August 1, 2008
Property Tax Cap Coalition
The New York Property Tax Cap Coalition continues to shape and implement its advocacy agenda. The coalition already has more than 825 members and the numbers continue to grow. Click here to view the preliminary report and recommendations to Governor Paterson prepared by the New York State Commission on Property Tax Relief.
Earlier this month, Kenneth Adams, President and CEO of The Business Council, had a discussion with WAMC radio host Alan Chartock about the notion of a property tax cap in New York. Mr. Adams also recently spoke at a meeting of the Rockland Business Association and encouraged its members to unite on statewide issues. Click here for additional coverage of the Rockland Business Association event. On July 29 the Rochester Business Alliance joined the Property Tax Coalition for a public rally to urge state lawmakers to enact an annual cap.
Click here for the latest news on real property tax relief in New York.
Calls to Action
There are two separate bills currently before the Governor on which chambers may wish to weigh in with an opinion:
Senate 8212, sent to the Governor on July 25, proposes to create a state-level WARN Act which will impose layoff notification requirements on a much wider range than those currently within the federal WARN Act statute. The Business Council opposed this bill during the legislative session and has written to the Governor recommending a veto. Both NFIB and Unshackle Upstate have also written letters urging the Governor to veto this bill. Kenneth Pokalsky, Senior Director of Government Affairs at The Business Council, estimates that 13,000 business could fall under the proposed regulatory restrictions.
Senate 6835 is expected to be sent to the Governor shortly. The bill seeks to establish a blue ribbon commission to study competitiveness issues between publicly and privately owned outdoor recreation facilities and explore ways to balance the affect of public investments may have on private facilities. The Business Council supports this legislation and has written to the Governor recommending he sign the bill.
In the News ...
Governor Paterson is concerned about the rapidly growing state budget deficit. Kenneth Adams agrees that New Yorkers need to accept the brutal facts of the state economy.
The New York State Commission on Higher Education issued its final report recommending major policy changes to improve New York's education programs. Governor Paterson is committed to creating a low-cost student loan program, one of the key recommendations in the report.
The New York Times considers the growing number of small business owners and their workers who are unable to afford health insurance as costs continue to rise.
The Consumer Protection Board recently sent a letter reminding businesses of their responsibilities under the State and Federal Do Not Call Registry laws and rules.
A recent article in the Buffalo News focuses on the effectiveness of chambers.
Transportation
Catherine Glover, President and CEO of the Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce, addressed Congressman Nadler, senior member of the House Transportation Committee from the Northeast, at a Transportation Priorities meeting in Utica and underscored the support of her members to create a comprehensive transportation plan.
The Seneca County Chamber of Commerce is asking Governor Paterson to work closely with the New York State Department of Transportation before implementing new hauling restrictions or regulations. A resolution was passed by the Chamber's Board last December. The New York State Motor Truck Association submitted formal comments on the draft DOT regulations.
The Mohawk Valley Chamber of Commerce, through its affiliation with the US Chamber, has been asked to support the most recent initiative from Growth Options for the 21st Century (Go21) which seeks to expand the nationwide capacity of freight rail. The chamber is offering its members the opportunity to sign an open letter to Congress to support the increased use of freight rail in New York State.
Chamber Happenings...
The Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce recently announced the appointment of Todd Tranum as President/CEO.
The Chemung County Chamber of Commerce recently announced that the Elmira-Corning region will be profiled in the September 2008 issue of the US Airways Magazine.
Who are New York's Best Employers?
The New York State Society for Human Resource Management and The Business Council of New York State are searching for the best companies to work for in New York State. Interested companies can register online to participate in the program. The deadline to register is September 19, 2008.
"I Live NY"
Several Assembly members are taking a statewide road trip this summer on a quest to discover why young professionals are leaving New York. Assembly members Marc Molinaro, Jack Quinn and Rob Walker have several ideas in mind, including re-branding SUNY, promoting internships and providing affordable housing.
Business Council News
The Business Council has introduced a new service for its members. The Small Business Hotline will address business-related questions from Business Council members who operate a small business.
Mark Your Calendar
Visit the events page on the CANYS website for the latest information on upcoming meetings and conferences that may be of interest to you and your members.
The next "All Chambers" conference call is scheduled for August 22 , 2008 at 11:00 a.m. Please let us know of topics or speakers that you would like to hear from on the "All Chambers" call.
Please let us know if you would like to be added to or removed from the CANYS Connection newsletter distribution list.
