ALBANY—A responsible and timely state budget and cost-cutting reforms
to Medicaid and workers' compensation will be among the key legislative
priorities on which state lawmakers will be graded on The Business Council's
2005 legislative report card, the Council has told all state legislators
New York State's debt has risen sharply in recent years to pay for "unsustainable
levels of government spending," Comptroller Alan G. Hevesi said in proposing
tight new limits on state borrowing.
State leaders even increased borrowing and reduced pay-as-you-go
spending on capital projects when there were annual surpluses
of up to $3 billion during the late 1990s, Comptroller Hevesi
said
ALBANY—New York’s successful effort to transform society
through welfare reform a decade ago proves that the state can enact cost-cutting
Medicaid reform today despite stiff opposition from special interests,
Business Council President Daniel B. Walsh said today.
“The critics and cynics who said 'welfare reform' would never happen
in New York State were wrong
ALBANY—Karen St. Hilaire, Executive Director of the Saint Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce, has been awarded the Chamber Alliance of New York State’s (CANYS) Excellence in Leadership Award for 2005. St. Hilaire received the honor on January 19th at the annual CANYS Legislative and Leadership conference in Albany, NY
Governor Pataki has proposed a 2005-06 budget that includes
funding for his new Upstate economic-development plan, Medicaid
cost-containment measures designed to contain growth in local
taxes, a faster phase-out of the 2003 personal income-tax
surcharge, and a variety of new increases in taxes and fees
Governor Pataki is proposing budget-reform legislation that
would require the Legislature to adopt a balanced budget each
year, while spelling out the impact of one year's spending
increases on future years.
"This is the type of budget reform New York State needs,"
Business Council President Daniel B
County property taxes would have to increase by an average
of almost one-third by 2010 if Medicaid costs continue to
rise at the current rate, according to a new brief from state
Comptroller Alan Hevesi.
“Medicaid costs are pushing already high local property
taxes even higher
Governor George Pataki has released new details of Operation SPUR,
his proposal to reinvigorate selected Upstate communities, that
are identified as struggling economically and lagging in population
growth.
“This critical new initiative will target Upstate communities
where we need additional economic growth and job creation,
and will bring new jobs and the promise of a growing economy
to all New Yorkers,” Governor Pataki said
ALBANY—Re-authorization of the state’s multi-billion dollar
health-care program should only be done if lawmakers can ensure more accountability
and less waste, Business Council President Daniel B. Walsh said in testimony
before the Senate Health and Insurance Committees today
Testimony of
Daniel B. Walsh
President
The Business Council of New York State
Senate Health and Insurance Committees
Re-authorization of the Health Care Reform Act (HCRA)
January 11, 2005
Majority Leader Bruno, Chairman Hannon, Chairman Seward and members of the Senate Health and Insurance Committees, thank you for inviting The Business Council to offer comments on re-authorization of the Health Care Reform Act (HCRA)