On this episode of Policy Outsider, the Institute on Immigrant Integration Research and Policy is joined by John Ravitz, executive vice president and COO of the Business Council of Westchester and a former New York State legislator, to discuss one of the most pressing issues facing both local and national economies: the workforce crisis. From labor shortages in healthcare and education to the vital role of Westchester’s immigrant workforce, Ravitz offers a candid and informed look at the challenges businesses face and the innovative strategies being used to adapt. The discussion, led by Institute on Immigrant Integration Deputy Director & Intergovernmental Liaison Guillermo Martinez, explores the impact of sweeping immigration policy changes, new federal laws, and the rise of minority-owned businesses, while also looking ahead to how technology and demographic shifts will shape the future of work in Westchester County.
Guests
Transcript was generated using AI software and may contain errors.
Joel Tirado 00:00
Welcome to Policy Outsider presented by the Rockefeller Institute of Government. I’m Joel Tirado. On this episode of Policy Outsider, the Institute on Immigrant Integration Research and Policy is joined by John Ravitz, executive vice president and COO of the Business Council of Westchester and a former New York State legislator, to discuss one of the most pressing issues facing both local and national economies: the workforce crisis. From labor shortages in healthcare and education to the vital role of Westchester’s immigrant workforce, Ravitz offers a candid and informed look at the challenges businesses face and the innovative strategies being used to adapt. The discussion, led by Institute on Immigrant Integration Deputy Director & Intergovernmental Liaison Guillermo Martinez, explores the impact of sweeping immigration policy changes, new federal laws, and the rise of minority-owned businesses, while also looking ahead to how technology and demographic shifts will shape the future of work in Westchester County.
Guillermo Martinez 01:24
John Ravitz, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Business Council of Westchester, thank you for sharing your time and expertise with us. Today. We look forward to hearing your thoughts and insights on the workforce issues facing our state.
John Ravitz 01:37
Welcome. Thank you. Thanks for having me some
Guillermo Martinez 01:41
quick facts about Westchester County for our listeners. Westchester County is the seventh most populous county in New York state, with just over 1 million residents. As of 2024 Westchester County’s GDP was approximately $1.3 billion out of the state’s total $2 trillion GDP. Westchester County is a richly diverse community with substantial Latino, Black and Asian populations, and a quarter of his residents are foreign born, and many speak languages other than English at home. To get started, this worker shortage all over the state in the nation, current starting salary for a nurse in the North Country, New York is an unheard of some of $100,000 other communities are offering $15,000 sign on bonuses to recruit public safety officers. School districts are having first graders walk to their bus routes at 545, in the morning because shortages in school bus drivers. Currently there are only four primary care doctors for every 10,000 residents of upstate New York, has government failed to adequately plan for the demographic changes that are creating these labor shortages? What has gone wrong? In your opinion?
John Ravitz 02:52
Well, look, I think all of the issues that you raised are ones that are important and one that need to be taken seriously by all levels of government, as well as other concerned citizens at the Business Council of Westchester, just for your listeners background, we’re the largest business membership organization in Westchester County, with over 1100 members, and they range the gamut. They from the multi international companies that call Westchester home to the life science corporations that really have put Westchester on the global life science map, to all the hospitals and universities, professional service firms and all different sectors, we have over 150 non for profits Guillermo, and I think that’s important, because we really want to make sure that stakeholders understand that non for profits are economic engines. They create jobs, they bring in revenue, as well as deliver the key essential services that they provide to their communities. And then we have midsize and small businesses and solar entrepreneurs. So when you talk about some of the sectors that with those statistics, we’re always concerned about making sure that we are providing enough to be able to support that growth. You know, you mentioned healthcare, we’re very excited in Westchester County because we so we see so many of the healthcare systems increasing their footprint in Westchester County, and that’s important because that covers the entire county, from the southern part of the county to our urban centers to our rural areas in the county as well, because that enhanced footprint is happening. Yes, they need to make sure that they have the talent that they need to be able to support their systems and provide for their services. So we need to be very mindful of that. We need to be creative, and we need to make sure that government, on all levels of government, understand some of the challenges that businesses are facing in all different sectors, and not put obstacles in the way. So your last sentence in your question was, is government? Is government failing? What I think government needs to continue to do is understand what the unintended consequences are in some of their actions. And as a former state legislator. Or I’ve seen that now, and it’s easier to see once you leave the bubble of Albany. I always say that people write legislation with all the best intentions in the world, but then they really don’t understand again, what some of these unintended consequences could be that could affect businesses from coming to Westchester, staying in Westchester, and growing in Westchester.
