News

05
Feb
1998
The Business Council has urged the state Public Service Commission to approve "PowerChoice," a restructuring plan for Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation. NiMo's plan calls for a 3.2 percent rate cut for residential customers and small businesses and a 25 percent rate cut for large industrial customers
05
Feb
1998
New York's business community has begun a broad-based cam-paign to win the next major round of tax cuts needed to make the Empire State more competitive. Business Council President Daniel B. Walsh faxed a memo to chambers of commerce, regional associations and other allies on Wednesday, asking them to contact Governor Pataki and legislators in the next few days
05
Feb
1998
Gov. George Pataki has been invited to be the featured speaker at The Business Council's annual Small Business Day 1998, which will take place Monday, March 30, at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany. Small Business Day, which is co-sponsored by the National Federation of Independent Business in cooperation with many local chambers of commerce and business associations, provides an opportunity for representatives of smaller businesses to lobby lawmakers about important issues facing small business
02
Feb
1998
Honorable John O' Mara Chairman Public Service Commission Empire State Plaza Agency Building 3, 20th Floor Albany, New York 12223 Dear Chairman O'Mara: It is my understanding that Niagara Mohawk Corporation's "PowerChoice" restructuring agreement may be voted on by the three member board of the Public Service Commission (PSC) at the next scheduled deliberative session, Wednesday, February 4
23
Jan
1998
A top official with the state Department of Labor (DOL) has urged The Business Council to play an active role in the dialogue on possible reform in the state's unemployment insurance system. "It's your money that funds the system," James Dillon, DOL Executive Deputy Commissioner, reminded the business community in a special briefing of the Council's Government Affairs Committee Jan
23
Jan
1998
The Business Council has formally adopted its 1998 legislative program, which was developed by committees and councils of member company representatives working in 21 different subject areas. The program was accepted by the Government Affairs Council on January 20, and then given final approval by the Executive and Policy Committees of the Board of Directors later that day
23
Jan
1998
Matthew Maguire has returned to The Business Council as Director of Communications and as Director of Development for The Public Policy Institute. Maguire worked in public relations for The Business Council in the early 1980s. He has spent the last 11 years at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he worked in both public relations and fund-raising
09
Jan
1998
2,506 employers join in 'Operation UI Pre-Pay,' triggering across-the-board rate reduction to save most companies $63 per employee Working with hundreds of member companies, Chambers of Commerce, trade associations and other allies across the state, The Business Council has engineered a $420 million cut in this year's unemployment insurance taxes in New York
07
Jan
1998
Governor Pataki is right to take pride in the tremendous record of change, renewal and growth that New York has developed in the last three years. This state is making its comeback. Three years ago, George Pataki stood almost alone in his belief that New York could turn around -- and in his understanding that it would take a smaller, smarter government to do the job
01
Jan
1998
Getting Better, But Still Not Good Enough New York State's economy is stronger than it's been in years. We've added more than 140,000 private-sector jobs since early 1995, and are within striking distance of the nationwide growth rate after a decade of lagging far behind. That better news seems likely to continue