Public Policy Institute Launches ‘Working for New York’ Campaign to Educate Public on the Twenty-First Century Antitrust Act
Seven-figure omnichannel media campaign will educate and engage New Yorkers, legislators, and decision-makers about the need to prioritize creating jobs and growing small businesses in New York
Special Interests to Continue to Push Anti-Trust Legislation that Would Cost New York 600,000 Jobs, Raise Prices, and Make the State Even Harder to Do Business In
ALBANY, NY (April 21, 2025) — Today, the Public Policy Institute (PPI), the public policy arm of The Business Council of New York State, officially launched Working for New York, a seven-figure education campaign designed to inform voters, legislators, and decision-makers about the urgent need to protect jobs and businesses in New York and the serious economic consequences of the proposed New York Twenty-First Century Antitrust Act.
With the support of many key New York State business leaders, the Working for New York campaign will engage audiences statewide across digital, television, radio, and print platforms. Its mission is clear: spotlight how the New York Twenty-First Century Antitrust Act threatens New York’s economy, businesses large and small, and working families at a time when tariffs and global economic instability are creating extraordinary economic damage to New Yorkers and when the state can least afford it.
The proposed antitrust bill would fundamentally change how New York regulates businesses by establishing a new and untested framework. The bill’s vague enforcement standard and far-reaching scope would create massive legal uncertainty for New York employers, discourage critical investment, and penalize business practices that currently benefit consumers.
“We’re launching the Working for New York campaign because this bill directly threatens the state’s economic future, and most New Yorkers have no idea it’s even happening,” said Paul Zuber, Executive Vice President of the New York State Business Council. “This is an aggressive, multi-platform effort to raise awareness and educate lawmakers and the public on legislation that would push jobs and businesses out of the state, discourage investment, and increase costs for families and small businesses. Our goal is to ensure voters and lawmakers understand the stakes and real world consequences to our economy.”
Bob Duffy, President and CEO, Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce said, “Businesses across New York State, both small and large, are the lifeblood of our regional economies, and this proposed legislation threatens to bring more harm than good. Now more than ever, we should focus on creating an environment that attracts investment and expands businesses within New York State’s economy, not one that drives them away. We look forward to partnering with the Business Council of New York State and other partners to convey how critically important businesses are to our community and how we risk undoing the investments we’ve made.”
“New York should be doing everything it can to attract the next generation of high-tech companies, not pushing them away,” said Ryan Silva, Executive Director of the New York State Economic Development Council. “This legislation sends a chilling signal to innovators and investors at exactly the wrong time. If we want to grow jobs, build our economy, and lead in the industries of the future, we need policies that reward innovation, not punish it.”
According to a 2024 report from the Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA), the Antitrust Act could shrink the state’s GDP by $20 billion in its first year alone, eliminating an estimated 58,000 full-time jobs. Over the next decade, the cumulative economic toll could reach $281 billion in lost GDP and nearly 600,000 lost jobs, figures that underscore the long-term danger of a hostile regulatory environment.
Hospitals, casinos, financial institutions, and even grocery stores could see higher operational costs passed on to consumers. Decreased investments across the state will lead to lower revenues, which will cut into funding for essential services like education, healthcare, and infrastructure, exacerbating the challenges already facing the state.
To learn more about the Working for New York Campaign, visit: https://www.workingfornewyork.org