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T B C C l f W T C T r 2 0 1 2 l g l a T v a g a 1
Stephen J. Jones, Esq.
Chairman of the Board
Dr. Marsha Gordon
President/CEO
Cynthia Rubino
Vice Chair, Governmental Action
John Ravitz
Executive Vice President/COO
2012
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White ouse
Barack Obama, President
Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Vice President
nited ttes ente
Charles E. SchumerKristen Gillibrand
nited ttes ouse o repesentties
17th C.D. Eliot L. Engel
18th C.D. Nita M. Lowey
19th C.D. Nan Hayworth, M.D.
ew Yok tte ttewide Pubic cis
Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor
Robert Duffy, Lt Governor
Thomas DiNapoli, Comptroller
Eric T. Schneiderman,Attorney General
tte ente34th S.D. Jeff Klein
35th S.D. Andrea Stewart Cousins
36th S.D. Ruth Hassell-Thompson
37th S.D. Suzi Oppenheimer
40th S.D. Greg Ball
tte assemby
87th A.D. J. Gary Pretlow
88th A.D. Amy Paulin
89th A.D. Robert Castelli
90th A.D. Sandra R. Galef
91st A.D. George Latimer
92nd A.D. Thomas J. Abinanti
93rd A.D. (Open seat as of printing)
99th A.D. Steven Katz
Westcheste County Pubic cis
Rob Astorino, County Executive
Timothy Idoni, County Clerk
Janet DiFiore, District Attorney
Bod o leistos
1st District John G. Testa
2nd District Peter Harckham
3rd District Michael J. Smith
4th District Michael B. Kaplowitz
5th District William J. Ryan
6th District David B. Gelfarb
7th District Judith A. Myers
8th District Alfreda A. Williams
9th District Catherine Borgia
10th District Sheila Marcotte
11th District James Malsano
12th District Mary Jane Shimsky
13th District Lyndon Williams
14th District Bernice Spreckman
15th District Gordon A Burrows
16th District Kenneth W. Jenkins
17th District Virginia Perez
Myos
Ernie Davis, Mt. Vernon
Noam Bramson, New Rochelle
Mary Foster, Peekskill
Doug French, Rye
Thomas Roche, White Plains
Mike Spano, Yonkers
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1 T B C C l f W T C T r 2 0 1 2 l g l a T v a g a
eiew
The Business Council of Westchester is the
countys business membership and advocacy
organization. The purpose of The Business
Council of Westchester is to help businessesmarket, learn, advocate and grow. Members set
goals and customize their participation to create
a powerful business-building strategy.
We represent over 1,000 members, ranging in
size from multinational corporations and mid-size
businesses to professional rms, not-for-prot
organizations and small business owners in every
sector of the countys diverse economy. Our
members represent over 200,000 employees
in Westchester County and beyond. Moreover,
our member businesses drive the countys economy and provide the jobs and
resources that enhance our standard of living.
The Business Council of Westchester has grown to be the largest and most
inuential business organization in the county because of the open, inclusive and
collaborative culture fostered through the involvement of its members and the
leadership of a diverse and dedicated Board of Directors. Many of our members,
including our Board of Directors, conduct business on a regional, state-wide,
national and international level. The alliances we have forged across borders have
served to create opportunities for business growth in Westchester. We take great
pride that our members fuel Westchesters economy by looking to each other,
regardless of location, as sources for employees, products and services, and new
businesses.
The Business Council of Westchester is a private, not-for-prot corporation funded
by annual investments made by its members.
organiza
tion
pr
ofle
Mission
The Business Council of
Westchester works to
enhance protability,
wealth and economic
opportunity for all in
Westchester County.
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T B C C l f W T C T r 2 0 1 2 l g l a T v a g a 2
To ccompish this mission, the
goenment action Counci wi:
Educate and inform the business communi-
ty about relevant federal, state, county and
local public policy issues.
Review federal, state and county legislation
and regulations to assess potential impacts
on the business community.
Inuence public policy outcomes through
advocacy when the business communitys
interests may be affected.
Act as a information resource and clear-
inghouse for the business community and
governmental leaders at all levels.
Leverage public policy issues and legislation
to promote business growth and create a
more competitive business environment.
Look beyond the borders of Westchester to
solve regional issues impacting the business
community.
Why Business Counci o Westcheste
leistie aend?
Because bills passed or not passed in local,
state and national legislatures can have a
powerful impact on the business communitys
ability to serve its stakeholders.
Therefore, appropriate responses to the chal-
lenges of todays socio-economic environ-
ment will be benecial to Westchesters cities,
towns, villages and residents. Business lead-
ers whether they represent large, medium
or small-sized companies owe it to them-
selves, their employees, their shareholders (if
they work for a publicly traded company),
their families, their neighbors and
society at large to offer their opin-
ion and expertise to all discussions
public policy issues and how we are
governed.
