News

24
Oct
2005
ALBANY—Requiring Americans who cross to and from Canada to carry a passport “would create serious economic problems for tourism and business activity,” The Business Council said in testimony today at a federal hearing in Buffalo. "Almost 350,000 New York jobs are supported by U
24
Oct
2005
ALBANY—Seven New York business associations have joined Stop the Amendment, the coalition of think tanks, fiscal-policy experts, good-government groups, former state budget officials, and business groups chaired by former Governor Hugh Carey. The coalition is united in its opposition to a proposed constitutional amendment that would radically change New York’s budget-making process
19
Oct
2005
ALBANY—The Business Council’s Board of Directors has voted to support the proposed Transportation Bond Act which will go before voters on this November’s ballot. This year’s state budget authorized a five-year, $35.8 billion Transportation Capital Plan providing funding for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and the state’s highway and bridge, rail and ports, aviation, canal and non-MTA transit programs
19
Oct
2005
ALBANY—State legislators generally scored higher on The Business Council's annual legislative report card than they did last year. The Council today released the report card, the "Vote for Jobs Index," which is designed to help citizens and business evaluate the voting records of individual legislators on issues that affect the health of New York’s business climate
18
Oct
2005
Questions surrounding the funding of New York’s public education system will be the subject of a debate between fiscal policy experts Wednesday, October 19, at Marist College in Poughkeepsie. The debate, sponsored by Marist College School of Management and Marist’s masters in public administration program, will feature Frank Mauro, director of the Fiscal Policy Institute, and E
17
Oct
2005
States wishing to remain competitive for international investment in today’s business climate should reduce or eliminate corporate taxes entirely, according to a new study by the Tax Foundation. The study, released in early October by the Tax Foundation, found that many state lawmakers are revamping corporate tax structures in order to make their tax systems “more competitive for jobs and investment in the international marketplace
17
Oct
2005
An unusually diverse group of individuals and organizations outlined reasons voters should reject a proposed constitutional amendment on this November's ballot. “I don’t see how you’d call this reform. I don’t see how this can conceivably be called good government," said Frank Mauro, director of the Fiscal Policy Institute and widely recognized advocate for generally liberal fiscal policy
14
Oct
2005
ALBANY—A diverse group of organizations and individuals opposed to a proposed constitutional amendment to radically overhaul New York's budget process will outline different arguments against it at a news conference at 10 a.m. Monday, October 17, in the LCA press room in the Legislative Office Building in Albany
14
Oct
2005
Relieving traditional communication providers from burdensome regulations will benefit New York’s economy and New York residents, The Business Council has told the state’s Public Service Commission (PSC.) In testimony presented October 11 to the PSC, the Council’s director of energy and telecommunications issues, Anne Van Buren, said non-traditional communications companies, such as wireless providers, are quickly moving into the market
13
Oct
2005
New York's high wages and labor costs are partly to blame for the current troubles of Delphi Corporation's Lockport Plant in Buffalo, Delphi’s CEO Robert S. Miller said at a press conference on Wednesday, October 12. Miller told reporters that New York’s workers’ compensation rates add $3 per hour to the company’s labor costs