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vetoed S.554, which would have repealed existing limits on trial lawyers'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
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