ALBANY—Business is dismayed that lawmakers, wrangling over a surplus
created by prosperity, are apparently talking little about tax reduction,
the policy likeliest to expand our prosperity.
Governor Pataki and the Legislature have enacted major tax-reduction
plans in each of the past five years' budgets
A proposed rate increase in New York's workers' compensation rates should
focus policymakers' attention on the need for further reform, according
to Elliott
Shaw, director of government affairs for The Business Council.
Business is concerned about "the potential return
to doubledigit rate shock," Shaw said in prepared
testimony to be delivered today at a hearing of the New York
Compensation Insurance Rating Board (NYCIRB)
Bulletin #17: June 30, 1999
What do a ton-mileage tax cut, EITC have in common?
The must-do agenda for the new state budget includes the next major round of tax cuts. While little has been heard on the subject lately, Governor Pataki and Senator Bruno both have wide-ranging proposals on the table
Assemblyman Robin Schimminger (D-Erie) has urged Assembly Speaker Sheldon
Silver to ensure that "an appropriate level of avails" is set aside for
tax relief in conferencecommittee discussions on the state budget. "A
fair but favorable tax code is the most key component to creating the
jobcreation climate we mutually desire for our state," Schimminger said
in a letter to Silver Wednesday
Bulletin #16: June 29, 1999
News of more spending, one-shots: What about tax cuts?
Agreement on the parameters of a new state budget may finally be at hand. Negotiators for Governor Pataki, the Senate and Assembly reportedly are getting closer to agreement on how much revenue is available for spending this year
Bulletin #15: June 28, 1999
Tax cuts are working for New York - we need to do more
In all the public debate about state spending, let's not forget an even more important topic: tax cuts. New York State has led the nation in cutting taxes the past four years, and that's a key reason we're creating more jobs
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)
has $1.6 million available for energy efficiency projects in three categories:
Feasibility studies that identify and encourage implementation of cost-effective
energy-efficiency measures for public and private facilities
The Business Council is urging lawmakers to increase reduced-rate power
available under New York's Power for Jobs program from 450 to 850 megawatts.
A bill that would do that has been introduced in both the Senate (S.2425-A)and
the Assembly (A.3115-A). The prime sponsors are Senator James
Wright (R-Watertown) and Assemblyman Joseph Robach (D-Rochester)
Business Council members have been mailed a new "HMO Report Card" produced
by business to help employers evaluate and choose HMOs that offer health-care
benefits to employees.
The report card was developed by the New York State Health Accountability
Foundation, a consortium of employers committed to value in health care
Business Council members are urging lawmakers to reject a proposed new
health-care mandate that would require employers' health-insurance benefits
to cover infertility treatments.
"This legislation is among the most expensive mandates of the dozens
under consideration by the legislature this year," The Council told members
in an "urgent alert" sent June 22 urging them to voice their opposition
to the bill