Governor Pataki assured New York's small business leaders that New York will eschew a "spending binge . . . that undoes our progress of the last four years."

The Governor praised The Business Council for being instrumental "every step of the way" in the effort to improve New York's business climate through new state policies--and strongly urged The Council to stand firm in opposing excessive state spending that could undo much of the recent progress.

The Governor made the remarks Tuesday to several hundred business leaders taking part in The Business Council's annual Small Business Day at the Empire State Plaza in Albany.

Governor Pataki cited a number of business-climate improvements since he took office, including workers' compensation and unemployment insurance reform, 36 different tax cuts that have returned $19 billion to taxpayers, and the repeal or reform of more than 1,000 different regulations imposed by the state. He said such improvements have helped created some 450,000 new private-sector jobs.

But New York State must do even more to improve its business climate and, in particular, must resist spending increases that could imperil already enacted tax cuts, the Governor said.

Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver also spoke at Small Business Day.

Senator Bruno pledged that there would be no budget agreement without tax cuts.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver told the small business proprietors: "The Assembly is here for you because we want you doing business here. We will do whatever we can" to help the small business community.