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BALCONY Supports Paterson Pledge for
Health Care Coverage of New York's Young Adults
Ages 19-29 |
BALCONY, the Business
and Labor Coalition of New York, applauds Governor David
Paterson for his commitment to affordable health care
for all New Yorkers as he proposed in his State of the
State address which allows families to maintain coverage
for 19-29 year old dependents. BALCONY has made
coverage of young adults a long standing priority and
agrees with the Governor that 1 in 3 young adults,
or 800,000, between the ages of 19-29 are
uninsured is "unacceptable" number. BALCONY pledges
to help in the legislative battle to provide this group
with coverage. However, according to some, this
plan must be implemented in a way that doesn't
compromise the integrity of the community rating system
and must keep premiums affordable for chronically ill
patients.
Click here to read the 2009 State of
the State Proposal Health Insurance for Up to Age
29.
October 14,
2008 Uninsured Young Adults Forum
(left to right)
Robert L. Cafone, Dr. Barbie Gatton, Henry Amoroso,
Catherine Abate
On October
14th, BALCONY, The American Cancer Society,
Demos, Freelancers Union and NYU Wagner Alumni
Association co-sponsored a New York City forum featuring
prominent health care advocates, providers, insurers,
labor unions, legislators and state officials on
uninsured young adults which highlighted their dire need
for health insurance.
Click here to read the major
findings of the October
2008 forum.
(left to right) Bill Hohlfeld, Sara Horowitz,
Roslyn Yasser, Troy Oechsner, Peter Slocum, Britta
Riley
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Governor Paterson's
State of the State Address 2009 |
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"Our Time to
Lead"
"My fellow
New Yorkers: Let me come straight to the point - the
state of our state is perilous.
"New York
faces an historic economic challenge, the gravest in
nearly a century. For several months, events have shaken
us to the core. Bank closures, job losses and stock
market meltdowns have destabilized the foundations of
our economy. Since January 2008, two million Americans
have lost their jobs. During this recession, an
estimated 225,000 New Yorkers will be laid off. Many
others have lost their homes. The pillars of Wall Street
have crumbled. The global economy is reeling. Trillions
of dollars of wealth have
vanished."
To read the entire
speech/address click here.
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BALCONY Members
Respond to Governor's
State of the State
Address |
NYSUT: STATE OF
STATE LEAVES DOOR OPEN TO BUDGET
RESOLUTION
While Gov. David
Paterson's State of the State message paints a grim
picture of New York's finances, New York State United
Teachers today said middle-class families can be spared
the deep pain caused by cuts to public education and
health care.
"We agree with the Governor
that the road ahead will be difficult, but how New York
recovers from this crisis depends on the route it
chooses," said NYSUT President Richard C. Iannuzzi.
"Maintaining New York's investment in public education -
at a time when schools are making progress ending the
achievement gap and families are increasingly turning to
SUNY, CUNY and community colleges for education and
training - is the best way to get the state's economy
moving forward again."
Iannuzzi noted,
"There are alternatives to an executive budget of deep
pain, and we applaud the Governor for taking the lead
and making a strong case in Washington for New York's
fair share of federal stimulus money.
Click here to read
the full statement.
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STATEMENT
BY ENERGY COALITION CHAIRMAN ARTHUR "JERRY"
KREMER
Arthur
"Jerry" Kremer, retired chairman of the New York
Assembly Ways & Means Committee, author of the
original state power plant siting law, and
Chairman of the New York Affordable Reliable Electricity
Alliance (New York AREA) issued the following statement
in conjunction with Governor Paterson's
State-of-the-State
address.
"Governor Paterson
clearly understands the importance of addressing our
energy challenges so that New York can prosper and much
needs to be done in this regard.
The
Governor's initiatives are laudable. We also need
to keep clean sources of base load power online.
This includes nuclear plants like Indian Point which
alone accounts for more than 10 percent of the state's
portfolio, while not emitting greenhouse gases, which
the Governor is committed to reducing. It is also
imperative for New York to reinstitute its Article X
power plant siting law to spur proposals for new
facilities, as energy demand is growing and the pipeline
for new projects has come to a halt. We need
Article X so that New York can attract the capital
needed to develop new and cleaner sources of electricity
and spur other economic activity in the state especially
during these austere times. We stand ready to work
with the Governor and Legislature on these and other
important
matters."
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AARP
STATEMENT ON GOVERNOR PATERSON'S STATE OF THE STATE
ADDRESS
Lois
Aronstein, AARP NY State
Director
Governor
Paterson's 2009 State of the State address put forth
recommendations on a number of issues that are essential
to the health care and financial security of New Yorkers
of all ages.
