An updated analysis of all
states' efforts to deregulate energy utilities shows that New York State
remains ahead of most of the country in the quest for energy deregulation.
A July update of an
analysis originally released in February gave New York a score of 64,
well above the national average of 21
The Business Council is planning
to testify Sept. 6 in Albany at a hearing of the Governors Workers
Compensation Special Funds Study Commission, said Kerry Kirwan, The Councils
workers comp specialist.
In its testimony, The Council will likely outline a range of possible changes,
from reforms to contain the costs of the funds to complete elimination of
the most costly fund, the second-injury fund, Kirwan said
Workers' comp rates in New
York will be reduced an average 2.5 percent effective Oct. 1.
However, "assessments"-a
surcharge on comp premiums that employers also must pay-will increase by
an average of 2.6 percent. As a result, overall costs are unlikely to go
down.
Those assessments pay for
the Second Injury Fund and other special funds, as well as operating costs
of the state Workers' Compensation Board
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