Southern Tier: NFIB/NY Speaks Out Against $15/Hr. Minimum Wage & Paid Leave

Date: April 06, 2016 Last Edit: April 07, 2016

April 1, 2016

Wage Hike, Paid Leave Spark Budget Backlash Oneonta Daily Star
Joe Mahoney 

“Mike Durant, head of the state branch of the National Federation of Independent Businesses, predicted the wage boost will be devastating to the economy. “I just don’t see the upstate economy being able to withstand this,” he said.

He said the Senate Republicans were left in an “untenable position,” after Cuomo put both the higher minimum wage and the most expansive paid-family-leave policy in the nation in budget bills that also dealt with aid to public schools and many other programs.

“Ultimately, some people are going to lose their jobs and some businesses are going to close” as a direct result of the budget measures, Durant predicted.”

April 1, 2016

Deals Made but Deadlines Missed Binghamton Press & Sun
Joe Spector & Jon Campbell

“The National Federation of Independent Business criticized the package.

“We continue to appreciate the efforts by many lawmakers to stand firm and protect New York’s small businesses and family farms, but continued resolve is necessary,” the group’s executive director Mike Durant said in a statement Wednesday. “This is not a deal worth celebrating, but one which needs to be flatly rejected.”

April 1, 2016

Small Biz Unhappy with Minimum Wage Hike Capital Tonight


“It’s very difficult for us to accept that this is a compromise.”

March 25, 2016

Minimum Wage Debate Holds Up Budget Talks Time Warner Cable

“Fifteen dollars has not occurred outside of some select municipalities. This would be a statewide $15 an hour minimum wage. So study it,” Durant said.

March 26, 2016

Questions Persist as Lawmakers, Cuomo Aim for Budget Deal AP

David Klepper
With a state budget required to be adopted by April 1, time is running out for lawmakers to reach a deal on minimum wage. NFIB/NY State Director Mike Durant rejects a compromise on the proposed $15/hr. wage. 

“Business groups concerned about the sharp increase, however, say they don’t want a compromise – they want the proposal to fail.

“We know the issue is on the 1-yard line,” said Mike Durant, state director of the National Federation of Independent Business. “Maybe this deal falls apart.””

January 5, 2016

Local Leaders React to Cuomo’s Proposal Binghamton Press & Sun

“Today’s address by Governor Cuomo was heavy on rhetoric, light on details and full of conflicting messages for small business.  The governor both touts the importance of small employers to New York’s economy, yet continues to push proposals which directly threaten their viability.  From the push to dramatically increase the minimum wage to the renewed effort to mandate paid leave, small businesses are directly looking at significant cost increases in which no tax cut could offset.”

November 4, 2015

Albany Dismisses Business Groups Opposition to $15/Hr. Minimum Wage Binghamton Press & Sun

Nick Muscavage
“Our objective is to start a substantial push to highlight a narrative that largely gets lost in the minimum-wage discussion, and that is the true impact on small employers, our family farms, virtually every aspect of the state’s economy,” Mike Durant, state director of National Federation of Independent Business, said.”

Related Content: Small Business News | New York

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