Business leader says cost of government "shackles" North Country economy

(09/24/09) Yesterday in Plattsburgh, an organization called "Unshackle Upstate" held a meeting to raise concerns about the high cost of doing business in New York. Organizers say state and local taxes, combined with fees and license payments, are forcing many small businesses to shut down or leave. A recent study by the group found that government agencies in the North Country are paying their workers almost thirty percent more in wages and benefits than private-sector workers. Garry Douglas, head of the Plattsburgh-North Country Chamber of Commerce, is one of the organizers of "Unshackle Upstate." He told Brian Mann that an economy increasingly dominated by government jobs is unsustainable.