Guillermo Martinez 05:19
Anything you could share with us specifically, let’s say at the healthcare sector, how what they’re doing to deal with labor shortages and how they’re trying to recruit
John Ravitz 05:28
Well, again, I think we’re fortunate enough that many of the systems that are growing in Westchester County are reaching out and working with Westchester Community College to just an example, which has been a great incubator for workforce development in some of the areas that those sectors need. Our Westchester Putnam Investment Board is an amazing organization that is working with people of all ages to try to put them in positions of employment. So we have the players in place. We just need to continue to have that long, strong line of communication between them, so that there is an access to that talent that they need.
Guillermo Martinez 06:10
You know, that’s interesting to note. An important piece of this is the diversity of the workforce in Westchester County, about 260,000 of its 1 million person population, the county is foreign born, and immigrants account for 80% of the workforce in some specific industries, like housekeeping, nearly half of construction and labor, and significant shares of healthcare, food service and other professional services. How do you see the language issue, or English language instruction playing a role in preparing the workforce that the businesses you represent need?
John Ravitz 06:50
Well, I think we need to really be laser focused on that, and that’s why the Business Council of Westchester joined other business membership organizations over the last year and a half, working with the Ellis Island initiative in supporting their proposal, which was called Ready to Work advocacy campaign, which was an ask of about $100 million in the state budget. We didn’t get it, but we have to keep fighting for that, because what we were going to use that money for was a comprehensive initiative which really was going to focus on integrating marginalized workers, including recent immigrants, into the economy, by supporting job readiness programs, occupational skill training, language skills and support for employers and service providers. Those are all key components of what we’re going to have to do to be able to embrace these folks who now are living in Westchester County, who want to work, who want to be able to provide for their families and be an active participant in their communities, we need to give them some of those foundations that are so important, and that’s why the Business Council of Westchester supported the work that the Ellis Island initiative was doing over the last two years, and will continue to do. We need to continue to raise awareness about the fact that these are key programs that need to be in place, and you mentioned again some sectors. Obviously, hospitality is a huge component of the Westchester economy. We represent the Westchester hotel Association, and those hotels are constantly in need of good talent to work in a broad cross section of positions that they have. Hospitality is also, again, you know, our restaurants that continue to come to Westchester County, that continue to want to serve their communities, they are also going to need that talent. And on the employee e side, we again need to be able to give them those skills trainings that’s going to make that transition into a full time employment as smooth as possible.
Guillermo Martinez 08:49
The need for English language instruction is it’s great. As the Institute on immigrant integration Research and Policy conducts its work, we just keep on hearing from experts in academia and on the field that there needs to be more capacity, because there’s a huge demand by immigrants to learn English. And the question comes up, should English language instruction be an academic development tool and funding be made available to it through state grants? Do you think that would be helpful?
John Ravitz 09:17
Look, I think we have to be creative, and let’s also be very honest at looking at the big picture right now, and this is for any organization that’s going to be putting requested for budget, for funding through next year’s budget, New York State’s going to face a deficit, and especially with the cuts that came from Washington over the last six months, and the state’s going to have to address that. That doesn’t mean those important asks shouldn’t be put in writing and submitted to the division of budget, but they have to be thought out in a way that really makes the most sense that we’re going to get the biggest bang for the buck, and obviously, when we’re talking about this population of people who do need to have the language skill. Skills support who do need to have the skill training that’s money, well spent money, well spent in those areas means that you’re going to have employees now who are going to be able to grow in their positions and hopefully have make them sustainable positions as well. So yeah, the funding is important. We just have to be realistic about we can’t do what one of my former mentors in Albany used to call the spend and pretend game, which is spend money that we didn’t have and pretend that somehow would work out that that’s irresponsible and that’s going to hurt our bond rating, which is also not good for the state’s economy.