In order to address this criti-
cal responsibility, The Business Council of
Westchesters Governmental Action Council
shapes a legislative agenda each year to
which all members are encouraged to offer
their thoughts and energy. It also works dili-
gently with local, state and federal ofcials to
convert legislative goals to reality. Included in
this overall effort are an annual visit to Albany
at the start of each years legislative session,
meetings with lawmakers on the national,
state and county level throughout the year,
and communicating our positions to the me-
dia and other interested parties to ensure that
the voice of the business community is heard.
This has enabled us to positively inuence
legislative and regulatory action.
For example, The Business Council of West-
chesters advocacy efforts in 2011 have been
visible at al levels of government in the past
year as highlighted below:
fral:Supported the continuation of the
tax cuts enacted under the Bush administra-
tion to create a more stable and predictable
environment for businesses to grow. At the
same time the Business Council pointed out
the shortcomings in the newly enacted health
care reform package, namely the legislations
failure to control costs and placing an undue
burden on the business com-
munity at a time when job
creation is paramount.
gov
ernmentactio
ncouncil The mission of the Governmental Action
Council is to provide leadership in
public policy and involve constituents
in our vision for Westchester.
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T B C C l f W T C T r 2 0 1 2 l g l a T v a g a 3
TaT: Promoted the Five to Survive cam-
paign which included nancial reforms es-
sential for putting New York back on the path
to economic growth and job creation. These
reforms included caps on property taxes andstate spending, reduction of the tax burden,
reform public employee pensions and limiting
government borrowing. These reforms have
been embraced by Governor Cuomo.
CTY: Took a leadership position in pro-
moting economic development through the
formation of the Westchester Coalition for
Business Development and supporting the
countys intellectual capital campaign which
focuses on Westchesters highly educated
workforce to re-energize the countys busi-
nesses climate.
Cuent Chenes nd gos
Governments at all levels are facing unprec-
edented budget shortfalls that will force
difcult choices in how scarce resources are
allocated. Providing essential services and
making long overdue infrastructure invest-
ments must be balanced with prudent scal
management and without relying on additional
borrowing and overburdening the taxpayers.
Underlying the current challenges we face
is a basic economic premise that the private
sector is the source of wealth; it enables gov-
ernment to provide the services our society
needs. The Business Council of Westchester
will seek to leverage the current economic
downturn as an opportunity to make real, fun-
damental reforms in the way our federal, state
and local governments conduct business.
Accordingly, the major goals for The Business
Council of Westchester in 2012 are:
A more competitive and friendly business
environment in New York State and
Westchester County that fosters economic
development.
Long-term reforms in government spending
and scal policy, including mandate relief.
The relicensing of the Indian Point Energy
Center.
Above all, now is the time to act and use
public policy to create the conditions that will
lead to new jobs and an accelerated and last-
ing economic recovery.
We look forward to meaningful discussions
with our representatives in Westchester,
Albany and Washington on each issue and
ensuring that the collective voice of the coun-
tys business community is heard at all levels
of government. At the same time, we wel-
come the participation of all Business Council
members in shaping
and voicing our views,
as well as in forging
collaborations with
government ofcials,
community leaders
and the general public.
Were condent that
an active member re-
sponse to the legisla-
tive challenges facingWestchester and its
business community
will enhance our ability
to generate positive
change for the econo-
my and quality of life
in the county.
The Business
Council of
Westchester
looks forward
to meaningful
discussions withour representatives
in Westchester,
Albany and
Washington.
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T B C C l f W T C T r 2 0 1 2 l g l a T v a g a 4
countympoed Business Cimte
To spur economic development and job cre-
ation, The Business Council of Westchester
advocates for improvements in the overall
business climate and reductions in the broad
cost of doing business. The impact of taxes,
business fees, burdensome regulatory require-
ments and lengthy approval processes are of
particular concern.
Continuin The eious ot To Cut
goenment pendin
The Business Council of Westchester ap-plauds the fact that the countys approved
2012 Executive Budget did not raise taxes,
continued to cut spending, and aimed to de-
liver essential services in an efcient manner
which helped close a $114 million dollar decit.
It was also important to note that the 2012
budget protected the countys AAA bond
rating, which is critical to attracting and
retaining employers to Westchester County.
Westchester needs to continue to pass
budgets that are built on scal integrity andsound principals.
If Westchester is to avoid being the highest
taxed county in the nation, sound structural
reforms are critical to strengthen the countys
long-term nancial condition. This will require
identifying recurring benets and savings,
concessions from labor unions in future
contract negotiations,
treating reserve funds
judiciously, consensus
revenue projectionsand consolidating/
sharing services
between county, lo-
cal governments and
school districts.
