Sandy Parker, president and CEO of the Rochester Business Alliance, was the first to testify yesterday before state lawmakers at an Unshackle Upstate public hearing, offering an up-close and personal look at the ongoing economic challenges they and their businesses face.

"We're here today to talk about what you and your colleagues in Albany can and must do to get our economy moving," said Sandy Parker, president and CEO of the Rochester Business Alliance, who was the first to testify. "We ask you to take back to Albany this message: We emphatically encourage the Legislature to take action to reduce state spending now, not later, but now in your upcoming special session. And we will not tolerate any attempts to close the state's $2 billion and growing budget gap with new assessments or taxes or fees that will dip into businesses' and taxpayers' already emptied wallets."

"Unshackle Upstate felt it was important that we provide a forum for business owners and taxpayers to share with elected officials their concerns and frustrations about the economy of New York," said Brian Sampson, executive director of Unshackle Upstate. "And they have many reasons to be frustrated: a 2009-10 state budget that exceeded $131 billion and included $8 billion in new taxes and fees, a state and local tax burden that is second-highest in the nation, property taxes that are the highest in the nation and a business tax climate that's ranked 49th out of the 50 in the United States."

On hand to hear the testimony were Assemblyman Joe Morelle and Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb, who also took questions and were given a chance to address the audience gathered at the Dryden Theatre in Rochester. Ten area taxpayers - business owners and leaders from a variety of industries - also testified before the lawmakers.

The hearing is the first in a statewide series of meetings, with similar events upcoming in Buffalo, Syracuse, Binghamton and Plattsburgh. Unshackle Upstate plans to use the findings of these hearings to develop its legislative agenda and a State of Upstate report that the coalition will use to educate voters leading up to the 2010 elections.

Unshackle Upstate is a bi-partisan coalition of more than 75 business and trade organizations representing upwards of 45,000 companies and employing more than 1.5 million people. We hail from across Upstate New York with one goal: to achieve reforms in Albany that make Upstate a stronger place to do business.