It is good to see New York’s legislators asking questions about underperforming economic development programs.

Start-Up NY, a program which has created less than $45 million in wages and investments while spending $53 million on advertising, is just the latest in a long line of economic development initiatives from which much was expected and little was actually delivered. Economic development statistics at nearly all levels of government – ranging from audits of county Industrial Development Agencies to statewide programs like the Empire Zones or Excelsior Jobs – have lagged.

Howard Zemsky, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s top economic development official, suggested last week during legislative hearings that lawmakers are too quick to say a program is failing. He says it will take time to change the state’s development climate, particularly in areas like Upstate New York. Zemsky’s contention would hold more water if it was limited to Start-Up NY. It is less forceful with the state’s history of years of programs that have generated poor results.

Economic development programs that aim to throw open New York’s doors to new business will forever struggle if New York’s tax and regulatory don’t change. How can any economic development program work properly when it merely papers over the reasons developers shy away from New York state in the first place? Job creators have long looked at New York’s tax and regulation structure and shuddered. Now, large and small job creators have to deal with a higher minimum wage and a generous paid family leave provision. It is little wonder job creation statistics are poor.

If state legislators want to see more bang from their economic development buck, they should work to change the state’s tax and regulatory structure during the next legislative session.