Businesses expect growth in 2012, but uncertainty remains

SYRACUSE — Although employment in the region is up 1 percent, businesses remain uncertain about the future and legislative, regulatory, and policy issues still dominate their concerns, according to the CenterState CEO 2012 Economic Forecast.

CenterState CEO serves a 12-county region centered around Syracuse. More than 140 member-executives and community participants, along with data and analysis from Manpower, helped generate the forecast.

“Our members doing business in our region every day, in a time of transition in our economy, continue to find new ways to become more efficient and cost-effective, develop new products and services, and find new customers and markets,” CenterState CEO President Rob Simpson said in a news release. “Based on their input, the next 12 months — through modest but steady growth — have the potential to be a year in which confidence returns to the marketplace, and to our region.”

More than 500 people attended CenterState’s annual Economic Forecast Breakfast today at the Nicholas J. Pirro Onondaga County Convention Center at Oncenter.

The forecast also found that businesses are seeing opportunities for growth outside the region and are looking at boosting exports. In addition, a renewed focus among consumers on buying local has helped support industries including agriculture, manufacturing, and retail.

Rising health and energy costs and high taxes remain a burden to companies and cause them to hold off on investments, according to the forecast. The report also noted a misalignment of skills in the local workforce. Businesses said retaining talent remains difficult.

Contact Tampone at ktampone@cnybj.com