JSA2026 campaign proposes a bold 2-year tax-free incentive for New Yorkers starting businesses or relocating companies to NY. Learn more
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BETTR NY Business Kickstart Act
2‑Year Tax‑Free Business Startup Incentive — build here, hire here, stay here.
We don’t punish ambition in New York—we power it. Two tax‑free years, simple rules, and one login to launch your business.
The Problem We’re Solving
Starting a business in New York too often means fees before revenue, red tape before customers, and months of waiting for a simple “yes.” Entrepreneurs take their ideas—and jobs—elsewhere. Main Streets struggle, rural towns hollow out, and young builders leave.
Kickstart flips the script: early oxygen for startups, with clear rules and zero gimmicks.
What the Kickstart Act Delivers
- 2 Years Tax‑Free: Eliminate state business income tax on net income for the first 24 months for newly formed NY businesses.
- Relocation Welcome: Extend the same 24‑month waiver to firms moving HQ or core ops to NY, with a 3‑year in‑state operations commitment.
- All State Filing & Licensing Fees Waived: Two‑year holiday on state‑level formation, registration, and licensing fees for eligible startups.
- R3A One‑Stop Portal: Single login for formation, permits, taxes, and hiring credits; one‑page forms; 90‑day decision clocks.
- Concierge for First‑Timers: Live navigator team to set up EIN, sales tax, payroll, banking, and basic compliance.
- Hire‑NY Bonuses: Add‑on credits for hiring NY residents, with higher bonuses in distressed rural or high‑unemployment ZIPs.
- Main Street & Rural Boost: Extra micro‑grants for storefront activation, broadband setup, and equipment under a transparent cap.
- No Corporate Gimmicks: Size‑neutral, industry‑open, time‑limited. No bespoke carve‑outs for connected insiders.
Eligibility & Guardrails
- Who Qualifies: New NY entities; sole props converting to LLC/Corp; out‑of‑state firms relocating HQ/primary ops (≥60% payroll in NY).
- Good‑Faith Operations: Must maintain active payroll in NY; no shell entities or pass‑through gaming.
- 3‑Year Commitment (Relocators): Early exit triggers clawback of waived taxes/fees on a prorated basis.
- Exclusions: Entities with outstanding fraud judgments; businesses primarily engaged in illegal/federally prohibited activity.
- Sunset & Review: Program sunsets after 5 years unless re‑authorized with public metrics (R3A sunset rule).
- Local Add‑Ons: Counties may layer property‑tax abatements or façade grants—posted on a public dashboard.
How We Pay For It (Without Hollowing Schools or Services)
- Redirect Slush to Startups: Replace bespoke megadeals with transparent, size‑neutral Kickstart incentives.
- R3A Savings: Paperwork cuts, procurement reform, and fraud clawbacks fund the concierge & portal—published quarterly.
- Time‑Limited, Results‑Driven: Rolling cohorts; if job creation and survival rates don’t hit targets, the program sunsets automatically.
Metrics & Timelines (You Can Verify)
| Target | 12‑Month Goal | 24‑Month Goal | Verification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Startups Formed via Portal | +15,000 | +35,000 cumulative | Public portal counts (monthly) |
| 1‑Year Survival Rate (Kickstart Cohort) | ≥80% | ≥82% | Tax & payroll filings (anonymized) |
| Net New NY Jobs (Kickstart Firms) | +25,000 | +60,000 cumulative | UI wage records; labor dashboard |
| R3A Paperwork Reduction (Startup Flow) | ≥40% forms/pages cut | ≥60% forms/pages cut | Form inventory; retirements log |
| Megadeal Subsidies Replaced | ≥50% redirected | ≥80% redirected | Budget cross‑walk; audit trail |
Targets are policy goals; audited results will be posted quarterly. If goals aren’t met, the program auto‑sunsets under R3A.
Rollout: From Day One to Year Two
- Day One: Executive order to stand up the One‑Stop Startup Portal; 90‑day clocks for formation/permit decisions (R3A).
- First 100 Days: Pass Kickstart statute (tax/fee waivers + guardrails); launch the concierge; publish county‑level bonus tables.
- Pilot → Statewide: 6‑county pilot (urban/suburban/rural mix), then staged statewide expansion with monthly dashboard updates.
Common Questions
- Does this only help tech? No—any lawful industry qualifies: trades, retail, services, manufacturing, farms, creative, and more.
- What if I’m a sole prop already? You can convert to an LLC/S‑Corp and enroll when forming under the new structure.
- Do cities and counties lose revenue? State‑level waivers—locals can add their own incentives if they choose; all impacts are published.
- What stops abuse? Payroll‑in‑NY thresholds, 3‑year relocation commitment, and clawbacks for misrepresentation.
The Bottom Line
Two tax‑free years, simple paperwork, real people helping you launch, and clear metrics. That’s how we make New York the best place to start and grow a business—again.
“I’m not a good candidate. I’m the right one.” — Jason S. Arnold
Be an Investor in New York’s Builders
Your $10 fuels the one‑stop portal, concierge training, and county‑level rollout. If it doesn’t help New Yorkers start and hire, we don’t spend it.
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