The Business Council is asking
its Energy Committee and its manufacturing members for feedback on bills
that would extend and/or increase a $78 million energy tax that is due to
expire next June.
"We're asking our members
to help frame a position on this tax," said Johnny Evers, The Council's
energy analyst
Here is a look on legislative
action in 2000 on The Business Council's top legislative priorities for
2000.
Gross receipts tax:
A strong Council campaign, including "e-advocacy," persuaded lawmakers to
repeal employers' gross receipts tax and significantly reduce other ratepayers'
GRT
The
state Senate and Assembly adjourned Friday June 23, ending a session
marked by a number of wins for The Business Council and New York's business
climate.
"Lawmakers
have passed some key business-friendly bills and rejected some harmful
ones," said Business Council President Daniel B
ALBANYCalling
the proposed dredging of the Hudson River "the wrong solution to the wrong
problem," The Business Council has urged the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) not to reverse its 16-year-old decision against dredging to remove
PCBs.
Dredging the
river would disrupt recreational and economic activity on a 40-mile stretch
of the river and would cause massive new ecological damage to the river, Business
Council President Daniel B
A number of issues of interest to business
remained unresolved Thursday, June 15, as the legislative session began
winding down.
The state Senate adjourned early Thursday,
and the Assembly was expected to suspend activities later in the day.
However, legislative action on these
outstanding issues remains a distinct possibility
to EPA administrator Carol Browner urging the EPA to reaffirm its 1984 decision not to dredge the Hudson River to remove PCBs
Ms. Carol Browner
Administrator
Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W.
Washington, DC 20460
Dear Ms. Browner:
RE: The Business Council opposes dredging to remove PCBs in the Upper Hudson River
For several years, The Business Council has been carefully monitoring your agency's reassessment of its 1984 decision against dredging to remove PCBs in the Upper Hudson River
The
Business Council is opposing several proposals to impose a
new tax on energy, nullifying much or all of the savings expected
from repeal of the energy gross receipts tax (GRT) on employers.
Two separate but similar bills
(A
The Business
Council is urging the state Legislature to reject proposals for a huge increase
in the state's minimum wage.
The Council
is also urging its members to contact lawmakers and convey the same message.
Members of The Council's Small Business Committee and its Labor and Human
Resource Committee have already been asked to call or write state lawmakers
to voice opposition to the proposals
The Business
Council is surveying its members in the construction industry to evaluate
how recent changes in workers compensation law are affecting this
industry.
The survey was sent to members of the New York State Construction Industry
Council (NYSCIC) May 25, said Johnny Evers, The Councils legislative
analyst who oversees the construction industry
Legislative
proposals designed to protect consumers' privacy should be carefully crafted
to avoid imposing needless or unintended restrictions on commerce, The Business
Council advised state lawmakers this week.
Four representatives
of The Business Council delivered this message in joint testimony June 7
before three Assembly committees