Government Affairs Council Update

PIT Hike Opposed
Staff Contact: Ken Pokalsky

The Assembly Majority is recommending a five year increase in the personal income tax rate, from 6.85 percent to 7.7 percent, on taxpayers with incomes over $1 million. This is projected to raise $1.5 billion a year, and is proposed as an alternative to revenue measures included in the Governor’s Executive Budget proposal.

Yesterday, TBC President Kenneth Adams issued a statement in opposition to this proposal (available here), joining Governor Spitzer and Majority Leader Bruno in opposing this measure. Adams stressed the need for further controls on state spending growth, rather than new taxes, as the only sustainable fix for the state’s budget gaps. He noted that even with an additional $1.5 billion in annual revenues, based on current spending trends New York would still face an aggregate $15 billion budget gap over the next three years.

This PIT proposal is expected to be included in the Assembly’s budget proposal due out by this Monday.

Minimum Wage Legislation Advances
Staff Contact: Tom Minnick

The State Assembly is moving legislation to further increase the state’s minimum wage, and index future increases to the consumer price index. This week, the Assembly Ways & Means Committee sent legislation to the Assembly floor - A.9168 (Silver) - which would increase the minimum wage to $8.25 by 2011 and, thereafter, index the minimum wage to a CPI calculated adjustment. The Business Council opposes this legislation, and our memo in opposition is available here. At this time, there is no Senate companion to this proposal. The state adopted a three step increase in the state minimum wage during the 2005 session, bring it to its current level of $715 per hour.

Senate Fills Key Committee Posts
Staff Contact: Walter Pacholczak

Note also that Senator Andrew Lanza (R - Staten Island) was appointed Chairman of the Senate Civil Service and Pensions Committee to fill Senator Robach’s former role. Senator Lanza will also continue to Chair the Senate Ethics Committee.

Environment Issues Addressed
Staff Contact: Marcus Ferguson

Members of The Business Council’s Environment Committee had its first of four quarterly meetings with Department of Environmental Conservation executive staff on February 26 at the DEC building in downtown Albany. The purpose of these meetings is to foster dialogue between the business community and DEC on the key environmental issues and initiatives in New York.

Last month's meeting focused on several important issues including: brownfield's reform proposals, solid waste management programs, Executive Budget fee increases, air permits and regulation of air emissions and others.

In this session, Business Council members stressed our concerns about the Administration’s proposals to limit eligibility for brownfield redevelopment credits, and to impose significantly increased permit fees on manufacturing and utility facilities. We also agreed to work together on the Department’s efforts to update its solid waste management plan in order to improve recycling and other program attributes.

FYI – Family Leave Legislation Approved in NJ
Staff Contact: Tom Minnick

Family leave legislation received consideration attention in the New York State Legislature in 2007, and undoubtedly will be a major post budget issue this year. Similar legislation is moving toward final approval in our neighboring state. The New Jersey Senate passed a family leave bill earlier this week and the bill has been returned to the New Jersey Assembly Appropriations Committee where final disposition is expected soon. The bill passed the NJ Assembly last year. The New Jersey legislation would provide employees up to 6 weeks of paid leave to care for a child or sick family member. A copy of the bill is available on-line at: www.njleg.state.nj.us/2008/Bills/A1000/873_U1.HTM.

Washington Update
Staff Contact: Maggie Moree

• Chemical Facility Rules Tightened Under House Bill The House Homeland Security Committee approved draft legislation that would extend and toughen existing regulations requiring increased security against possible terrorism at the thousands of facilities that produce, store or distribute potentially hazardous chemicals. The language will now be formally introduced and referred to other committees with the House Energy & Commerce Committee as the likely first stop. The measure is necessary to retain the Homeland Security Department’s ability to enforce the current regulations it adopted last year with authority granted in the FY07 department appropriations. Those regulations, the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards, will expire October 31, 2009, unless the authority is extended. The most contentious aspect of the drafting was around a proposed amendment that would restore the current requirement that use of “inherently safer technologies” (IST) applies only to the Tier One, or most hazardous, chemical facilities.

Business Council Meeting Schedule

• Transportation Committee Meeting
  Wednesday, March 12, 2008
  1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
  Guest Speaker: Executive Director/CEO, Metropolitan
  Transportation Authority
  The Business Council Headquarters
  152 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12210
  Registration Contact: Janet Carroll
  Registration and meeting Agenda
  
  
• Contract Procurement Committee Meeting
  Wednesday, March 19, 2008
  1:00 p.m. to 3:00 pm
  Guest Speaker: Project Director, Vendor Representative Unit,
  New York State Office of the State Comptroller, Diane Taylor
  Guest Speaker: Contract Management Specialist II,
  New York State Office of the State Comptroller, Irene Waldorf
  The Business Council Headquarters
  152 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12210
  Registration Contact: Janet Carroll
  

Business Council Events for 2008

Small Business Day 2008
March 27, 2008
8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY

• Sponsorship Opportunities and Registration

Human Resource Conference & Legislative Day
April 14 – 15, 2008
State Capitol and Legislative Office Building
Albany , NY
New Expanded Format

• Sponsorship Opportunities and Registration

Annual Conference on State Taxation
May 13 – 15, 2008
Gideon Putnam
Saratoga Springs, NY

• Sponsorship Opportunities

Business Council Member Golf Outing
July 23, 2008
Leatherstocking Golf Course, The Otesaga Hotel
Cooperstown, NY

• Save the Date Information

Contact Us

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Conference Development Department.

Phone: 1-800-358-1202
Online: www.bcnys.org/events.htm
Email: Events@bcnys.org

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