The business community supports a stream-
lined government, with as much privatization
as possible and the use of not-for-prot agen-
cies as a more cost effective alternative for
delivering services.
conomic eeopment
Expanding and promoting economic develop-
ment opportunities are key objectives of The
Business Council of Westchester. Economic
development creates jobs and expands the
tax base for municipalities. This mission re-
quires an aggressive and innovative economic
development policy that positions West-
chester as a premier location in the region
to retain, expand and attract business and
industry.
In a concerted effort to move Westchesters
economy in a positive direction, The Busi-
ness Council of Westchester formed the
Westchester Coalition for Business Develop-
ment. The group consists of a cross-section of
Westchesters business leaders who met over
1,000 hours to research, discuss and deliber-
ate in order to identify the critical challenges
Westchester County faces when attracting
new businesses and retaining existing busi-nesses. The Coalition created sub-committees
charged with drafting the initial framework for
several imaginative, innovative and exciting
recommendations that if implemented, will
help strengthen Westchesters economy. The
Coalition focused on three key ndings:
1 Stopping the Youth Flight: A recent NY1/
YNN Marist Poll highlights the urgency of this
agenda; 36% of New Yorkers under the age of
30 said they plan to leave New York State in
the next ve years. The poll discovered thatNew Yorkers are feeling the nancial squeeze,
especially in suburban communities such as
Westchester. We must work to stop the ight
leg
islativeagenda
Expanding and pro-
moting economic
development op-
portunities are key
objectives of The
Business Council of
Westchester.
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T B C C l f W T C T r 2 0 1 2 l g l a T v a g a 6
Wokoce eeopment
The Business Council of Westchester is
continuing its leadership role in workforce
development through creative programs with
the Westchester-Putnam Workforce Invest-
ment Boards One-Stop Employment Center
to provide a skilled workforce for high-growth
knowledge-based industries in the region.
The current economic environment makes
this the opportune time to establish sector
partnerships in targeted industries of great
importance to the region.
The Business Council of Westchester will con-
tinue to work with the countys local colleges
to better link their students and graduates to
local corporations who can provide them with
internships and full-time jobs. Hopefully this
will keep many graduates of Westchester col-
leges employed in the county.
Through the Workforce Academy for Youth,
we create opportunities to introduce our
young people to employment, through intern-
ships and mentoring, investing in the next
generation of workers. This program also
includes a summer jobs segment, which is a
private sector employment initiative.
C.W.BrownInc.sheadquarters,thers
tcertiedLEEDPlatinumCommercialInteriorsprojectin
NewYorkState(outsideofNYC),exempliesWestcheste
rssustainablefuture.
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T B C C l f W T C T r 2 0 1 2 l g l a T v a g a 7
geen Business Pom - The Westcheste
geen Business Chene
Directly confronting global climate change
and reducing our carbon footprint are critical
to the future success of the business com-munity. The Business Council of Westchester,
in partnership with Westchester County, has
created the Westchester Green Business
Challenge and related website that has at-
tracted a broad spectrum of county busi-
nesses. This proactive educational program is
aimed at sensitizing the countys businesses
to improving the environment and spurring
economic development while enhancing
operational efciency and saving money. An
interactive scorecard establishes baselineperformance and links companies to targeted
resources to help improve performance.
The Westchester Green Business Challenge,
now in its second full year of operation, is
open to all 35,000 companies in Westches-
ter. A friendly competition, the program has
been expanded to help advance regional
economic and workforce development goals,
and provides a large umbrella under which
green companies throughout Westchester
County can promote their products and ser-vices. Over the last year the following notable
accomplishments of the Westchester Green
Business Challenge have occurred:
Registration of over 200 companies, span-
ning all size and business sectors.
The launch and upgrade of the Westchester
Green Business Challenge website (www.
westchestergov.com/greenchallenge) that
allows participants to submit and update
their scorecards, post case studies, search
member proles from one centralized web-
based location.
A highly successful recognition event and
education breakfast series (sponsored by
ConEd) that attracted well over 100 attend-
ees to each event, and highlighted some of
the most relevant topics in the area of best
green business practices.
Launched a new webinar series in 2012
that increases educational opportunities
for members and leverages technology to
reduce travel while increasing convenience.
Published the
Westchester Green
Business Directory,
which highlights
over 100 Westches-
ter-based providers
of green products
and services.
The current eco-
nomic environment
makes this the
opportune time to
establish sector
partnerships in
targeted industries
of great importance
to the region.
