http://www.balconynewyork.com Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:20:19 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/01/23/news-release-nysut-recognizes-budget-strong-points-hits-proposed-tie-to-evaluations/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/01/23/news-release-nysut-recognizes-budget-strong-points-hits-proposed-tie-to-evaluations/#comments Mon, 23 Jan 2012 22:38:37 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=5383

ALBANY, NY – New York State United Teachers today said it shares the commitment of the governor and Legislature to improve the efficiency and performance of public schools. However, the union said three consecutive years of decreasing education budgets — including last year’s $1.3 billion cut — and the looming tax cap are making that job difficult, forcing districts to increase class sizes; chop course offerings; and eliminate 20,000 teacher and staff positions. ]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/01/23/news-release-nysut-recognizes-budget-strong-points-hits-proposed-tie-to-evaluations/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/01/18/balcony-members-comment-on-gov-cuomos-2012-2013-nys-budget/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/01/18/balcony-members-comment-on-gov-cuomos-2012-2013-nys-budget/#comments Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:38:21 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=5341 Responses from:

PEF President Ken Brynien
CSEA President Danny Donohue
NYSUT President Dick Iannuzzi and Executive Vice President Andrew Pallotta]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/01/18/balcony-members-comment-on-gov-cuomos-2012-2013-nys-budget/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/01/17/statement-on-the-2012-1013-nys-budget-alan-lubin-co-chair-of-the-business-and-labor-coalition-of-new-york-balcony/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/01/17/statement-on-the-2012-1013-nys-budget-alan-lubin-co-chair-of-the-business-and-labor-coalition-of-new-york-balcony/#comments Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:09:29 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=5327 Alan Lubin co-chair of the Business and Labor Coalition of New York, BALCONY

The Cuomo administration's 2012-2013 budget message is a positive step that can create jobs, rebuild New York's infrastructure, rejuvenate our convention business and revive the City of Buffalo.

The administration's desire to create a Tier VI pension system for public employees is misguided and premature since the state created a Tier V in the past two years.

We believe a fair teacher evaluation program can be worked out within the governor's time-frame if City and State officials come to the table seeking a honest solution.

We need further details on the administration's desire to consolidate state agencies and programs, and the resulting impact on the delivery of services to the residents of our state. Finally BALCONY supports the Governor's creation of the New York State Insurance Health Care Exchange as required by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. ]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/01/17/statement-on-the-2012-1013-nys-budget-alan-lubin-co-chair-of-the-business-and-labor-coalition-of-new-york-balcony/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/01/12/coalition-calls-on-governor-legislature-to-close-corporate-tax-loopholes-level-playing-field-for-small-business/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/01/12/coalition-calls-on-governor-legislature-to-close-corporate-tax-loopholes-level-playing-field-for-small-business/#comments Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:06:02 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=5250
Albany, NY -- A large coalition of community, labor, student, faith and Occupy organizations gathered on Monday to announce their campaign to bring fairness and transparency to New York’s corporate tax system. The organizations, who last year worked together on the "Millionaires Tax" and personal income tax reform, are calling on Governor Cuomo and the Legislature to close corporate tax loopholes, raising over $1 billion dollars for this year’s state budget. The additional revenue will help New York to create jobs, create a fairer environment for small business, and prevent more devastating budget cuts to services and our safety net and allow for restorations of reduced funding.]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2012/01/12/coalition-calls-on-governor-legislature-to-close-corporate-tax-loopholes-level-playing-field-for-small-business/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/12/06/statement-of-pef-president-ken-brynien-on-tax-rate-reform/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/12/06/statement-of-pef-president-ken-brynien-on-tax-rate-reform/#comments Tue, 06 Dec 2011 23:23:51 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=5021

Albany - We applaud the Governor’s and Legislature’s effort to address the growing income inequality in New York. The agreement announced today on tax reform is a step in the right direction but unfortunately falls short in obtaining the goal of a fair tax system.]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/12/06/statement-of-pef-president-ken-brynien-on-tax-rate-reform/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/12/06/balcony-applauds-progress-on-new-york-state-fair-taxation/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/12/06/balcony-applauds-progress-on-new-york-state-fair-taxation/#comments Tue, 06 Dec 2011 21:58:10 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=5015 BALCONY APPLAUDS PROGRESS ON NEW YORK STATE FAIR TAXATION

For Release Tuesday December 6th

BALCONY, the Business and Labor Coalition of New York, today (Tuesday) commended the New York State Legislature and Governor Andrew Cuomo for reaching an agreement on a fair tax code reform for New York State. BALCONY urged immediate passage by the New York State Assembly and Senate. ]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/12/06/balcony-applauds-progress-on-new-york-state-fair-taxation/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/12/06/governor-cuomo-majority-leader-skelos-speaker-silver-announce-comprehensive-plans-to-create-jobs-and-grow-the-economy/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/12/06/governor-cuomo-majority-leader-skelos-speaker-silver-announce-comprehensive-plans-to-create-jobs-and-grow-the-economy/#comments Tue, 06 Dec 2011 21:10:27 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=5018 GOVERNOR CUOMO, MAJORITY LEADER SKELOS & SPEAKER SILVER ANNOUNCE COMPREHENSIVE PLANS TO CREATE JOBS AND GROW THE ECONOMY

