Archive for February, 2008

BALCONY presents its inaugural BALCONY Members Directory, the Winter 2008 edition

BALCONY MEMBERS DIRECTORY WINTER 2008

Dear Friends:

BALCONY, the Business and Labor Coalition of New York, is pleased to present its inaugural BALCONY Members Directory, the Winter 2008 edition.

Click here for the Directory (large PDF file): Directory

Since our inception in 2006, BALCONY has been dedicated to finding common ground between business and labor on public policy issues in New York State. Our initiatives range from infrastructure investment to health care for all, from tax policy to quality education, from regional economic development to small business incubation, from improved workers’ compensation to a fiscally responsible state budget, and from the goal of a 15% New York State energy reduction by 2015 to sound property tax reform.

Our BALCONY trade associations range from the General Contractors Association of New York to the still-growing South Bronx Board of Trade to Mainstream New York of Rochester to the Buffalo Niagara Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Our BALCONY unions range from the New York State United Teachers to UNITE HERE, to CSEA and to Teamsters Local 237.

Our BALCONY labor management groups range from the New York State Laborers Employers Cooperation and Education Trust to the New York State Apollo Alliance.

Our BALCONY businesses range from Saratoga Capital Management to Amalgamated Bank , to USI Affinity and to Chaldon Associates.

Our BALCONY health care members range from Everyday Medical, to St. Vincent’s Catholic Medical Center and to Healthplex.

Our BALCONY labor federations range from the New York State AFL-CIO to Change To Win and to the New York City Central Labor Council.

Finally, our BALCONY health care advocates range from the Medicare Rights Center to the American Cancer Society to AARP of New York and to the Metro New York Health Care for All Campaign.

Members Directory is a service to our current members, our prospective members, and our legislators and friends, providing a guide to our ever-growing coalition. It can serve as a valuable resource for all of us.

Alan Lubin and Bruce Ventimiglia
Co-Chairmen

Click here for the Directory (large PDF file): Directory

BALCONY Supports NYS “15 in 15 Green Collar Job Initiative”

BALCONY announces today its support of Governor Spitzer’s “15 by 15 Green Collar Job Initiative” that will begin New York State’s long hard transition to renewable energy.

Read the announcement: Green Collar Job Initiative

BALCONY co-chair Alan Lubin hosts Jerome Ringo, President of the Apollo Alliance, as the keynote speaker at the February 16th Labor Lunch of the New York State Black and Puerto Rican Legislative Caucus. Joining them at the left is Paul Tonko, President and Chief Executive Office of NYSERDA.

High Powered New York Coalition Aims for Action on Health Reform

New York, New York –– A consortium of leading health advocacy groups, led by the Community Service Society of New York, has been awarded a highly competitive multi-year Consumer Voices for Coverage grant totaling $750,000, from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). RWJF’s Consumer Voices for Coverage initiative supports state advocacy efforts by fostering strong and robust advocacy infrastructures.

Read the complete press release: CSS Grant Press Release

Read the findings from a statewide survey of 1619 New York residents
(49 page PowerPoint presentation): State Wide Poll Results

State Commission Approves a Plan for Congestion Pricing

By WILLIAM NEUMAN

A state traffic commission voted on Thursday to recommend that New York City charge drivers an $8 daily fee to bring their cars into Manhattan below 60th Street.

Read the entire article: Congestion Pricing

Read the final report: Congestion Pricing Report

BALCONY Supports Prescription Reform Package

Statement by Lou Gordon, BALCONY Coordinator

BALCONY, the Business and Labor Coalition of New York, came into existence in 2006 and represents more than five hundred businesses, labor unions and non-profit organizations. BALCONY seeks common ground and policy solutions on key issues that affect all New Yorkers.

Early on in BALCONY’s existence, we realized that rising prescription drug costs were a major impediment to solving the statewide healthcare coverage crisis and have a major inflationary impact on the cost of health care for all of our residents.

AARP New York Testimony

Prescription Drug Marketing and Purchasing Reform
The Impact on Accessibility and Affordability

Prescription Drug Marketing and Purchasing Reform
The Impact on Accessibility and Affordability