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T B C C l f W T C T r 2 0 1 2 l g l a T v a g a 8
new york state
fisc reom
The Business Council
of Westchester hastaken a leadership role
in the Committee to
Save New York, a coali-
tion of business, civic
and labor organiza-
tions, which will inform
the public about the
necessary steps to solve the states current
scal problems. The Committee believes that
basic scal reforms are essential to returning
the states budget to a sustainable level and
putting New York back on the path to eco-
nomic growth and jobs.
As a critical element of rebuilding our econ-
omy, we must reduce costs for job creators,
taxpayers, local government and school
districts. To that end, The Business Council of
Westchester will forcefully continue to advo-
cate the New York State Legislature to adopt
strong mandate relief legislation during the
2012 Legislative Session.
Presently there are too many state laws and
regulations that contribute to the high cost of
local government, which are passed down to
business owners. Albany must control state
spending and lower the combined tax burden
on individuals and businesses.
It is incumbent on our state leaders to:
1 Make the pension system more predictable
and affordable: The state has to allow local
governments and school districts the ability
to manage their current and future pension
costs. We urge the creation of a plan that
allows employees the option of a reduced
(affordable) dened benet plan and de-
ned contribution plan that is controlled by
the employees and does not unduly burden
taxpayers.
2 Redene compulsory arbitration: The cur-
rent binding arbitration system is not afford-
able and must be xed. The state must con-
sider the nancial capacity of local taxpayers
when compulsory arbitration awards are
issued. This can be done by prohibiting con-
sideration of non-compensation in all cases
and adding transparency to the arbitration
process by having the proceedings subject to
the Open Meeting Law.
3 Reduce the costs of construction on pub-
lic/private projects: The state must reduce
the cost of construction in both the public
and private sectors by adopting the follow-
ing measures that will help spur building and
development such as: supporting alternative
project delivery methods like design build,
increasing the Wicks Law threshold across the
state; enacting the Public Construction Savings
Act (S.4121/A.7855) and making the necessary
changes to the antiquated Scaffold Law.
4 Freeze step increases when contractsexpire: The state must repeal the Triborough
Amendment, which allows public employees
pay to continue to increase under an ex-
pired contract which places huge burdens on
school districts and municipalities.
Presently there are
too many state laws
and regulations that
contribute to the
high cost of local
government, which
are passed down to
business owners.
2011Busine
ssCouncilofWestchesterLobbyingDayinAlbany.Photo
takeninthewelloftheNewYorkStateAssemblyChamb
er.
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T B C C l f W T C T r 2 0 1 2 l g l a T v a g a 9
5 Establish minimum health insurance contri-
bution levels for employees and retirees: It is
time to enact sensible legislation that would
require public employees and retirees to con-
tribute something to their health care costs.Since most taxpayers are already contribut-
ing to their health costs this common sense
change should not be seen as a burden to
public employees and retirees.
6 Prohibit new mandates: The state should
not impose any new mandates on municipali-
ties, school districts and taxpayers. We sup-
port the passage of the Unfunded Mandate
Reform Act (S.5379/A.8150).
7 The State Environmental Quality Review(SEQR) process has been widely seen as caus-
ing serious delays to getting projects done in
a timely manner and causing local municipali-
ties to lose economic development projects
that would create new jobs. It is imperative
that many of the rules and regulations under
SEQR be amended and in some cases elimi-
nated. In addition, the Article 78 challenges
that are used in some cases to delay projects
once they have been approved to begin must
be based on merit. There also needs to be
more transparency in the SEQR process in
order to build a stronger sense of condence
to developers who want to start a project in
New York State. They cannot be subjected to
needless delays and must be provided with
denitive timelines and deadlines from the
beginning of the process.
The Business Council of Westchester calls on
Governor Cuomos Spending and Government
Efciency (SAGE) Commission to aggressive-
ly review the work of each state agency andlook for structural and operational changes
that will streamline the organizational struc-
ture of state government. SAGE must identify
state agencies, commissions and authorities
that have overlapping missions and create a
shared services model that will help create
savings to the state. In addition SAGE should
develop metrics and targets to help improve
performance and make government moreopen, transparent and accountable.
eth Ce
The rising cost of health care continues to be
a major concern to the business community.
Federal health care reform did not provide for
meaningful relief to premiums in the com-
munity rated/small business market. Health
exchanges that will be created through the
federal reform legislation will provide access
but will not address affordability.
The net effect is a new entitlement program
imposed upon the states and their communi-
ties that must address increasing premiums
and higher utilization.
Our goal in 2012 is to achieve meaning-
ful reductions in health care premiums and
Medicaid spending. We will focus on cost-
containment issues, especially in regards to
the implementation of the Health Exchange
Program. We must create exibility in New
Yorks health insurance regulations to permit
more innovative offerings to give businesses
more diverse and affordable choices.
