Text of letter sent to Governor George E. Pataki from Daniel B. Walsh, President of The Business Council, dated June 29, 2004.
Honorable George E. Pataki
Governor
Executive Chamber
The Capitol
Albany, New York 12224
Dear Governor Pataki:
RE: Preserving New York’s Executive Budget process
The recent history of the New York State budget process leaves a lot to be desired
ALBANY—The Business Council has launched a new Web-based initiative to help its members and other business leaders from around the state warn the state Public Service Commission (PSC) against adopting a renewable energy mandate in a way that would increase New York’s already above-average energy costs
The
2004 legislative session that ended this week with no agreement
on a state budget, which is supposed to be in place by April
1 under the state Constitution, and no major action on any
of the top priorities of New York's business community
More than a third of employees in Upstate New York may be
offered a new type of "consumer- driven" health
plan (CDHP) by their employers within the next few years,
according to a new survey released today by Excellus BlueCross
BlueShield
A United States District Court has scheduled oral arguments
on a case challenging the legality of the state’s controversial
“Labor Neutrality” law.
Neal P. McCurn, senior U.S. district judge, has also granted
The Council amicus status in the proceedings, which are scheduled
for August 18 in Syracuse
The
Business Council and other leading business groups in New
York are strongly resisting a late maneuver to weaken a compromise
"mental health parity" bill in the waning hours of the legislative
session this week
Besides
proposing a 29 percent increase in workers' compensation premiums,
the New York State Compensation Insurance Rating Board (CIRB)
has also proposed a 6 percent increase in workers' comp "assessments,"
a tax on workers' comp premiums that all employers must pay
The Business Council is asking Governor Pataki to veto a
bill passed by both houses of the Legislature that would extend
a ban on the use of plastic piping in commercial construction
and development.
The bill, which is opposed by a coalition of building contractors
and manufacturers, is a continuation of a bill passed three
years ago under pressure from unions
Acting at the request of a powerful hospital workers' union,
the Assembly has introduced legislation that would increase
the state’s debt by $1 billion to buy new health-related
technology and relieve hospital operating deficits.
The bill, A
New York’s “vicarious liability law” costs
consumers more than $130 million a year and has led to a 36
percent decline in the number of vehicles leased in New York
each year, according to the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers
(Alliance) and the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association
(GNYADA)