UTICA - It's time to unshackle upstate.

That's the message local business leaders are trying to get out as they work to bring more economic growth to the area.

According to the "Unshackle Upstate" Coalition, some of the problems upstate New York faces are high taxes and little reform. Business leaders met this morning at Hotel Utica to discuss how they can fix the issues.

A spokesperson for the coalition says the biggest hurdle in solving the problems, is a lack of teamwork.

"Each of the five metro areas have worked very independently to try to get reform in Albany," said Sandy Parker of the Rochester Business Alliance. "And as a result you didn't have a loud enough voice."

"Unshackle Upstate" was created almost two years ago and is compromised of more than 30,000 businesses in Central New York.