The Business Council of Westchester supports
the following initiatives;
Place a moratorium on new mandates
due to the changes imposed by the
federal health care reform legislation.
Evaluate existing mandates to de-
termine how they align with federal
mandates and determine if mandate
relief is possible.
Reduce taxes and assessments that raise
the cost of health insurance.
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T B C C l f W T C T r 2 0 1 2 l g l a T v a g a 10
Look for more savings in the states Med-
icaid Redesign effort. Much of the effort to
redesign New Yorks complicated Medicaid
system calls for fundamental changes to
the roles and compensation for many of theproviders in the system. The redesign of the
Medicaid system can not just be across-the-
board provider cuts and manipulated
reimbursement rates to achieve real
savings and not cost-shifts to the
private pay health insurance market.
In addition, we support the concept
of the Medicaid Redesign Teams ef-
forts to have the state take over the cost of
Medicaid nancing from local municipalities.
Reform Medicaid to resemble the more
typical benets offered by other states and
supports a crackdown on Medicaid fraud to
restore taxpayer condence in this program.
Endorse the enactment of medical liability
tort reform to rein in the costs of medical
malpractice insurance.
Advocate for restoring exibility to New
Yorks health insurance regulations to permit
more innovative and targeted health plan
offerings that meet the consumers needs;
exibility in health insurance offerings gives
businesses more diverse and affordable
choices.
Advocate for aligning provider incentives
to promote cost-effective primary care;
the current reimbursement system rewards
providers for high utilization of expensive
procedures at the expense of primary and
preventive care services.
Advocate for the development of pay-for-
performance programs and centers of excel-
lence that reward providers for delivering
higher quality health care and targeting
investments toward results.
Support wellness programs offered by
health insurers, featuring incentives and
rewards for employers; employee contribu-
tions would be voluntary.
Create incentives for the use of electronic
medical records.
ney
The rising costs of electricity coupled with the
lack of new generating capacity continue to
be serious concerns for small and large busi-
nesses. On average, 25% of a consumers elec-
trical bill consists of state and local imposed
taxes, fees and assessments.
A key to revitalizing New Yorks economy is
making New Yorks energy costs more com-
petitive.
Unfortunately, New Yorks energy future
continues to remain unsettled. The New York
Independent Systems Operator (NYISO)
recently reported that New Yorks power de-
mand is expected to increase as the economy
emerges after the recession.
Its important to note that NYISO has con-
tinued to warn of potential energy demand
increases despite implementation of the New
York States energy efciency and demand
side management program. The NYISO has
also warned of the impact to the downstate
region if Indian Point, located in Westchester
County, were to close. As articulated in the
NYISOs 2011 Power Trends report, retire-
ment of both nuclear units at the Indian Point
Energy Center when their current licenses
expire would result in violations of reliability
standards in 2016. Impacts would include loss
of power supply and transmission voltagesupport affecting the metropolitan New York
region.
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T B C C l f W T C T r 2 0 1 2 l g l a T v a g a 11
To meet these challenges and move New York
State forward, The Business Council of West-
chester offers the following policy recommen-
dations for 2012:
1 Relicense the Indian Point Energy Center;
The Westchester-based Indian Point Energy
Center provides 11 percent of New York
States total electricity and more than 25
percent of the power used in the lower Hud-
son Valley and New York City region.
Closure of Indian Point would also result
in other unintended consequences. With
electricity prices in Westchester already
well over the national average, the closure
of Indian Point would raise rates by $.50 per
kilowatt-hour, over three times the national
average, by 2017.
The closure of Indian Point would eliminate
1,100 high-paying jobs within Westchester
County. Furthermore, Westchester County
and the State of New York would lose $2.1 bil-
lion in cumulative lost wages and nearly $5.5
billion in cumulative lost economic output.
Making up for the loss of more than 2,000
megawatts of power through efciencies,conservation and even a fossil-fuel burning
plant on the current site of Indian Point is
not feasible or realistic, according to numer-
ous in-depth studies over the years: includ-
ing from a prominent 2006 study from
the National Academy of Sciences, and an
independent study by Charles River Associ-
ates conducted for the City of New York.
The Business Council of Westchester strongly
supports the facilitys 20-year license renewal
application and opposes any direct or indi-rect local, state or federal efforts to close the
facility.
2 Lower energy costs to spur the economy
and benet consumers:
New York consumers still suffer from the im-
pact of excessive taxes, fees and other assess-
ments levied from numerous levels of govern-
ment. According to the Public Policy Institute
of New York States report Short-Circuiting
New Yorks Recovery, New Yorks electrical
rates are the third-highest in the nation and
66 percent above the national average.
