Editorial: Does video sell Pennsylvania as state for business or just roast NYC?

Pennsylvania is trying to whisper sweet nothing in the ears of New York businesses.

New York State Rep. Zohran Mamdani, a progressive Democrat, presumptively won his party’s nomination for mayor of New York City in the June 24 primary. He defeated former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and a host of others, but that isn’t the end of the story.

What comes next is up in the air. Cuomo says he could run as an independent in the fall. Current Mayor Eric Adams, elected as a Democrat, already announced an independent run for reelection. Both of those candidates have greater name recognition but also the hurdle of controversy. Cuomo resigned amid a sexual harassment scandal. In 2024, Adams was indicted on federal charges including bribery and fraud before President Donald Trump intervened in February.

And that’s without even mentioning the Republican who ran unopposed: Curtis Sliwa, the founder of the Guardian Angels.

It makes things feel a bit confusing. Mamdani has his own issues as some business leaders are leaning away from the Democratic nominee toward other options.

And then Pennsylvania steps in.

Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry President and CEO Luke Bernstein put out a video trying to woo companies to the Keystone State.

“We just heard that you might have a new mayor who happens to be a socialist,” Bernstein said, alluding to Mamdani. “That’s one way to shake things up.”

So is sexual harassment and bribery, but go on.

Bernstein listed selling points for Pennsylvania, like lower taxes, easier permitting and clean energy. All of those sound good and have been major areas of focus for the state. There is also the fact that Pennsylvania’s minimum wage of $7.25 per hour is less than half of New York City’s $16.50 per hour.

Pennsylvania has a lot to offer, especially for newer, nimble businesses that could easily relocate to the state next door. There is an abundance of areas looking to work with incoming companies and a plethora of industrial parks. There are community colleges and trade schools eager to work with new employers on workforce development.

But does the chamber’s video read like an advertisement of all the best that Pennsylvania has to bring to the table for a relocating company? Or does the coy delivery seem more like a roast of the New York state government?

“While your state was banning gas stoves, our state was passing meaningful, bipartisan reforms to help businesses grow,” Bernstein said.

OK, let’s be honest here. Pennsylvania can offer a treasure trove of opportunities, from groundbreaking research universities to linchpin transportation. But one quick Google search is all it would take for a prospective business to realize that bipartisanship is not exactly our top asset — especially when the Legislature blew past the budget deadline yesterday, yet again.

The video is less the old “You’ve Got a Friend in Pennsylvania” slogan than it is a hope to play up keyword search engine optimization for a trending topic.