Guillermo Martinez 10:40
All the workforce development issues that the state has to face with there, there’s, there’s an undertone right now that’s been created because of the federal immigration crackdown. What does the Business Council what’s the business council hearing from its members about the sweeping immigration reform efforts, particularly elimination of Medicaid and snap axes and the position of new fees and taxes on immigrants and mixed family and mixed status families. Most immigrants in New York State are documented. About two and a half million have become naturalized out of the four and a half million. So there’s this fear that we’re hearing from other sectors, both by employers and employees, with what’s going on. What do you what do you mean?
John Ravitz 11:31
Well, you know, we were concerned, and we certainly advocated as strongly as possible during the federal budget and the creation of the big, beautiful bill that that the Congress and the Senate shouldn’t cut funding to snap and other nutritional programs, because, again, the impact that that was going to have on families across Westchester County. You know, Westchester County is known for some of their more affluent communities, but we also have some of the some major urban centers where people certainly are living under the poverty level, and even some of the areas in very affable zip codes are living under the poverty level. So we have to be mindful of that. And when we you know we have, and we’re very fortunate to have members of the Business Council of Westchester, like feeding Westchester, that really has been a strong advocate across the state for enhanced funding for SNAP. In fact, the BCW, working with feeding Westchester, last year, we advocated for $75 million in funding for both the nourish New York program and and and the hunger prevention and nutrition assistance program. And, you know, we didn’t get as much as we want, but now with the cuts to the federal government and snap, those are things that are going to be important. We also advocated for it. Again, a lot of business membership organizations don’t focus on some of these things. We thought it was important. We did advocate for the universal school meals program, because, again, it is essential that families, as they’re trying to have a stable home and employment, that they know that their kids are going to be fed. And if the schools can assist in that process, we need to be able to do that. We also don’t want kids going into classrooms hungry. That doesn’t do anybody any good, especially those young people who were there to learn, there to grow. And again, that’s why we felt it was important to make sure people understood that the universal School Meals Program was was critical. We got to keep advocating for those positions going into the next legislative session in 2026
Guillermo Martinez 13:49
and without a doubt, some of these issues impact worker productivity and and that should be a big concern for both businesses and and and also the well the mental well being of the worker, right, mental health.
John Ravitz 14:04
And another issue that you know, again, can’t be ignored. And again, I think more business organizations are focusing on this because it is part of economic development. Is child care. We need to be able to have a sustainable child care system in place so that employers and employees can be working together, to have their employees not be focused on What time am I going to have to leave my office to pick up my my child? Or can I get to my office on time because I have to make childcare arrangements, and we’re encouraging businesses to get more engaged working with the child Westchester Child Care Council to really educate employers on what they can be doing to assist their employees in terms of credits, in terms of other initiatives that would hopefully make this process go smoother.
Guillermo Martinez 14:58
Yeah, it’s definitely. A direct relationship between child care and what we’re seeing in terms of absenteeism in school. A lot of parents can’t leave their job to pick up their kids from school and so forth. Kids are staying home.
John Ravitz 15:13
Well, if you’re an employer and you want to recruit and retain talent, this has to be addressed, and I hope more and more businesses are understanding now that and this, you know, obviously, was magnified during the during the pandemic, but now you know, this is an issue that’s not going to go away, and all of us have to get come up with smart, efficient plans that address the child care shortage issue that we have in New York State, and do it in a way that is going to make sense in different communities.
