News

01
Apr
1999
Paul M. Nasipak has been named 1999 Small Business Advocate of the Year by The Business Council and the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). The award was presented March 30 at Small Business Day, which is organized in Albany each spring by The Business Council and co-sponsored by NFIB
01
Apr
1999
The Business Council Insurance Fund enjoyed one of its best years ever in 1998, even though many members are not taking full advantage of the Fund's competitively priced insurance offerings. "More than half of Council members buy their employees' life insurance from The Business Council Insurance Fund," said Bob Crandall, The Council's director of member services
01
Apr
1999
The Business Council has scheduled its annual Manufacturing Week for May 7-14. This year, the event will focus on one of the top priorities of the manufacturing community, tort reform, said Brian McMahon, director of economic development for The Council and its specialist in manufacturing
01
Apr
1999
Business Council members have been asked to complete a survey on the effect of federal estate taxes on business employment levels in New York State.The Business Council is conducting the research with the Center for the Study of Taxation, a national not-for-profit research organization
01
Apr
1999
The new president of the state AFL-CIO has promised to begin a new statewide organizing efforts and to intensify the union's advocacy efforts in Albany. Dennis M. Hughes was elected president of the 2.5 million-member union March 23. He succeeds Edward J. Cleary, who is retiring. Hughes said that the AFL-CIO will "harness and direct the full political and legislative potential of our 31 central labor councils, 71 state organizations, 3,500 local unions and more than two million members into a force that no legislator or candidate for office will be able to ignore
31
Mar
1999
Assembly Minority Leader John Faso Wednesday released his conference's plan to stimulate job creation by cutting taxes and enhancing economic development. Tax elements include accelerating scheduled reductions in business tax rates and in the gross receipts tax on utilities; enacting Governor Pataki's energy-tax reforms; reducing bank and insurance tax rates along with corporate taxes; reducing the alternative minimum tax; converting the ton-mileage tax to a flat fee; and eliminating the petroleum business tax on commercial heating oil
31
Mar
1999
Governor Pataki assured New York's small business leaders that New York will eschew a "spending binge . . . that undoes our progress of the last four years." The Governor praised The Business Council for being instrumental "every step of the way" in the effort to improve New York's business climate through new state policies--and strongly urged The Council to stand firm in opposing excessive state spending that could undo much of the recent progress
31
Mar
1999
The Legislature has adjourned for two weeks without agreement with Governor Pataki on a budget for the 1999-2000 fiscal year. This is the 15th year in a row in which lawmakers have failed to agree on a budget by April 1, the beginning of the fiscal year. Lawmakers are not expected back in session until April 12
24
Mar
1999
The state Senate's budget resolution includes $1.1 billion in new tax cuts and a $2.7 billion reserve to guarantee the STAR property-tax relief program and other already enacted tax cuts. Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno called the resolution "a prudent plan [that] reflects a moderate balance of tax cuts, along with targeted increases in funding and creation of a significant reserve to finance tax cuts in future years
24
Mar
1999
The Assembly Majority Wednesday unveiled "Main Street," a five-year strategy for business development and job creation. The program would cut taxes by $75 million, including $28 million for small businesses and high-tech firms in 1999-2000. The program would target state investment at small businesses, emerging high-tech firms, and university-industry collaborations in R&D and workforce development