The Business Council of Westchester recom-
mends;
Elimination of the temporary state energy
and utility service commission assessment
known as the 18-A on consumers.
Imposing a moratorium on new energy
taxes, surcharges, levies and assessments
as well as any increases in existing energy
taxes, surcharges,
levies and assess-
ments.
3 Further promote
conservation and grow
a new generation of
green jobs:
Use of the Systems
Benet Charge and
regional Green-
house Gas Initiatives
(RGGI) funds to
ensure funding for
cost-effective energy
efciency programs
implemented by lo-
cal utilities and state
agencies.
Implementation of
green job training
program.
On average, 25%
of a consumers
electrical billconsists of state
and local imposed
taxes, fees and
assessments.
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T B C C l f W T C T r 2 0 1 2 l g l a T v a g a 12
Tax abatements and other incentives of-
fered by local government and the Industrial
Development Agencies for the construction
of new facilities in accordance with the US
LEED Green Building Rating System.
Inclusion of minorities and minority/women
owned businesses to ensure all people and
businesses benet from the growing green
economy.
conomic eeopment
Comparative employment trends are among
the best available indicators of whether the
states policies are fostering economic growth.
New Yorks long-term performance has been
abysmal. From 1990-2010, the private-sectorjob base in New York expanded by a net 6
percent, a performance that ranked 45th out
of 50 states during that period. Nationally, by
contrast, private employment in late 2010 was
still 19 percent above the 1990 level.
New York lost more than 300,000 jobs during
the Great Recession of 2007-2009, with its
unemployment rate peaking at a 15-year high
of 8.9 percent.
The most effective economic development
program is the creation of a more competitive
business environment (see Fiscal Reform and
Energy sections) by lowering state-imposed
taxes, fees and assessments and employer
mandates (see Labor and management sec-
tion). As New York continues to improve its
business climate, The Business Council of
Westchester will urge Albany to create new
economic-incentive programs which willhelp industries and create activities that will
produce important returns to the state invest-
ments. We will also continue to highlight the
important economic engine the countys insti-
tutions of higher education serve in helping to
train and create the future employees that we
must have for the future.
Even though the regions employment pic-
ture is stronger than other parts of the state
and nation, Westchester County still has not
regained the jobs lost during the recession.
It is imperative that we continue to create
a business friendly environment for the
county which promotes the hot spots that
Westchester has to offer and not create any
additional mandates that will discourage busi-
nesses from coming to and growing in West-
chester County.
Accordingly:
We support Governor Cuomos continuation
of the States Regional Economic Develop-ment Councils, which last year helped create
a comprehensive strategic plan that cata-
lyzed job creation and economic recovery.
The Regional Councils helped incent trans-
formational change in New Yorks economy.
The momentum gained by last years work of
all 10 Regional Councils must continue in 2012.
We reject proposals to impose new wage
mandates on IDA-assisted projects.
We support legislation allowing IDAs to
make civic authority nancing available to
non-prot organizations permanent.
We reject IDA reform which is aimed at
imposing overburdening procedural require-
ments and operational costs on businesses.
2003
Note: Long-term unemployed are people who have been unemployed at least 27 weeks as of
Novemeber of each year. Sources: Current Population Survey, U.S. Census Bureau; OSC analysis
PercentofUn
employed
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
02004 2005 2006
LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYED IN NEW YORK STATE
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
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T B C C l f W T C T r 2 0 1 2 l g l a T v a g a 13
We oppose any delay in businesss recovery
of deferred tax-credits, which are to begin
in January 2013.
We support the continuation of the states
qualied emerging technology company
tax credit for capital, operational training
investments. The program, which targets
small research intensive technology busi-
ness, should enhance its revenue eligibility
threshold from $20 million to $40 million;
increasing the credit for investment in R&D
property from 18-30 percent; and increasing
the credit for qualied research expenses
from 9 to 15 percent.
We support adopting legislation broaden-
ing the list of eligible projects for tax incre-
ment nancing and allow school districts
to opt into these local funding mechanisms.
lbo nd mpoyment
The Business Council of Westchester op-
poses the interference of NYS in the relation-
ship between the states private employers
and their employees and unions. Issues that
should be negotiated between employers and
employees are routinely being introduced as
legislation and then approved by the Leg-islature and Governor. In addition, there has
been an increase in granting the Department
of Labor greater enforecement authority and
increased employer penalties without demon-
strating that current enforcement authority is
insufcient. Collectively these actions create
New Yorks anti-business climate and are a
detriment to positive economic development.
Accordingly we oppose the following legisla-
tion:
Wage mandates for private sector em-
ployees, especially in the area of prevailing
wage.
Time-off mandates.
