 |
In addition, David Shaffer will continue to staff our Innovation Committee, and Skye Heritage remains our staff liaison with the Chamber Alliance. We are in the process of scheduling meetings for most of our issue-specific committees and councils, and you will be receiving information on those events under separate cover. As always, we encourage you to contact our GAC staff regarding any specific issues of concern within these issue areas. Committees and Councils
|
| COMMITTEE | CHAIR | TBC STAFF |
| Health | Steve McCormick, Anheuser-Busch | Mark Amodeo |
| Workers’ Compensation | Steve Scotti, Con Edison | Ken Pokalsky |
| Taxation | Paul Comeau, Hodgson Russ & Brian Hickey, M&T Bank - cochairs | Ken Pokalsky |
| Liability Reform | Tom Judson, The Pike Company | Walter Pacholczak |
| Economic Development | Monica Azare, Verizon | Ken Pokalsky |
| Workforce Development | Julia Bartoldson, Dresser Rand | Margaret Moree |
| Innovation | Linda Sanford, IBM | Ken Pokalsky |
In addition to these committees addressing Business Council priority issues, we will maintain several Councils -- permanent bodies that provide general support to The Business Council’s advocacy efforts. They include:
- President’s
Council (formerly Steering
Committee), comprised of
representatives of board companies, major members
and major industry
sectors, will provide counsel to the President
and staff on major issues
and legislative strategies.
- Government
Affairs Council, open to
representatives of all
Business Council members,
with be the primary point
of contact for Business
Council members with general
interest in legislative
and regulatory issues.
Finally, to assure effective communications with
members on a wide range of business
issues, The Business Council will maintain several
additional councils. The final part
of our GAC restructuring, these councils will also
be open to all Business Council
members, will feature regular communications from
Business Council staff during the
legislative session, and will be “activated” on
an as-needed basis to respond to
significant legislative and regulatory issues. Our
Councils are as follows:
COUNCIL TBC STAFF Chamber Alliance Margaret Moree Construction Industry Walter Pacholczak Contract Procurement / Homeland Security Margaret Moree Financial Services (Banking, Insurance) Walter Pacholczak Government Affairs Ken Pokalsky Human Resources & Labor Tom Minnick President's Kenneth Adams
Kenneth PokalskyTransportation Walter Pacholczak
Several of these committees and councils met during our recent Annual Meeting; others will be scheduling meetings between now and the end of the year. We will be notifying all past members of these respective committees and councils regarding meeting dates, and will reach out to new Business Council members to encourage them to become directly involved with our advocacy efforts. We will also will include a committee/council meeting agenda in our next GAC memo.
Comptroller Fiscal Report
Staff Contact: Ken
Pokalsky
New York State spending is projected to grow significantly faster than revenues over the next four years, according to a report issued this week by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.
The report, the Comptroller’s “Financial Condition Report” for Fiscal 2007, provided final income and spending numbers for the fiscal year that ended on March 31, as well as state revenue and spending projections for the next four years.
Among the “highlights”:
- overall state
spending increased by 26.6
percent over the past four
fiscal years,
more than twice the rate of inflation.
- state spending
is projected to increase
by 31 percent over the
next four years,
based on existing programs and trendline projections,
while revenues are only
projected to increase 21 percent.
- state-funded debt is projected to increase to nearly $64 billion by Fiscal 2012, up from $51 billion in Fiscal 2007, with annual debt service projected to grow to $7.1 billion.
This dismal fiscal outlook is despite the fact that total state tax revenues increased by nearly 50 percent over the past four fiscal years – to $58.7 billion for Fiscal 2007, an increase of 48.2 percent since Fiscal 2003 tax revenues.
Independent Contractors
Staff Contact: Walter Pacholczak
In September, Governor Spitzer issued Executive Order 17, creating the “Joint Enforcement Task Force on Employee Misclassification,” comprised of the Attorney General, the Commissioners of Labor at Taxation & Finance, the Chair of the Workers’ Compensation Board, the Workers’ Compensation Fraud Inspector General, and the Comptroller of the City of New York. See http://www.ny.gov/governor/executive_orders/exeorders/17.html
Its purpose is to focus investigation and enforcement activity related to the misclassification of employees as independent contractors. In its list of findings, the Order states that “an increasing number of employers in New York and elsewhere are improperly classifying individuals they hire as ‘independent contractors,’ even when those workers legally should be classified as ‘employees,’” and that some misclassification in being done to avoid labor law, tax, workers’ compensation and other legal obligations.
The Order also commits the state to “work[ing] cooperatively with business, labor, and community groups interested in reducing employee misclassification.”
The Business Council is seeking member companies with an interest in this Executive Order and the issues it addresses, to help us respond to and participate in the Task Force’s efforts. If you have an interest in this issue, please contact Walter Pacholczak.
Business Council Events
for 2008
Staff Contact: Ellen Muir
- 2008 Annual Legislators’ Reception
Crowne Plaza Hotel
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Albany
Come join fellow members of The Business Council as they greet and meet with members of the NYS Senate and Assembly; top officials from the Governor's Office and various State Agencies; and key staff members at the kick-off event to the 2008 Legislative Session. Sponsorship opportunities will be available soon.
- 2008 Annual Homeland
Security Conference
Crowne Plaza Hotel
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Albany
This event will mark the fourth anniversary of The Business Council’s Homeland Security Council. Join the Council in this very important discussion on US / Canadian Relationships, focusing on Northern Border Management & Commerce Issues. In addition to a great program, the Conference will allow the opportunity for US and Canadian companies to sit and talk to each other through a Matchmaking Session. The conference also provides great networking opportunities for those in both the private and public sector to assist you in forging important partnerships to assist your organization. Sponsorship & exhibit opportunities will be available soon.