AARP
commends the Governor for proposing to expand the Family
Health Plus Program to 200 percent of the federal
poverty level, making more than 400,000 additional New
Yorkers eligible for coverage. A fundamental goal
of AARP is to ensure increased access to affordable
health care and prescription drug coverage; Governor
Paterson's proposal would be a significant step toward
achieving this goal for New Yorkers.
However,
AARP urges the Governor to reconsider some of his
proposed changes to the EPIC program that would no
longer cover the cost of drugs for which no payment or
reimbursement is made by Medicare Part D. We also
strongly recommend that the Governor re-evaluate his
proposed changes to Assisted Living programs that would
create a two-tiered system - one for the poor and
one for everybody else - and compromise the ability of
older people to age in place.
Click
here to
read the full
statement.
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SOME
BALCONY MEMBERS GATHER AT
THE MARCH
FOR MAIN STREET
Thousands of
working New Yorkers converged on the state
Capitol on January 7th to March for Main
Street. The march was scheduled to coincide with Gov.
David Paterson's first State of the State address to
challenge the Governor's misplaced budget priorities
that target middle class New Yorkers.
Organized by CSEA, PEF, 1199 SEIU, SEIU
200United, AFSCME New York, District Council 37, the New
York State Nurses Association and the New York State
AFL-CIO, the event stressed that communities, jobs and
services are at risk under the Governor's plan.
"We helped organize the March for
Main Street to send a message loud and clear," said CSEA
President Danny Donohue. "All working New Yorkers live
on Main Street and it's time for all of us to stand up
and say no to proposals that will have us pay more and
get less while the wealthiest New Yorkers slide by."
"The
Governor's proposed 2009-10 budget includes destructive
cuts in state services and the state work force while
ignoring cost-cutting options that can save the state
billions," said state Public Employees Federation (PEF)
President Ken Brynien. "Our members are already doing
more with less having endured $1.5 billion in cuts to
state agencies. It's time our legislative leaders look
elsewhere to balance the budget and start cutting the
waste not the workers and taxing millionaires, not the
middle class."
"Registered
nurses throughout New York state are already working
with a level of staffing that can at best be described
as 'hazardous.'" said Barbara Crane, RN, president of
the New York State Nurses Association Delegate Assembly.
"Reductions in health care funding over the past decade
have resulted in nurse-to-patient ratios that are both
dangerous and intolerable."
"We've seen
staff reductions in primary, preventive, and outpatient
care. Additional cuts of this magnitude would seriously
jeopardize the quality of care delivered at health care
facilities throughout the state and would put further
stress on nurses who are already working short-handed,"
Crane said. "Our hospitals, clinics and nursing homes
are the most vital link to the health, safety, and
well-being of the people in this state, and must be
supported as such. We're calling on the state to
maintain its commitment to quality health
care."
"The
Governor's budget proposal makes some very dangerous
choices," said New York State AFL-CIO President Denis
Hughes. "Some of the cuts proposed will permanently
damage this state, and make a deepening recession even
worse. The future of our state depends on a
comprehensive, balanced approach including a fair and
progressive state income tax system. The New York State
AFL-CIO looks forward to working with all parties
involved in the process. I'm confident that together we
can make the right choices on behalf of New York's
working men and women."
To read the full
press relase click here.
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EXPANDING HEALTH
INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR YOUNG ADULTS, OBESITY PREVENTION
POSITIVE STEPS IN FIGHTING
CANCER
Statement
from Donald Distasio, CEO, American Cancer Society of NY
& NJ, in response to Governor Paterson's State of
the State Address
"Surviving cancer
can depend on whether you have health insurance or on
how good that health coverage is. By allowing families
to keep 19-29 year olds on their health insurance, young
adults can get through that critical period when most
that age go without any kind of healthcare at all. It's
a critical first step toward achieving access to
healthcare for all New Yorkers, and increasing the odds
of surviving cancer. However, it must be implemented in
a way that doesn't compromise the integrity of the
community rating system and keeps premiums affordable
for chronically ill patients.
Governor
Paterson's five-point obesity prevention plan marks
another cancer-fighting move by shining a light on the
obesity-cancer link. The proposals would increase
healthy choices for consumers, especially for low-income
consumers who may not have access to fresh produce and
non-processed foods. And by protecting our kids from the
sugary drinks and snacks that lead to childhood obesity,
we will set them up for a brighter, healthier
future."