Paid family leave, using the disability insur-
ance system for the payment of disability
benets to non-disabled employees (cur-
rently excluded by Congress from the fed-
eral program) absent from work on familycare matters.
The automatic indexing of unemployment
benets.
Tnspottion
As a leading advocate
for a new Tappan Zee
Bridge and a member
of the Tappan Zee
Bridge Futures Task
Force, The BusinessCouncil of West-
chester has fought
for the installation of
effective transporta-
tion infrastructure to
move goods, services,
and people east/west
and north/south. We
applaud the Gover-
nors role in securing
the funding to make this project a reality. The
new expedited timeline for the project will
create jobs and generate much needed eco-
nomic development opportunities in West-
chester County. By building this new bridge
there will nally be a cohesive transportation
network for the region.
As the work on the new bridge continues,
The Business Council of Westchester will con-
tinue to advocate for the additional funding
to make the bridge ready for mass transit and
heavy rail options. Replacing the Tappan ZeeBridge will fulll one of The Business Council
of Westchesters top priorities: to give the
residents of Westchester County a guarantee
of crossing a bridge that is safe and secure.
The Business
Council of
Westchester is a
leading advocate
for a new Tappan
Zee Bridge.
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T B C C l f W T C T r 2 0 1 2 l g l a T v a g a 14
federaleth CeThe sweeping health care reform package
that Congress passed is now law. What re-
mains is implementation, writing hundreds of
rules, setting up new agencies in all 50 states,
enforcing compliance, processing lawsuits
aimed at stopping the new health plan and
dealing with the unforeseen consequences
through future legislative xes.
The Business Council of Westchester is
committed to ensuring that business-
es arent faced with undue burdens
of the new law and will advocate for
legislation to x problems as they
arise. At the same time the reform
law chose to expand coverage rather than
control costs, as its primary objective. We
support legislation which will x the under-
lying cost drivers of the health care system
so that premium relief for businesses can be
achieved.
Accordingly we will focus on the following
areas:
Get Costs Under Control: Utilize a number
of cost-effective strategies such as medical
liability reform, health information technolo-
gy, small business pooling, combating fraud
and abuse, consumer-driven health options,
wellness prevention, administrative simpli-
cation, and allowing individuals and small
business to deduct the full cost of health
insurance expenses.
Create a Vibrant Market Place: Create a na-
tional all-inclusive connector/exchange that
removes fragmentation, allows businesses
and individuals from anywhere in the coun-
try to enroll and improves pooling, choice
and competition.
mpoyee fee Choice act (Cd-Check)
We opposed this legislation which would end
secret ballots in union elections. If a major-
ity of employees sign authorization forms, or
cards, a union would be formed and employ-
ers would have 120 days to reach a contract.
Failing that, the government would appoint
an arbitrator to impose contract terms.
Card-check legislation as originally proposed
undermines the long standing principle of
workplace democracy and fairness created
through the secret ballot. Its elimination will
subject employees to intimidation by unions
and peers. Binding arbitration will put sub-
stantial cost pressures on businesses, many of
whom have little or no experience in negoti-
ating key issues such as wages, benets and
worker productivity. The legislation would
also impose nes of up to $20,000 per viola-
tion, triple back pay and increase the use of
injunctions against employers.
Cp-nd-Tde
The Business Council is committed to the
overall goals of climate change regulation
that encourages energy efciencies, culti-
vates needed renewable energy research anddevelopment and spurs a new generation of
green-collar jobs.
We urge policy makers to ensure that jobs
are secured and local interests fortied while
implementing federal cap-and-trade. More-
over, any federal legislation must avoid pitting
states and regions against each other and
provide a uniform, fair standard for all states
and regions within the U.S.
More than 48 percent of New York States
energy portfolio is made up of clean, afford-
able and sustainable resources, such as hydro
and nuclear power. These factors contribute
to New Yorks distinction of producing the
lowest per capita carbon dioxide emissions in
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T B C C l f W T C T r 2 0 1 2 l g l a T v a g a 15
the U.S. To avoid putting New York State at a
disadvantage, the denition of renewable and
sustainable energy at the federal level must
endorse the classication of hydro, nuclear
and waste energy.
mmition reom
The U.S. immigration system fails to meet the
current needs of our businesses, our workers
and our economy. We strongly advocate for
comprehensive immigration reform that goes
beyond border security and workplace en-
forcement measures. Comprehensive reform
must also create effective legal avenues for
people to enter and leave the U.S. and allow
those already contributing to our society to
earn permanent residence.
We support the development of appropriate
temporary and permanent employment-based
visa categories to encompass a wide range
of skills, along with provisions for sufcient
number of visas based on market demand.
