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)
New York's hefty investment in public schools and school
aid increases at twice the inflation level "have not
purchased significant achievement," according to a new
analysis by the Rochester-based Center for Governmental Research.
New York has raised school aid over the past decade at twice
the rate of inflation leading to per pupil spending that is
41 percent above the national average, the analysis said
The
Republican Senate Majority has launched a new push for a package
of tax cuts and tax credits it says would be valued at $1
billion when fully effective.
"Some
critics might say it's late in the session to be talking about
tax cuts, but there is never a bad time to cut taxes," Senate
Majority Leader Joseph Bruno said at a June 15 news conference
touting the plan