply for grants and the overly burdensome bureaucracy that often makes seeking government assistance more costly and time-consuming than it’s worth.

“I want to thank Bruce Hairston and Kari Puleo for preparing testimony and testifying in Albany today,” Buttenschon said. “The information they prepared was to support our small businesses and provide practical solutions.”