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Unshackle Upstate Statement in Response to Governor Cuomo's 2011-2012 Proposed Executive Budget

Tue, 01 Feb 2011 15:39:00 -0500

Statement attributable to Brian Sampson, Unshackle Upstate executive director

Unshackle Upstate and the Buffalo Niagara Partnership Endorse Harry Wilson for Comptroller

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 15:15:18 -0400

Unshackle Upstate and the Buffalo Niagara Partnership today endorsed Harry Wilson for New York State Comptroller.

Unshackle Upstate Endorses Andrew Russo for State Senate

Wed, 13 Oct 2010 10:50:11 -0400

Unshackle Upstate today was joined by the National Federation of Independent and Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney in a public endorsement of Andrew Russo for New York State Senate in the 49th district.

Unshackle Upstate and NFIB to Endorse Andrew Russo for State Senate

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 14:04:01 -0400

Unshackle Upstate and the National Federation of Independent Business, two of New York's leading taxpayer and business advocacy organizations, will endorse Andrew Russo for State Senate in the 49th Senate District at a media conference on Wednesda...

Unshackle Upstate Unveils 2010 Endorsements

Wed, 06 Oct 2010 09:49:37 -0400

Unshackle Upstate today released a list of the candidates it is endorsing in November's races for New York State Assembly and Senate.

Unshackle Upstate Unveils 2010 Legislative Scorecards

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:19:16 -0400

Unshackle Upstate today released its legislative scorecards for the 2009-10 session. The scorecards, available at www.unshackleupstate.com/scorecard-new/, comprehensively identify which legislators acted in the best interests of New York's taxpaye...

Unshackle Upstate Targets Anti-Taxpayer Budget Provisions

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 10:55:48 -0400

Unshackle Upstate took a stand today against several budget provisions that, if enacted, will further increase state debt and burden New Yorkers with more taxes, fees and assessments.

A Warning to Legislators: Judgment Day is Coming

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 11:20:52 -0500

Unshackle Upstate today announced a major campaign to send a message to state legislators that voters stand ready to hold them accountable for the state's poor financial condition.

Unshackle Upstate to Announce Campaign to Hold State Lawmakers Accountable

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:29:49 -0500

Unshackle Upstate will announce a major initiative to hold lawmakers accountable leading up to Election Day in November 2010, and provide voters with tools to measure the effectiveness of their elected state leaders

Taxpayers Rally in Albany to Warn Legislators: We are Watching

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:08:34 -0500

More than 100 upstate taxpayers and business owners traveled to Albany on Monday to express anger and frustration over the current state of New York's budget, tax structure and government dysfunction.

Upstate Employers and Taxpayers to Rally in Albany

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 11:37:51 -0500

Employers and business leaders from across Upstate New York will rally in Albany to insist that state lawmakers take the necessary steps to lift the burden on New York's over-regulated and over-taxed businesses, communities and citizens

Unshackle Upstate Proposes $12 Billion in State Savings

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 15:06:39 -0500

Unshackle Upstate today released its 2010 policy agenda that included $12 billion in cost savings for New York's 2010-11 budget year. These aggressive but vitally needed recommendations will help bring fiscal reform to New York.

Brian Sampson, Executive Director, Unshackle Upstate responds to the Governor's 2010-11 Executive Budget

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 14:36:35 -0500

The following is in response to the release of the governor's 2010-11 Executive Budget.

Unshackle Upstate: 2010-11 Budget Must Cut Spending

Sat, 16 Jan 2010 10:50:31 -0500

The Unshackle Upstate business coalition warned that any increase in taxes, fees, mandates or assessments, or any increase in spending is absolutely unacceptable and a slap in the face to every New York taxpayer and employer.

Unshackle Upstate Responds to Governor Paterson's State of the State Address

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 16:03:19 -0500

"New York is going broke, and people continue to leave the state in unprecedented numbers. Right now the governor is talking a good game, even calling out special interests. But this is just what we heard last year and last year we had the biggest...

Unshackle Upstate Rolls Out a Call to Arms

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 17:41:27 -0500

The Unshackle Upstate business coalition today unveiled a multifaceted web-based communications platform to give a louder voice to New Yorkers who have grown increasingly frustrated with the dysfunction of state government and its abysmal tax-and-...

Unshackle Upstate to Unveil an Aggressive New Campaign

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 15:15:15 -0500

Disappointed and discouraged by a year of missed opportunities and damaging mistakes by our New York state government, Unshackle Upstate is stepping up its advocacy with a new and aggressive social media campaign.

Unshackle Upstate: Legislature Misses Mark on Tier V Pension Reform

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:12:23 -0500

For the past year, Unshackle Upstate has worked to shine a light on the high cost of New York's pension system, calling for a new tier of pension benefits that is more in line with what New York can afford in the long term.

Unshackle Upstate Acknowledges Legislature for Cutting Deficit Without Raising Taxes and Fees

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:03:58 -0500

Unshackle Upstate today acknowledged the New York State Legislature for advancing a $2.7 billion Deficit Reduction Plan without implementing additional taxes and fees, but demanded lawmakers carry this fiscal discipline forward into the 2010-11 bu...

Unshackle Upstate: IDA Draft Reform Proposal A Bust – Will Severely Hinder Economic Growth

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:55:55 -0500

Unshackle Upstate today expressed outrage over the governor's draft Industrial Development Agency (IDA) "reform" proposal, which would require developers to pay prevailing wages on many construction projects that receive lower cost financing throu...

Statement from Unshackle Upstate's Brian Sampson on the Possible Increase in Health Insurance Taxes

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:12:49 -0500

Unshackle Upstate urged the Upstate Senate Majority, who have banded together to oppose cuts that will disproportionately impact upstate, to not side with downstate colleagues as they consider roughly $1 billion in new health insurance tax increases.

Unshackle to Speaker Silver and Senator Sampson: Stop Wasting Taxpayers Dollars!

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:39:02 -0500

Today, Unshackle Upstate blasted leaders of the legislative majorities for returning to their old ways of closed door sessions and failing to address the budget gap in a fiscally responsible way.

Governor's Efforts to Reduce Budget Deficit are Strong First Steps in Reversing State's Fiscal Crisis

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:15:17 -0400

Governor David Paterson's $5 billion, two-year Deficit Reduction Plan (DRP) is a positive step to corral out-of-control state spending, but the governor and the Legislature must actually make the cuts being proposed. And they must consider these c...

Statement from Unshackle Upstate Executive Director Brian Sampson Regarding Governor Paterson's

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 17:19:26 -0400

Statement from Unshackle Upstate Executive Director Brian Sampson Regarding Governor Paterson's Deficit Reduction Plan:

Unshackle Upstate Supports Expanded Natural Gas Exploration in New York

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:49:27 -0400

The business coalition Unshackle Upstate today expressed its strong support for expanded natural gas drilling in New York, citing the outstanding potential for long-term economic development and job creation in Upstate New York.