Here we go, the differences are starting to come out.. Faso has the right idea, we need to let Upstate be Upstate, if we don’t we will never move ahead, we will be dragged down even further. It is downstate policies that have been dictated to us as unfunded mandates for to many years.

This can be the first step in seperating the state with Albanys policies. Just because it’s good in the economy of NYCity doesn’t mean it’s the best policy for us. The economy is a completely different animal up here, we have to ba able to control more of our own decisions.

Faso, Spitzer at odds over upstate economy
ALBANY — The best fix for the slumping upstate economy is more freedom from regulations and policies essentially imposed on the region by downstate, a business leader said at a forum here Friday.

But Eliot Spitzer, the Democratic candidate for governor, opposes the idea, a spokeswoman said.

The plan would essentially allow more local flexibility on issues such as teacher contracts, paying union wages on public works projects, setting Medicaid eligibility rules and changing standards for some lawsuits, among others.

“We need to let upstate be upstate,” said David Shaffer of the state Business Council, echoing the “Unshackle Upstate” theme launched last year by the Rochester Business Alliance and other business groups.

But some parts of the state shouldn’t be given the right to opt out of regulations, said Christine Anderson, a Spitzer spokeswoman.

“Essentially, we agree with many of their objectives for reforming business regulations like workers’ comp,” Anderson said. “But we disagree with their means of getting there.”

Spitzer’s Republican opponent, John Faso, said he favors the idea and will push for it if he is elected.