The visa programs, especially the H-1B pro-
gram for foreign skilled workers, must remain
exible and accessible. We endorse the devel-
opment of an effective, secure and workable
computerized verication system to enableemployers to accurately and fairly determine
the legal status of potential employees.
Medicid reom
Medicaid reform designed to reduce costs
to New York State are long overdue and are
now even more pressing given the expansion
of Medicaid and the cuts in Medicaid spend-
ing being considered as parts of the national
health care reform legislation. Shifts in Med-
icaid spending would have greater conse-
quences on New Yorks health care delivery
system than they would in most other states
since our generous benets account for one
out of every three health care dollars. In addi-
tion, since Medicaid expenses are shared with
local governments in New York, local property
taxes would increase under the current fed-
eral reform legislation. The Business Council
of Westchester advocates for a well-justied
increase in Medicaid funding to New York
State to address the low comparative per-centage of federal Medicaid assistance that
currently applies.
Tnspottion
Funding for a new Hudson River crossing
that will include a mass transit component is
a huge endeavor that requires the evaluation
of many nancing alternatives. The Business
Council of Westchester appreciates the fact
the funding for building the new Tappan Zee
Bridge has been fast tracked so that this
important project will nally get done. We will
continue to pursue Federal funds for infra-
structure projects that are critical to creating
economic development for the region.
We support legisla-
tion which will x
the underlying cost
drivers of the health
care system so that
premium relief for
businesses can be
achieved.
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T B C C l f W T C T r 2 0 1 2 l g l a T v a g a 16
xecutie Committee
Chimn o the Bod
Stephen J. Jones, Esq.
Jones, LLP
Pesident/C
Dr. Marsha Gordon
The Business Council of
Westchester
mmedite Pst Chi/
Chimn o omintin
Committee
Christopher OCallaghan
Cushman & Wakeeld
vice Chi, ae eeopment
Warren Lesser
H & S Property Management,
Inc.
vice Chi, Business
eeopment
Anthony Justic
Maier Markey & Justic LLP
vice Chi, goenment
action
Cynthia Rubino
Berkeley College
vice Chi, m Business
Ted Miller
Datakey Consulting, LLC
Tesue
Wiley Harrison
African American Men of
Westchester
associte Tesue
Dr. Greg Chartier
The Ofce of Gregory J.
Chartier
gene Counci
Jon Dorf, Esq.
The Dorf Law Firm, LLP
ecety
Ronald Stytzer
Antuns of Westchester
Catering
Elizabeth Bracken-Thompson
Thompson & Bender, Inc.
Willa Brody
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital,
Westchester
Jean Marie Connolly
BNY Mellon Wealth
Management
Thomas Lalla, Jr.
Pernod Ricard
Ellen Lynch
Yonkers IDA
James OToole
James P. OToole Consulting
iectos
Sheila Appel
IBM Corporation
Renee Brown
C.W. Brown, Inc.
Stacey Cohen
Co-Communications, Inc.
Daniel Conte
Westchester Marriott Hotel
John DAgostino
KeyBank
Joanne R. DeyoRegeneron Pharmaceuticals
Inc.
Dr. Charles J. DiComo
NY BIOHUD VALLEY Advisor
Therese Ferretti
Collins Brothers Moving Corp.
Catherine Gasteyer
Verizon
James Giangrande
Altium Wealth Management
Dr. Joseph Hankin
Westchester Community
College
Peter Herrero
NY Hospitality Group
Timothy M. Jones
Robert Martin Company LLC
Marigrace Lalli
Kraft Foods Inc.
Patrick F. LynchOLA Consulting Engineers
Yuval H. Marcus
Leason Ellis LLP
Matthew McCrosson
OConnor Davies Munns &
Dobbins, LLP
William McGrath
Pace University
Nancy Woodruff Ment
Andrus Childrens Center
Norman MichaelsMichaels & Associates, Inc.
Shawn Miles
MasterCard Worldwide
Sandra Miller
Con Edison Company of
New York, Inc.
Glenn J. Pacchiana
Thalle Industries Inc.
Cathie Schaffer
JP Morgan Chase
Michael SchiliroCommunity Mutual Savings
Bank
Simeon A. Schwartz, M.D.
WESTMED Medical Group
Stewart Strauss
Strauss Paper Co., Inc.
Richard Swierat
Westchester Arc
Stacey Tank
Heineken USA
Kenneth TheobaldsEntergy
Patrick L. Vaccaro
Jackson Lewis, LLP
Peter Wilcox
PepsiCo Inc
2012bo
ardof
directo
rs
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DESIGN:JILLSINGERGRAPHICS
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Contct
Dr. Marsha Gordon
John Ravitz
The Business Council of Westchester
108 Corporate Park Drive
Suite 101
White Plains, NY 10604
914.948.2110 westchesteny.o