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2006 ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM
Following is The Business Council's 2006 Legislative
Program. It identifies priority issues to be addressed by the
Committees and Councils during 2006.
- Adopt broad-based reform measures, as detailed under other
Legislative Program headings, that will produce a more competitive
economic climate in New York State. These include, but are not
limited to: business tax reforms;workers' compensation reform;
reducing the cost of health care; reducing the cost of, and assuring
the supply of, electric power and natural gas.
- Reform, integrate
and extend existing state electric power programs, including
Power for Jobs and the Economic Development, High Load Factor
and MDA power programs, with a focus on energy-intensive business
sectors, and with criteria including but not limited to job
retention, capital investments, improvements in efficiencies,
and others.
- Expedite full implementation of the NYS Foundation
for Science, Technology and Innovation and its Regional Partnership
Program - as authorized in Chapter 59, Laws of 2005.
- Explore additional
opportunities to support region-based economic development efforts.
- Support
creation of a refundable state credit for real property taxes
(similar to the Empire Zone RPT benefit) that would apply statewide
to manufacturers making significant capital investments for the
purpose of improving their productivity and competitiveness and
retaining existing employment.
- Promote creation of broad business
tax credits for energy efficiency investments, including but
not limited to investments in new process equipment, systems,
heating/cooling/insulation, lighting, on and off road vehicles,
transportation activities and others.
- Support legislation to adopt
a "prudent investor standard" for
the New York State Common Retirement Fund (CRF), in part to facilitate
additional CRF investments in their alternative investment portfolio/private
equity investments.
- Support full funding of key Empire State Development
Corporation programs, including but not limited to: "Jobs Now," Empire
State Economic Development Fund, Regional Technology Development
Centers, and business marketing programs.
- Support increased state
support for incumbent worker training and training programs that
target employer needs.
- Support legislation that would further
promote the in-state commercialization of technologies developed
through New York's university-based technology investment programs.
- Oppose legislation that imposes either excessive
expansion of, or places undue restrictions on, the use of eminent
domain authority for economic development purposes.
- Support the
development and adoption of reasonable land use and development
planning initiatives. Oppose legislation which restricts economic
growth in New York under the guise of promoting "smart
growth."
Click here for the 2006
Legislative Program for all Issue areas.
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