Photo by Howard Owens.
The seemingly anti-business posture of New York's government dominated a conversation on Tuesday at Chapin International in Batavia during Assemblyman Steve Hawley's visit with CEO Tim Onello and other Chapin executives.
Onello said it would help the state's business climate by lowering taxes and reducing mandates and regulations.
"There's just all the extra laws and things you have to maneuver when you're in New York," said Onello, a Buffalo native who became CEO four months ago.
The barriers to business expansion drove Chapin, said Bill Kegler, VP of operations, to open a plant in Kentucky a few years ago.
"We had to go out of state ... unfortunately, because the environment in New York is restrictive and tough, just tough to grow a business," Kegler said. "It's just not conducive to success, to the continued company success."
Hawley noted the echo of history. Chapin occupies the former Sylvania factory, which relocated to Tennessee in 1976.
"It has been a recurring theme economically speaking and business speaking for many, many decades," Hawley said. "Apparently, we didn't learn from our past mistakes."
Onello said Chapin has no specific legislative requests at the moment and with the Legislature in between sessions, Hawley didn't have much to offer in the way of possible business-related bills the Legislature might consider.
After the talk, Hawley was provided a tour of the factory.
Previously: Genesee County's oldest manufacturing company celebrates 140 years in business
Photo by Howard Owens.
