Government Affairs Council
Update
May
11,
2007
GAC
Meeting Schedule
The next two meetings
of the Government Affairs
Committee will be:
- Tuesday,
May 22, 10 to 12 noon. Guest
Speaker: David
Nocenti, Counsel
to Governor Spitzer is
invited. The remainder
of the agenda will focus
on priority end of session
issues, and an update on
implementation of this
year’s
workers’ compensation
reform legislation.
- Tuesday,
June 12, 10 to 12 noon, guest
speaker to be announced.
The GAC
meetings with be at The Business
Council’s offices at
152 Washington Avenue in
Albany. All members are invited
to attend. No registration
is required. Please feel
free to contact us if you
have any suggestions regarding
the meeting agendas.
Article
X Legislation
The Business Council has
submitted detailed comments
on Governor Spitzer’s
draft Article X legislation.
These comments were based
on a review by our new
board-based Energy Committee.
The Business Council believes
this draft legislation
will do far too little
to address the state’s
most pressing energy needs:
promote investment in new
generating capacity, lower
the cost of electric power,
address system reliability
issues, and maintain fuel
diversity in our power
generation sector. Specific
concerns include: inappropriate
environmental performance
thresholds that will preclude
a number of categories
of electric power projects
from Article X review,
and excessively restrictive
criteria for siting additional
capacity in urban areas. The
Administration’s
draft legislation, and
The Business Council’s
comments and recommendations,
are available at: www.bcnys.org/inside/engycom.htm.
School
Tax Watch
The
Public Policy Institute's
annual "School Tax Watch" got
an unusually high level
of news media attention
this year -- including
front-page play in many
papers across the state,
a lengthy story in the
New York Times and a lead
editorial in the New York
Post. The reason? It showed
that armed with the largest
increase in state aid in
history, school districts
are proposing to boost
spending by double the
rate of inflation, and
are substantially increasing
property taxes as well.
The details are at:
www.bcnys.org/whatsnew/2007/0503stw.htm
Comptroller
Report on FY 08 Budget
Comptroller
Thomas DiNapoli released a
report yesterday on the enacted
FY 2007-08 budget, which showed
an overall spending increase
of $9.4 billion, or 8.2
- more than three times
the rate of inflation.
The report also identified
$2.9 billion more in state
spending under this year’s
budget than was initially
announced, citing significant
capital spending that was
not included in the state’s
Financial Plan. The Comptroller’s
report also projected out-year
budget gaps of $3.1 billion
in 2008-09, $4.8 billion
in 2009-10 and $6.6 billion
in 2010-11. The Comptroller
criticized the budget as
including excessive spending,
and stressed the need for
budget reform that controlled
spending and that used
more transparent presentations
on income and spending
level. The report is available
at www.osc.state.ny.us/press/releases/may07/051007a.htm.
Department
of Insurance Leadership
Team
The
Superintendent of Insurance
Eric Dinallo has issued
a formal announcement of
eleven new appointments
to executive positions
within the Department.
Key recent appointments
include Kermitt Brooks
as First Deputy Superintendent,
Bruce Topman as Executive
Director of the Department’s
Workers’ Compensation
Reform Work Group, and
Zachary Weiss as Special
Counsel. The full list
of appointments is available
on line at: www.ins.state.ny.us/press/2007/p0705101.htm.
Farewell to Business
Council staffers
On Tuesday, May
22, we will
be holding a Farewell Reception
to pay tribute to the over
65 combined years of service
to The Business Council
of NYS, Inc. by Ed
Reinfurt, Elliott Shaw and Robert
Ward. Join
us at the Fort Orange Club,
5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. RSVP to
events@bcnys.org or call
the Conference Development
Department at 800-358-1202.
Events for 2007
Spring Environment
Conference
Monday, June 4
Crowne
Plaza Albany
Newly appointed Department
of Environmental Conservation Commissioner
Pete Grannis is
confirmed to give the keynote
address at lunch on Monday,
June 4. This conference provides
participants with a mid-year
update from key officials from
DEC, as well as industry experts.
The conference will attract
environmental professionals
from companies across New York
State, and provide them with
the opportunity to hear and
meet with the experts who write
and implement the state's environmental
laws.
2007 Homeland Security
Council Congressional Exchange
Wednesday, June 13 , Welcome
Reception
Thursday,
June 14, Breakfast Roundtable
Washington,
DC
Join with the Homeland
Security Council as we bring
together members of the state's
congressional delegation,
committee representatives,
as well as top federal homeland
security officials for a
two-day exchange of ideas,
information and opportunities.
2007
Conference on State Taxation
June 25 - 27, 2007
Gideon
Putnam Resort & Spa
Saratoga
Springs
This Conference, presented
with the cooperation of the NYS
Department of Taxation & Finance,
focuses specifically on the
latest business and corporate
tax issues and disseminates
information on how these will
impact business in New York
State. Full agenda will
be available shortly.