Guillermo Martinez 15:47
Yeah, earlier we we mentioned the huge diversity of Westchester County, not just its workforce, but this huge diversity as well. In terms of its business ownership. About seven and a half percent of all the business in Westchester are Hispanic owned and Asians own about 11% of all the businesses in Westchester County, and the growth has been, as I’ve seen, a huge surge in the last 10 years alone. Given that trend, anything you could share with us in terms of how these businesses are addressing workforce development needs within their own niches and and within the whole county as a whole
John Ravitz 16:23
Well, again, I mean, one of the things that hopefully we provide at the Business Council of Westchester is an opportunity for our businesses, not only to engage in meeting each other and sharing resources, but also understanding and knowing some of the organizations and institutions that really are focused on workforce Development and that they can use them as a pool to try to move forward in finding employment. I mentioned Westchester Community College. They’ve done a fantastic job in doing workforce development programs throughout their curriculum. Again, the Westchester Putnam Workforce Board, again, is another important organization that works 24/7 in terms of doing things like that as well. And again, we have to not be afraid to think outside of the box, to come up with initiatives and programs that really will hopefully open a pathway for for employment, for recent immigrants, as well as Westchester residents who are looking to get employed to support their families. Now, the
Guillermo Martinez 17:31
one big, beautiful bill included tax deduction for tips and overtime and expanded some small business deductions and other economic provisions. What are you hearing about its impact on workers and business in Westchester? Is it too soon to start to measure?
John Ravitz 17:47
I think it’s too soon. Obviously we’re going to, you know, keep our tabs on, on, on, on, you know, we try to be the eyes and ears, in many cases, the voice for our members on all levels of government. And obviously we will want to share with our congressional delegation, which is Congressman George Latimer and Mike Lawler, and then obviously Senator Schumer and Senator Gillibrand, any concerns that we see or hear from our members that are impeding them from doing what we want them to do, which is to work in Westchester County, which is To create jobs, which is going to bring in revenue to to the communities, and that’s got to always be our number one priority. We again, we mentioned some of the things that we thought should not be cut in the big, beautiful bill, like snap. We also were very concerned about the cuts to the energy tax credits, because we need to build this new renewable energy infrastructure, which consists of, you know, solar, battery storage, geothermal, wind, and, you know, with the cuts in these credits, those are jobs that are just not going to be created, and projects that are not going to happen. And again, that’s the short sightedness of passing a bill like that and not under and not thinking about what the consequences are once the bill has been signed into law,
Guillermo Martinez 19:09
in the training of the workers that are needed for expanding so solar capacity, wind capacity, that doesn’t require a two year degree, four year degree, these are quick training programs that actually get somebody in the labor force making a decent wage quickly. These cuts will definitely have an impact on expanding those jobs. What in your mind would you see as being the reform to current immigration law that would help deal with some of the issues that businesses and employees are facing.
John Ravitz 19:44
Well, again, you know, and when we talk about immigration reform, you know, there’s, there’s a lot of emotion, there a lot of rhetoric that I wish didn’t have to be part of the conversation. Uh, you know, we’ve always said at the Business Council of Westchester, you know, we do need immigration reform, but it has to be done in a responsible and a bipartisan manner. We’re never going to get this done if this is not done in a bipartisan manner. And so what we’ve always advocated for is don’t let the politics get away in the way of common sense policy, and we need the federal government really to focus on reforms that protect the county’s the country’s security, while not losing sight of the you know, what we all should know is the important role that immigrants have had and continue to have in creating economic prosperity, whether it’s in Westchester County, New York State, or the or other parts of the country. And so I always hope that cooler heads will prevail, that if we’re really going to get something done, we can get majorities in both on both sides of the aisle to basically say, let’s take the rhetoric out. Let’s take the political you know what looks good on a tweet or looks good on a Tiktok video, and let’s talk policy that makes sense. And so far, that’s not happening, and that’s the detriment of Westchester. That’s the detriment of New York State, and to the country.
Guillermo Martinez 21:20
You bring up a good point about the social media component of it, and a question that that I would have is, do you think the social media has helped poison the atmosphere for building cohesive communities around the issue of immigrant immigration and immigrants? Is it just a negative narrative that we constantly hear that needs to be
John Ravitz 21:41
addressed. Well, I think it’s it’s immigration, it’s other issues as well. I mean, social media has taken a life of its own. Look. When I was in elected office for 12 years, we didn’t have this. We you know, this is all new platforms that certainly weren’t around when I was in office from 1990 to 2002 but now elected officials have to balance. You know, the noise that’s in social media, and not all of it is bad. There are some obviously responsible folks who are providing good content on social media, but then there’s a lot of misinformation. And so whether you’re a legislator or you’re a citizen, a regular, just a plain citizen, when you’re exposed to that 24/7 it can get a little noisy and a little complicated to take the real information from the misinformation.
