Is New York among those self-proclaimed states that are open for business, as the state so loudly professed at a great cost to taxpayers last year? Or is it the self-proclaimed national leader of a progressive movement that wants to make life difficult for business owners, as it so effusively praised itself last week?

Apparently, the answer to those questions depends on who Gov. Andrew Cuomo is pandering to on any given day. Last week, New York was once again a leader of the progressive movement. “This is really about who we are as New Yorkers and what we believe. And what we believe in New York is that there should be opportunity for all and there is fundamental fairness for all and there is justice for all,” Cuomo said during a rally in New York City.

Spare us your goobledygook, Mr. Governor. Your $15 an hour minimum wage for fast-food workers isn’t even fair within an industry since the higher minimum wage only applies to franchises with 30 or more restaurants nationally.

The hit-and-miss wage certainly isn’t fair for local franchise owners who paid their hard-earned money to become part of a national chain only to find themselves held to a different standard than their neighbors – a situation that will play out on Fairmount Avenue in West Ellicott, Foote Avenue in Jamestown and countless other streets in small cities and towns all over New York state.

Lastly, the industry specific $15 an hour minimum wage isn’t fair to employees in demanding fields that aren’t subject to the higher wage. We have already seen service workers such as direct service professionals who work with people who have developmental disabilities, for example, as was suggested in a Reader’s Forum letter submitted to The Post-Journal recently by Steven Kroll, NYSARC Inc. executive director. Or, should we say, it isn’t fair to those employees yet.

Cuomo and his pals in Albany promise fast-food workers are only the first industry to see Cuomo’s vision of fundamental fairness. Cuomo promised it last week during his remarks. Carl Heastie, state Assembly speaker, promised as much in a news release. Attorney General Eric Schneiderman promises to fight with all his power anyone who challenges the fast food workers’ new minimum wage in court.

Last year, Cuomo pandered to businesses with Start-Up NY and the end to regulations the business community railed against for decades. This year, Cuomo is pandering to the progressive left. We’d like to see Cuomo pander a little more effectively to the hard-working, taxpaying home and business owners of New York state before they all move to another state that actually values them.