Albany, NY – Wednesday, March 18th, as Chair of the Assembly Standing Committee on Small Business, Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon (D-119) participated in the New York State Legislature’s Joint Budget Conference Subcommittee Hearing on Commerce, Economic Development, and Small Business.Established pursuant to Section 54-a of the Legislative Law, the Joint Budget Conference Committee and its subcommittees are convened jointly by the Temporary President of the Senate and the Speaker of the Assembly to consider and reconcile the budget bills passed by each chamber ahead of the April 1st deadline. Wednesday’s subcommittee hearing brought together members of both the Senate and Assembly to receive testimony and work toward a final, unified state budget. “As the Chair of the Assembly Small Business Committee, and a small business owner myself, I am familiar with the hardships faced by New York’s small businesses,” Assemblywoman Buttenschon said. “However, it is the business owners who come to me with their insight, to share what they truly need, who inform how we act. I am a legislator, and I do own a small business, but they are the ones that provide that insight, and I will continue to listen.”
The subcommittee’s work is a critical step in the constitutional budget process, as the Legislature moves to reconcile its one-house proposals with Governor Hochul’s 2026-27 Executive Budget to ensure that final appropriations for commerce, economic development, and small business programs reflect the priorities and needs of New Yorkers statewide. The hearing received testimony from state officials and legislators examining proposed
investments in New York’s economic future, including targeted support for small businesses, workforce development, and regional economic growth. “The Assembly’s One-House Resolution has introduced new measures targeted to provide relief and
financial flexibility to the entrepreneurs and small business owners that drive our state and local economies. Among these proposals is the creation of the Small Business Hardship Savings Account program, which would allow qualifying businesses with fewer than 25 employees to contribute up to 10 percent of their net business income into a tax-deferred savings account, helping to soften the blow of economic uncertainty, safeguard against financial hardship, and enable workforce recruitment and attention efforts. In addition, the Assembly has proposed an increase to the current small business subtraction modification from 15 percent to 25 percent of net income, a move that stands to return millions to the pockets of small businesses and enable owners to reinvest in their operations and plan
for long-term growth.” Reaffirming her commitment to ensuring that State investments in commerce, economic development, and small businesses are not only adequately funded, but reach every resident and small business across the state, as the Legislature prepares its Joint Budget proposal, Assemblywoman Buttenschon remains committed to further advocating the final budget inclusion of the Small Business Hardship Savings Account Program and Subtraction Modification Increase to support the financial flexibility of small businesses, as well as the inclusion of increased support for Small Business Development Centers, New York State Innovation Hot Spots and Incubators, and the Centers for Advanced Technologies, programs vital to connecting universities, industries, and entrepreneurs with the resources and mentorship they need to thrive.
About Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon
Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon proudly represents New York’s 119th Assembly District, encompassing the cities of Utica and Rome as well as the Towns of Floyd, Deerfield, Marcy, and Whitestown. From a lifelong educator and former Dean of Public Service and Emergency Preparedness at Mohawk Valley Community College,
to a small family farm owner, Buttenschon brings decades of experience advocating for equity, access, and opportunity across public health, education, agriculture, and emergency services. In the Assembly, she serves as Chair of the Committee on Small Business and as a member of the Agriculture, Education, Higher Education, and Veterans’ Affairs Committees, where she champions bipartisan solutions to improve quality of life. Her work reflects a steadfast commitment to ensuring that every family in her district and beyond can live with dignity, support, and a voice in their future.
