News

---

Less than a month after the state Insurance Department rejected a proposal to increase average workers' comp premiums by 29 percent, the department has received a new request to increase rates—this time, by 9.5 percent

Five Republican state Senators were endorsed by the union-funded Working Families Party the day the Senate agreed to increase New York's minimum wage by 39 percent, the New York Sun reported. The union party had nominated challengers to the five incumbents only days before, but arranged for the challengers to bow out in favor of the Republican candidates, according to the newspaper

ALBANY—The Business Council today strongly defended state lawmakers attacked this week by a union moving to punish the lawmakers for their efforts to restrain growth in the nation's highest tax burden. "You and your colleagues have the courage to stand up for New York's taxpayers," Business Council President Daniel B

New York State should adopt a master plan for the state’s transportation system that focuses on regional and international trade corridors, technology efficiencies, and increasing collaboration between state and foreign transit officials, The Business Council said in testimony before a state advisory panel on August 5

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is asking for public comments on proposed regulations regarding Medicare benefits and the Medicare prescription drug card. The proposals, which are now open for public comment, are designed to help implement the 2003 Medicare Modernization Act that created a new voluntary prescription drug program in Medicare, a release from HHS said

ALBANY, N.Y.— No matter how you measure it, New York State is still No. 1 in combined state and local taxes, a Public Policy Institute analysis of new U.S. Census Bureau data shows. As of fiscal 2002, New York's state and local taxes averaged $4,645 for every state resident

Governor Pataki announced he has vetoed a bill passed by the Legislature that would increase the minimum wage in New York from $5.15 to $7.15 an hour. 'New York has to continue fighting for every job and we cannot unilaterally put this state at a competitive disadvantage," the Governor wrote in his veto message

State legislators have agreed to increase the state's minimum wage in steps to $7.15 by January 2007. The state's minimum was would increase to $6 per hour next January, to $6.75 per hour in January 2006, and to $7

Mandating mental health coverage would increase insurance premiums significantly for small businesses, placing them at an economic disadvantage and putting affordable health coverage further out of reach, The Business Council and other business leaders told Senate Majority Leader Joseph L