News

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ALBANY—Senator Bruno's proposed new tax cuts will make New York's tax burden smaller and its recovery even stronger. The tax cuts already engineered by Governor Pataki and the legislative leaders have enhanced the state's fiscal health, improved our economic competitiveness, and created jobs

Small-business owners in New York consider local property taxes and health-care costs their biggest barriers to growth, a survey by the Center for Governmental Research found. More than three-quarters of small businesses surveyed said it is harder to do business in New York than else-where

Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno Tuesday unveiled a major expansion of his own proposal to again reduce New York State taxes. He also urged lawmakers to limit spending, noting that spending sprees in previous years had forced tax increases to cover the spending. The new tax-cut plan includes many business priorities, including cuts to the state's energy taxes, ton mileage tax, alternative minimum tax (AMT) and petroleum business tax

ALBANY—The "tax gap" between New York and other states, the extra cost of taxes in the Empire State compared to the average for all states, is at its lowest level since 1982, new data from the U.S. Census Bureau show. And an analysis by The Public Policy Institute indicates the extra tax burden on New Yorkers will continue to shrink significantly as a result of additional tax cuts taking place in coming years

By hiring individuals from certain targeted groups, such as people moving from welfare to work, New York businesses can tap tax incentives that have saved thousands of businesses more than $72million in federal and state taxes since 1996. "Businesses can tap into our bank of skilled workers to fill job vacancies, putting New Yorkers back to work," Governor Pataki said in a press release March 3

State and Local Taxes Per $1,000 Personal Income, 1996 Rank State Amt. Rank State Amt. 1 Alaska $159 27 Ohio $111 2 NEW YORK $144 28 Georgia 111 3 Wisconsin 133 29 Montana 111 4 Hawaii 132 30 Delaware 109 5 Minnesota 132 31 Illinois 109 6 Maine 129 32 Michigan 109 7 New Mexico 126 33 North 109 8 Vermont 122 34 Oklahoma 108 9 Connecticut 121 35 Arkansas 108 10 North Dakota 121 36 Oregon 107 11 Utah 121 37 Maryland 106 12 Washington 120 38 Pennsylvania 106 13 Nebraska 119 39 South Carolina 105 14 Arizona 118 40 Indiana 104 15 Iowa 117 41 Colorado 103 16 Wyoming 117 42 Florida 103 17 New Jersey 116 43 Texas 103 18 Kentucky 116 44 Louisiana 103 19 Idaho 116 45 Missouri 101 20 Rhode Island 115 46 South Dakota 101 21 Nevada 114 47 Virginia 98 22 Kansas 114 48 Alabama 94 23 Mississippi 114 49 Tennessee 90 24 California 113 50 New Hampshire 89 25 West Virginia 113 U

Twenty-five large businesses, 11 small businesses, and nine not-for-profit organizations will receive reduced-rate power under the state's 1999 Power for Jobs program. The first 1999 allocations under the program, which totaled 28,000 kilowatts, were announced February 24 by Governor Pataki

Governor Pataki has created a new commission to study special funds in the state's workers' compensation system. The Business Council supports the creation of the commission and has been asked by the Governor to recommend one of the appointees to it, according to Stacey Hengsterman, The Council's specialist in workers' compensation issues

Chairman Stafford, Chairman Farrell, and honorable members of the committees: As you prepare to enact the budget that will take New York State into the year 2000, the Legislature can point with pride to the state's recent record. New York's economy is stronger than it's been in years