Governor Paterson's
five-point obesity prevention plan
includes:
- Banning trans fats from
restaurants
- Menu-labeling for chain
restaurants
- Banning junk food from
schools
- Tax on non-diet sodas
- Fostering development
of full-service supermarkets in low-income
communities
Statement From
Say Yes to Education on Governor Paterson's State of the
State Address
Mary Anne Schmitt-Carey,
President of Say Yes to Education, released the
following statement regarding Governor Paterson's State
of the State address and his recognition of the
organization's latest initiative in Central New York:
"We are encouraged and excited that
Governor Paterson recognized the potential of the
Syracuse Say Yes to Education demonstration program in
his State of the State address today. We are deeply
grateful for the Governor's leadership and support. This
unique partnership between Say Yes to Education,
Syracuse University, and the Syracuse City School
District will offer comprehensive educational support
programs, as well as access to college, to thousands of
students in Central New York."
Say Yes to
Education, Inc. is a national, non-profit foundation
committed to dramatically increasing high school and
college graduation rates for urban youth. For over 20
years, Say Yes has provided comprehensive support,
including the promise of a full college or vocational
education, and a host of other educational, social and
health care resources to enable every child in the
program to achieve his or her
potential.
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New
York's Road to Recovery Runs Right Through
its Schools
by Nancy
Cantor
In his State of the
State address, Gov. David Paterson declared, "The road
to economic development runs right through our
schools."
Truer words were never spoken. Only
knowledge can drive the global economy out of its
tumult. We must ensure that every child is prepared by
receiving an affordable college
education.
Click here to read the entire
statement.
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PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA'S INAUGURAL
SPEECH
January 20, 2009
 (Click the image to read
the entire address)
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BALCONY Says
Federal Stimulus Funds Must Help New York
Workers
Should Not Bear the Burden of New York's Budget
Crisis
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BALCONY agrees
with Governor David Paterson that New York State is in
dire economic circumstances and will continue to work
with the administration to develop solutions to our
budget crisis.
Both business and
labor are experiencing the very real, very negative
effects of this fiscal downturn. BALCONY looks
to our elected officials to make carefully crafted
decisions based on what most economists believe will
help revive our state's fiscal health. Cutting essential
state services or shifting the responsibility to local
taxpayers is not the answer to our problems. This is the
time for greater investments in our schools and
healthcare systems.
We do
believe the Governor is taking a step in the right
direction in his appeal to Washington to be sure that
New York gets its fair share in the stimulus package, in
particular funding to revive our state's crumbling
infrastructure. Finally, we respectfully disagree
that the state can climb out of this recession by
cutting services to its citizens or shifting the burden
of New York's budget crisis onto working families
and small businesses.
In addition,
BALCONY agrees with the Governor's support for the
innovative SAY YES to Education program, which offers
free college tuition to students who meet educational
standards.
The
BALCONY Coalition has long supported clean green energy
efficiency. BALCONY is long on record favoring a 45 by
15 program that by the year 2015 New York
State should meet 45% of its electricity needs
through improved energy efficiency and clean renewable
energy.
The
Obama Stimulus: An $825 Billion First Step
by James
Parrott
The version of the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Plan unveiled on Jan. 15
by House Democrats is breathtaking in its scope and
cost. Intended to retain and create 3.7 million
jobs over the next two years, the $825 billion
package of federal government investments includes
dozens of spending measures ranging from $200 billion in
fiscal relief to help state and local governments, to $6
billion to extend broadband to rural areas, a 21st
century version of Depression-era rural electrification.
Two thirds of the total value consists of spending, with
one third for tax cuts.
To read the entire
article click here.
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BALCONY Supports
The Employee Free Choice
Act
The Business and Labor Coalition of
New York (BALCONY) announced its support for the
Employee Free Choice Act, a proposed federal statute
backed by a bipartisan array of legislators that levels
the playing field on which labor unions and management
compete for the support of unrepresented workers.
This leveling is required because the two entities do
not have equal access or influence on a company's
employees, and some employers have not been shy in the
past about using their hierarchical advantage to repel
or slow down any union-organizing efforts. The
legislation would allow employees rather than employers
to choose the method of how best to unionize their
workplace whether by majority sign-up or secret ballot,
and strengthens the penalties against employers that
violate the rights and privileges of their
workers.
Bruce Ventimiglia, the business
co-chairman of BALCONY and the founder and president of
Saratoga Capital Management, thinks that the Employee
Free Choice Act will do much to foster cooperation
between workers and their employers. "I strongly
support the Employee Free Choice Act. In the past,
some employers have intimidated union members and used
subtle 'divide-and-conquer' techniques to spread
confusion among their workforce. This leaves a
bitter taste in the mouths of workers and undercuts the
mutual goal that employers and employees share of
promoting the ongoing success of their
enterprises."
Alan Lubin, the labor
co-chairman of BALCONY and the executive vice-president
of the New York State United Teachers, sees another
reason why the legislation is so critical. "The
National Labor Relations Board election procedures were
devised in a different era. America has slowly
evolved into a service and information economy, yet the
NLRB rules have not been updated to address this change
or the more transitory nature of the modern
workforce."
