A recent report, “Blueprint for New York: Creating a Roadmap for Change,” does little to address the issue of high-taxing municipalities, such as the city of Dunkirk.

With under three weeks until Election Day, high-ranking Chautauqua County officials joined in on the blame game. It was not aimed at campaign opponents, but a much larger entity: New York state.

Almost giddy, the dignitaries pointed out a recently released report by the Public Policy Institute of New York that was commissioned by a number of upstate Industrial Development Agencies, including ours. From the start, the “Blueprint for New York: Creating a Roadmap for Change” describes what many here have known for 50 years — growth of business and population does not exist.

“The state’s economy is in a slow decline, obscured by the volume of activity and bright lights that gloss over the economic reality of a state that has lost its economic edge in many ways,” the introduction notes. “New York’s population is aging … and as a result the state will have nearly 1.5 million fewer prime working age residents by 2035 than in 2005.”

New York City may be on the verge of some trying times. Residents there have elected Zohran Mamdani, whose policies of socialism strike fear in many across the nation and rural parts of the state, to be their next mayor.

But the Big Apple remains a tourist and financial magnet. Lavish bonuses that come from Wall Street and a population of 8 million residents is far from a failure.

Upstate’s economy, however, is.

Jobs in New York have grown by only 7.3% during the past decade, according to the report. This is underperforming when compared to the national average of 12%. It is especially subpar when compared to other states of similar size, including Florida, 24.9%, and Texas, 20.3%.

Chautauqua County officials note that statistics from the U.S. Department of Labor indicate more than half of all New York counties — 35 in all — reported job totals decreased from 2014 to 2024. In addition, the total rate of job loss in the seven Southern Tier counties was 6.3%, and the total rate of job loss in seven of the eight Western New York counties was 6.6%. By comparison, the rate here during the same time period was 5.9%.

“This data clearly indicates that the loss of residents and jobs in Chautauqua County isn’t the result of local leadership or a lack of effort by our economic development team,” said PJ Wendel, Chautauqua County executive. “Instead, it’s a clear indication that the overall business climate in New York state is not conducive to building business, gaining jobs, and growing our local and regional economies.”

From this vantage point, few legitimate solutions are offered in the “Blueprint” report regarding the troubles associated with New York state. Instead it offers a lot of excuses.

Local governments and school districts also have a history of being good at finding reasons for higher property taxes. Within the last year we’ve seen the worst of it, especially through the municipalities: Dunkirk up 84%; Fredonia up 54%; Lakewood up 22%; and Chautauqua County, up 2% while miserly holding on to a $36 million in surplus.

No one will deny Albany makes things tough on all of us. In fact, the state could have the worst business climate in the nation.

What contributes to that? Sales taxes, which New York rates at 42 out of 50 nationally. Who helped with that burden? Your Chautauqua County legislators, who voted last year to keep its rate at 8% — and not pass on reductions to residents. Frankly speaking, that is stubborn local control contributing to the problem.

How about property taxes? Our state rates at 47 out of 50. Those high costs are imposed by your neighbors who serve on the County Legislature as well as school and municipal boards. When your taxes go up, especially to the extreme it has in Dunkirk and Fredonia, that is a sure sign the government has become far too big for the constituency it serves.

Again, those choices are made here at home — not in the state capital.

One other item to note that impacts our fortunes is the growing imbalance between taxing entities of governments and schools and the taxpaying private sector in the region. That is clearly spelled out in a report prepared for the Chautauqua Region Economic Development Corp.’s Economic Profile: “Government is the largest sector in Chautauqua County, with 9,834 jobs,” the report notes. “The majority of these government jobs are found in the education and hospitals subsector, followed by local government. The top five industry sectors by employment include government (9,834 jobs or 19% of all jobs), manufacturing (8,913 jobs or 17% of all jobs), health care and social assistance (8,015 jobs or 15% of all jobs), retail trade (6,328 jobs or 12% of all jobs), and accommodation and food services (4,901 jobs or 9% of all jobs). Fifty percent of the county’s government jobs are attributed to education and hospitals.”

As taxing and non-profit entities, important positions are funded through increasing tax dollars that are already strangling the residents who remain. Some entities, including Chautauqua County government in Mayville, continue to swell at an alarming and almost reckless pace.

In 2016, county government had 1,267 employees earning a total of $52.7 million. This year, there are 1,374 workers earning a combined $75 million — that’s an increase of 104 staff, or 8%, and a $22.3 million rise in wages, or 42.3%, over 10 years .

Those payroll numbers are locally negotiated contracts that are in no way business friendly. Again, the hirings and salary decisions are made locally. They are not Albany mandates.

That is the fatal flaw of the slanted “Blueprint” report. None of its findings criticizes the tens of thousands of local leaders who operate — for the most part — diminishing governments that needed to go away years ago. Where’s the “Blueprint” plan for consolidations, sharing services, efficiencies and downsizing governments and schools?

That was a major piece missing in its examination, which can be found at https://www.ppinys.org/sites/default/files/reports/Blueprint%20for%20New%20York%20%E2%80%93%20Creating%20a%20Roadmap%20for%20Change.pdf

Those who paid the price for the report — 46 state agencies that are partners to bloated local governments — got what they wanted. A distant association to the calamity or the oppressive fees and laws that come from New York state.

Though as it stands, local municipalities, agencies and schools that continue to become larger as populations they represent decrease are very much connected to this crisis. Ultimately, they want no responsibility or accountability when it comes to fixing the issue.

John D’Agostino is editor of The Post-Journal, OBSERVER and Times Observer in Warren, Pa. Send comments to jdagostino@observertoday.com or call 716-487-1111, ext. 253.