ALBANYAnother taxpayer-funded handout for Dennis Rivera? New York doesn't
need it and New Yorkers don't want it.
But if reports in the New York Sun and elsewhere are accurate, a "technical
cleanup" bill moving through the Legislature includes new spending in excess
of $100 million
ALBANYThe state Department of Taxation and Finance should "show
mercy" to New York State businesses that received little notice of a
complicated change in the state sales tax and are now trying valiantly to
adjust to the change, The Business Council has urged the department.
"I'm writing to ask that you make a special effort to show mercy to
the merchants all over New York State who are struggling to comply with the
Legislature's sudden increase in the sales tax," Business Council President
Daniel B
State agencies and public authorities must track lobbying
efforts by those seeking state contracts under a new executive
order announced June 15 by Governor George Pataki.
The Business Council is evaluating the executive order to
determine its likely effects on members that sell goods and
services to New York State
The Business Council this week continues to strongly oppose
a proposed new health-insurance mandate that would significantly
inflate insurance costs and imperil coverage for thousands
of New Yorkers by requiring costly, expanded coverage for
mental illness and substance abuse
A
new national study of manufacturing shows that this sector
ir the key factor in the nation's continuing growth and prosperity.
The finding echoes a similar study of manufacturing in New
York released by The Public Policy Institute in September
2002
ALBANYKenneth Adams, president of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce,
has become chairman for the Chamber Alliance of New York State (CANYS). Adams
succeeds Ray San Fratello, former president of the Genesee County Chamber
of Commerce.
Adams has led the Brooklyn Chamber for eight years
A
controversial proposal to require health insurance to cover
expanded health coverage for mental illness and substance
abuse would significantly increase costs of health insurance,
a new analysis shows.
The
Business Council is strongly opposing the bill (A
The
Business Council is urging lawmakers to modify a sweeping
new anti-smoking law because it severely penalizes businesses
that have invested heavily in work areas that could accommodate
smokers.
In
March, lawmakers abruptly passed a new anti-smoking law that
prohibits smoking in any workplace that has even a single
employee
The
Business Council is strongly supporting a new reform bill
that would help rein in New York's above-average workers'
compensation costs by enacting four key reforms.
The
bill (S.5320-Libous) is in part a response to three other
workers' compensation bills that propose significant benefits
increases without any essential cost-cutting reforms, said
Kerry Kirwan, The Council's legislative analyst specializing
in workers' comp
Legislative
leaders and the Pataki administration have been discussing
options for refinancing the state Superfund and adopting a
statewide brownfield program, but prospects for a resolution
are uncertain, according to Ken Pokalsky, The Council's director
of environmental and economic development programs