Guillermo Martinez 22:35
One last question, John, and this deals with you know, your years of work and both as a legislator and leader within the business community, the rapid changes in technology are really changing the way labor and business firms operate. And what do you see as a forecast for the future for both workers and businesses in Westchester County
John Ravitz 22:57
when it comes to technology? Well, look, I mean, AI is on everybody’s radar, and it’s changing every minute of the day. At the Business Council of Westchester, we’ve, you know, we’ve tried to given our members as much updated information on how they can use the AI technology for their business, for their employees. We created a program a year and a half ago called the AI Alliance 360 in which we have brought experts to talk to different sectors of the business community on how AI can be used in a productive and responsible way. And again, the technology is going to continue to change, and we need to stay on top of it. What we don’t want to see happen is we don’t want to see legislatures writing broad bills that basically are mandates for technology that is still emerging. And we’ve seen some of those bills in Albany. We’ve seen rumor? You heard rumors about some of those bills popping up on the county level. You can’t write an all encompassing bill to regulate AI until we have a handle on the how this technology is changing. As I said, almost on a hourly basis. I’m not a technical person, so I’m probably not the best one to ask that question, but talking to our members who are really on the ground, working with AI every single day, there’s a lot to learn, and there’s a lot to engage the business communities in doing and using AI the right way to help their business, which is we all want to see them to be able to enhance their businesses and grow their businesses, and also for their employees to be using AI in a way that’s going to be in a positive play, a positive role.
Guillermo Martinez 24:49
I heard the fact the other day. I figure it took Kodak, less, 50 years ago, 40,000 workers to generate a billion dollars worth of revenue. And today. Takes Google just 12 employees to generate a billion dollars worth of revenue. So I suppose businesses must have some some conception of workers that might be displaced, or will have to be displaced if they adopt new technologies.
John Ravitz 25:15
Well, again, I don’t know if anyone has a crystal ball to see how this is going to affect employers and employees over the next year, five years, 10 years, I think we have to never lose sight of the fact that when you have an able bodied person who brings heart and compassion and dedication to a job, that those components are so important to the growth of an organization and a company, an AI is not going to provide you that type of it’s a quick it will give you a quick answer and maybe a quick solution, but the long lasting effects will be pretty short compared to an employer who you know, employee who you know is going to show up in the morning and be there, you know, for the work day, and that’s something we never want to lose sight of.
Guillermo Martinez 26:10
Well, thank you, John, this has been a very interesting conversation, and so much more can be discussed on the topics briefly covered today. Hopefully we can have you on back on policy outsiders to discuss other issues in depth. Any last thoughts, any last
John Ravitz 26:25
Well, again, I appreciate the invitation to be on with you today, Mo and again, I appreciate the work that your organization does, and I think it is important that more business membership organizations around the state work with organization like yours. We can agree to disagree on certain policy but again, as we were talking about immigration reform, we need to put the politics out and work on real legislation and policy that’s going to make sustainable and transformative differences in our communities and for our employers. Give them that road map to continue to grow their businesses, whether it be in Westchester County or other parts of the state.
Joel Tirado 27:07
Thanks again to John Ravitz and Guillermo Martinez for that important conversation on business and labor issues in Westchester County. If you liked this episode, please rate, subscribe, and share. It will help others find the podcast and help us deliver the latest in public policy research. All of our episodes are available for free wherever you stream your podcasts and transcripts are available on our website. I’m Joel Tirado; until next time.
Policy Outsider is presented by the Rockefeller Institute of Government, the public policy research arm of the State University of New York. The Institute conducts cutting-edge nonpartisan public policy research and analysis to inform lasting solutions to the challenges facing New York state and the nation. Learn more at rockinst.org or by following RockefellerInst. That’s i n s t on social media. Have a question comment or idea? Email us at [email protected].
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