States that change their
corporate tax apportionment rules to a single-sales factor are likely
to gain manufacturing and other jobs while states that do not do so
may lose them, according to new studies reported by the National Conference
of State Legislatures.
One of the studies appears
to indicate that adoption of a single-sales factor in New York State
could result in a gain of more than 160,000 new jobs
By James M. Testo
James M.
Testo is vice president of InteGreyted Consultants of Clifton
Park. This is based on his presentation at the July 13 meeting
of The Council's Occupational Safety and Health Committee.
Thanks to advances in computing,
employers can "digitize" environmental health and safety (EHS) programs
Business Council members
get substantial discounts on six "survival guides" that explain key federal
and state regulations on employment.
The survival guides are produced
by the American Chamber of Commerce Publishers of Chicago for The Business
Council.
Updated for 2000, the books
provide organized, easy-to-use guidelines in plain language
Workers' compensation rates
in New York State will be reduced an average 2.5 percent effective October
1, Governor Pataki announced.
However, assessments that
employers must pay, on top of their workers' comp premiums, will increase
by an average of 2.6 percent. Those assessments pay for the Second Injury
Fund and other special funds
The Business Council will
oppose any state legislation that would require employers to tap into their
unemployment insurance (UI) or disability insurance accounts to provide
paid family leave.
Last year, President Clinton
directed the U.S. Department of Labor to issue regulations allowing individual
states to use their unemployment insurance trust funds to finance paid family
leave, said Tom Minnick, The Council's specialist in human resources issues
Also seeks more 'Power for Jobs,' new tax cuts and enterprise zones to aid Upstate
Governor Pataki announced today that he will propose the repeal of the state's
Gross Receipts Tax on energy bills, as part of a package focused on stimulating
economic growth in Upstate New York.
Additional elements of the Governor's "21st Century Upstate Economic Agenda" will include more low-cost electric power for business, tax cuts for small business, brownfields incentives, and the creation of Upstate "high-tech enterprise zones" with special tax credits for startup businesses
Halfway through the 2000-01
fiscal year, the state budget has a $437 million cash balance over what
was projected earlier in the year, the Division of the Budget reported.
"Sustained
economic growth continues to produce a favorable fiscal outlook for
the State," DOB said in its 2000-01 Mid-Year Financial Plan
Update, posted on the agency's website October 30
More money for public schools
may not guarantee children a better education, The New York Times
concluded after examining spending increases throughout the New York City
school system over the past four years.
Noting that the city's schools
have seen dramatic increases in spending in recent years, the Times
said its analysis of the new spending found that nearly half had gone for
school aides, administration and student support services
Business
Council President Daniel B. Walsh praised Governor Pataki's veto of
a bill that would have increased trial lawyers' fees in medical malpractice
cases, while decreasing the amounts received by victims.
The Governor
vetoed S.554, which would have repealed existing limits on trial lawyers'
fees in medical, dental and podiatric malpractice cases
Data-gathering
for The Business Council's comprehensive annual survey of employers on pay
and benefits is nearly complete, and the book is targeted for publication
August 30.
The survey, Compensation
Data - New York 2000, will offer comprehensive data from New York employers
on pay levels and practices, pay-increase budgets, other benefits, and related
recruitment and retention issues, said Theresa Worman, client relations
manager for Compdata Surveys of Kansas City, which conducts the survey each
year for The Council