In an era when the middle class
is under increasing pressures, union representation
stands as a significant bulwark against the erosion of
this most critical stratum in our society. Union
members have better health care coverage than their
non-union counterparts, and unions provide a critical
modicum of stability for workers in a time when our
economic future looks worrisome. Enlightened
business leaders know that a healthy, stable, happy
workforce outperforms a fragmented, fearful one, and
this increases a business's bottom line. The
principle of majority sign-up, a critical provision of
the Employee Free Choice Act, has already gathered over
half a million new union members since 2003 in shops and
factories where it has been used.
To
voice your support for the Employee Free Choice Act,
visit
http://freechoiceact.org/petition/.
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NYS: Recent Relevant
Reports
Balancing New York State's
2009-2010 Budget in An Economically Sensible
Manner
Fiscal Poicy Institute's annual briefing
book presents the "big picture" on the Governor's
proposed 2009-2010 budget, explaining why spending
growth is what it is and carefully examines New York's
economic and income trends.
NYS Water
Infrastructure
The New York State
Department of Health released a report, "Drinking Water
Infrastructure Needs of New York State" in November 2008
which estimates that the cost of repairing, replacing,
and updating New York's drinking water infrastructure is
$38.7 billion over the next 20 years. Since the 1970s,
drinking water regulations have significantly increased;
consequently, so has the cost of complying with these
new and improved regulations. The New York State
Department of Health looks to Governor Paterson and the
Legislature to address and aid this financial and
environmental problem.
Click here to read the entire
report.
NYS SAM
Commission
On October 2, 2008 Governor David A.
Paterson created the New York State Commission on State
Asset Maximization by Executive Order No. 11. The
Commission is charged with examining whether asset
maximization can benefit New York State, as well as
whether any specific New York State assets are suitable
candidates for public-private partnerships
(PPPs). NYS Commission on State Asset
Maximization released a preliminary report on December
15, 2008 which outlined their findings of the first
ninety days of their initiation. These findings
are observations that will be used to develop final
recommendations to the Governor. Over the
next ninety days, the Commission will hold further
hearings and meetings around the state, exploring in
more detail many of the opportunities to maximize the
states assets. The Commission's Final Report will be
submitted by April 2, 2009. Click here to read the full
preliminary report.
MTA
Rescue Plan
The Commission on Metroplitan
Transportation Authority Financing chaired by Richard
Ravitch released a report in December
2008. The report proposes to stabilize the
MTA's future and supports a "capital plan that would
finish that MTA's megaprojects, bring the system closer
to good repair, and begin work on major improvements
projects. The report also recommends major expansions of
bus service throughout the region and management and
government reforms to make the MTA more transparent and
politically independent." Click here for the full
report. Click here
for Tri-State Transportation Campaign's Ravitch Commission Report
Review. Building
Congress endorses Ravitch Commission
report on MTA Financing. Click here to read their full
response.
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Implications for New York Economy
December 11th
Forum
BALCONY Videos
(Click on images to view forum
videos)
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Discounted Subscription for BALCONY members and
friends to the Empire Page -- the ultimate source for
news about NYS government &
politics
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BALCONY 2008-09 Members
Directory |
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Our new eBook presents the
BALCONY Members Directory in an exciting
format!
Take the Virtual
Tour!
Click on the image to access the
directory.
˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜
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_____________________________________________
BALCONY Mourns the Passing
of
Jose "Chequi" Torres - Light Heavyweight
Champ
(L-R Jose Torres; Lou Gordon, Jim
Simpson, Bruce E. Ventimiglia, Jose Torres,
Sigourney Weaver)
A note from Lou Gordon, BALCONY
Director:
Jose Torres, the former light heavyweight
champ, passed away on Monday, January
19th at his home in Puerto Rico. Jose
was a friend of BALCONY and a personal friend.
He was an inspiring and humble man who volunteered
to help us. When BALCONY in 2006 sought to
create a PSA to inform those who volunteered
and worked on clean up following 9/11, "Chequi"
was there for us. Watch the PSA.
Following are two poignant articles by journalists
Mike Lupica and Bill Gallo of the New York
Daily News. We will all miss Jose Torres ...
he will always be "The Champ".
Click to here read the articles written by
Mike Lupica and Bill Gallo.
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BALCONY, the Business and Labor Coalition
of New York, represents more than 1,000 New York
businesses, labor unions, and trade associations.
BALCONY seeks common ground in the public policy debate
in New York to spur economic development through the
adoption of business/union friendly, socially
responsible common sense laws that maintain and improve
the quality of life for working New
Yorkers.
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| Call, Write or
Email BALCONY |
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Contact: Lou
Gordon - BALCONY Director
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