Education
Subcommittee
Overview: The
Education Subcommittee at its April 10 meeting reported
that it had discussions on many issues and that, on a few
of them, it had reached agreement.
The subcommittee reported that it has agreed to:
Continue
authorization for school districts to hold four superintendents' conference
days
The state Department of State
has developed an index of New York State corporations and business entities
that can be used free of charge at the department's website.
"This is a powerful
tool for getting basic information on New York businesses, and it will make
it easier for many organizations to learn about and reach out to New York's
business community," said Business Council President Daniel B
David Sterman,
a longtime executive in the state Department of Environmental Conservation
(DEC) and a former director of environmental affairs for The Business Council,
has been named acting president of the state Environmental Facilities Corporation
(EFC).
Sterman has
been serving
as vice president EFC, a multi-service organization that helps communities
and businesses with environmental needs
The state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will accept applications for the seventh annual Governor's
Awards for Pollution Prevention through June 30.
These awards recognize businesses and organizations that go beyond minimum requirements of environmental compliance
laws and regulations to reduce pollution at its source, according to DEC
Education
Subcommittee
Overview: The
Education Subcommittee met for the second time on Thursday
morning, April 6, and reported closure on several issues
and progress on others.
Funding
agreements: The subcommittee reported agreement on
the following:
Full
funding of BOCES programs (a restoration of $97
Human
Services/Labor Subcommittee
Overview:
The first meeting of the Human Services/Labor Subcommittee at 1 p.m. Wednesday,
April 5, was a general discussion that focused to a large extent on how
the subcommittee would operate.
After Assemblyman
Green, CO-chair of the subcommittee, reviewed rules of subcommittee operation,
different subcommittee members briefly outlined their priorities for funding
Overview:
The first meeting of the general conference committee focused on organizational
issues and a review of the legislative leaders' priorities for the coming
conference process. The meeting took place at 11 a.m. Wednesday, April 5.
Senate
Majority Leader Joseph Bruno said Senate budget priorities are: an increase
in the EPIC prescription drug program for seniors; an increase in the Tuition
Assistance Program (TAP); a tax deduction for tuition payments; investment
in a "NY Soars" program for improving New York's airports; a program
to retain and support teachers; increased education aid; and tax cuts
Governor Pataki and key legislative
leaders have announced a three-way agreement on the "framework"
for a state budget and on the amount of funds available for that budget.
Conference committees comprising
members of the Assembly and Senate will begin hammering out the details
of a budget Wednesday, April 5, the leaders said
The Citizens Budget Commission,
a respected civic organization based in New York City, issued a report urging
Governor Pataki and the Legislature to reduce the gross receipts tax and
slow the growth in state spending.
"An exceptionally
high tax on utility receipts is economically harmful because it raises energy
costs for businesses and thereby puts firms in New York at a competitive
disadvantage," said the CBC report, Recommendations for the New
York State Budget For Fiscal Year 2001
The Business Council is urging
the state Legislature to support a proposal by Assembly Minority Leader
John Faso to provide an education tax credit to offset education costs from
kindergarten through college.
The proposal is part of the
Assembly Minority's $1.4 billion "family
and jobs tax cut package" announced March 15