"What was made clear to us as we traveled the state and spoke to business owners, leaders and organizations is this: rather than being treated as a partner or lifted up by government, businesses feel dragged down by high costs and excessive regulation." That was the assessment of the New York State Economic Development Council (NYSEDC) upon last week's release of a critical and timely report called "Blueprint for New York – Creating a Roadmap for Change." It's the product of a long-overdue effort by NYSEDC and the Public Policy Institute, an arm of The Business Council of New York State, together with 40 associations and more than 500 business leaders statewide, including many from right here at home. Amo Houghton, former chairman and CEO of Corning Glass Works, was a founder of The Business Council of New York State in 1980.