Unshackle Upstate Executive Promises Aggressive Campaign In Empire Page Interview

ALBANY, NY (08/23/2009)(readMedia)-- In an interview published today by the Empire Page Brian Sampson, executive director of Unshackle Upstate, a 3-year old organization that claims to represent more than 45,000 businesses across New York, vows his group will "be waging an aggressive campaign to educate the masses" about policies that are crippling New York's economy.

"New York residents have consistently paid some the highest tax rates in the country. And during an economic recession, the last thing we should have to deal with is more taxes," Samson stated. His group is critical of the 2009-10 state budget passed in the spring. "The governor . . . promised to hold spending flat, and the budget that was passed instead raised spending a whopping 8.7 percent," Sampson said. "That is an unacceptable set of circumstances and we must push for change…and soon."

Unshackle Upstate favors a property tax cap rather than a "circuit breaker" solution. "The fundamental issue with regard to property taxes," Sampson argued, "is that there continues to be far too many unfunded mandates coming out of Albany."

The current economic crisis has worked in Unshackle's favor allowing its appeal to spread from its origins in the Buffalo-Rochester region. "The overwhelming taxes, the loss of jobs, and a stagnant economy are now hitting regions like Long Island, the Mid-Hudson, and Westchester," Sampson reports.

The entire interview with Brian Sampson is available in the Improving New York section of The Empire Page.

The Empire Page is published by PoliticalNewsToday.com, LLC, which seeks to provide information and opinion on the key issues of the day through websites that aggregate news and opinion and provide useful content for people active in government and politics. The partnership consists of Peter G. Pollak, who is the majority shareholder and actively manages the company, Schwartz-Heslin Group and Wynantskill Capital.