BUFFALO, N.Y. — Every year, the Buffalo Niagara Partnership surveys its members about advocacy issues in advance of the state legislative session.

"This is the first time we've actually rounded all that sentiment up and actually published it out," President & CEO Dottie Gallagher-Cohen said.

The Partnership also broadened the scope of its research this year to get a general idea about business sentiments in Western New York.

"Pleasantly surprised that people are feeling great about Buffalo and Buffalo-Niagara and very happy to see people's plans for hiring," Gallagher-Cohen said.

A majority of businesses said they've added employees this year and a majority also plan to hire more next year. Eighty percent said they have a favorable perception of the local business climate.

"I think what business owners are recognizing is the visual landscape is changing here," Gallagher-Cohen said. "Downtown is getting redeveloped. We're getting some good businesses moving into the area, so there is a sense of optimism from those cranes in the air and progress."

She said while partners appear to be pleased with state efforts to bring new business and jobs to the region, roughly 60 percent of them still believe New York's climate, in general, is the same or less friendly than the past. The Partnership said it comes down to taxes and regulations

"It's just a challenging environment in which to do business, so the regulatory environment in particular is extreme here," Gallagher-Cohen said.

Other significant concerns for businesses include struggles to match qualified workers to the jobs available, achieving diversity in the workplace and the growing cost of health care for employees.

"It's everything, it's one cost after another cost after another cost," Gallagher-Cohen said.

The survey was conducted in September before the federal tax reform discussion blossomed, but Gallagher-Cohen said she was in Washington as recently as last week, talking about the plan and potential concerns.

"Generally speaking, I think that business is excited about the notion of making it less costly to be here in the U.S. overall, so I think generally positive but with a wary eye," she said.

The Partnership is continuing to develop its 2018 advocacy agenda which it plans to unveil in January.