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver today announced that they have reached a proposed three-way agreement on legislative and executive proposals to create jobs and cut taxes for middle class New Yorkers. The agreement includes support for a comprehensive New York Works Agenda that will create thousands of jobs with new investments in New York's infrastructure, passing a fair tax reform plan that achieves the first major restructuring of the tax code in decades resulting in a tax cut for 4.4 million middle class New Yorkers taxpayers, approving $50 million in additional relief for areas devastated by recent floods, and reducing the MTA payroll tax to provide relief for small businesses. The leaders will now present the agreement to their members for approval.]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/12/06/governor-cuomo-majority-leader-skelos-speaker-silver-announce-comprehensive-plans-to-create-jobs-and-grow-the-economy/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/12/06/fpi-report-reforming-the-new-york-tax-code/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/12/06/fpi-report-reforming-the-new-york-tax-code/#comments Tue, 06 Dec 2011 21:07:49 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=5023

New York State is at a crossroads. Our tax structure is scheduled to change in a way that will render state revenues inadequate for the budget years ahead. Hundreds of thousands of households struggle to pay property tax bills that represent an inordinate share of their incomes. And, in the aftermath of the Great Recession, far too many New Yorkers are still looking for jobs as good as the ones they used to have. What can be done? What strategies can we pursue that will increase revenues to preserve the services that support New Yorkers’ quality of life and make it possible for families to move up the socioeconomic ladder—and that will, at the same time, make the tax system fairer?]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/12/06/fpi-report-reforming-the-new-york-tax-code/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/11/03/pef-members-ratify-revised-tentative-agreement-3496-jobs-saved/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/11/03/pef-members-ratify-revised-tentative-agreement-3496-jobs-saved/#comments Thu, 03 Nov 2011 22:44:26 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=4986

Albany - By a count of 27,718 to 11,645, members of the New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF) ratified a revised four-year agreement with the state that averts significant layoffs.

The ratification of the new agreement saves the jobs of 3,496 PEF members and preserves the vital services our members provide.]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/11/03/pef-members-ratify-revised-tentative-agreement-3496-jobs-saved/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/10/18/despite-protests-cuomo-says-he-will-not-extend-a-tax-surcharge-on-top-earners/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/10/18/despite-protests-cuomo-says-he-will-not-extend-a-tax-surcharge-on-top-earners/#comments Tue, 18 Oct 2011 13:13:40 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=4942

by Thomas Kaplan

ALBANY — Even as Occupy Wall Street stokes debate over income inequality, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo dug in his heels on Monday against extending a so-called millionaires’ tax on high-earning New Yorkers, saying the income tax surcharge would place New York at a competitive disadvantage with neighboring states.]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/10/18/despite-protests-cuomo-says-he-will-not-extend-a-tax-surcharge-on-top-earners/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/09/29/statement-of-pef-president-ken-brynien/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/09/29/statement-of-pef-president-ken-brynien/#comments Thu, 29 Sep 2011 20:37:40 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=4929

Albany - The New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF) is prepared to present to the state new ideas which we believe will lead to a tentative contract agreement that will meet everyone’s needs and our members will ratify.

Although the governor has said he will not change the state’s proposal we remain hopeful we can reach an agreement. The next few days will be critical as we try to preserve state services while meeting the savings the state requires.

PEF is the state’s second-largest state-employee union, representing 56,000 professional, scientific and technical (PS&T) employees and other public and private employees. The contract covers the PS&T employees.]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/09/29/statement-of-pef-president-ken-brynien/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/09/28/pef-members-reject-tentative-agreement/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/09/28/pef-members-reject-tentative-agreement/#comments Wed, 28 Sep 2011 19:52:34 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=4927



Albany - For the first time in the 34 year history of the New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF), members voted to reject the tentative agreement negotiated with the state. ]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/09/28/pef-members-reject-tentative-agreement/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/07/20/for-state-labor-deals-fall-short/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/07/20/for-state-labor-deals-fall-short/#comments Wed, 20 Jul 2011 12:59:38 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=4779

Major labor union deals help, but state still has a way to go to reach savings target

By CASEY SEILER State editor

ALBANY -- Recent tentative agreements reached by Gov. Andrew Cuomo's negotiators and the state's two largest public employee unions will achieve an estimated $148 million in savings in the current fiscal year, which ends in March.

But while that's not exactly lunch money, it's still only a third of the way to Cuomo's workforce savings target for the current fiscal year.]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/07/20/for-state-labor-deals-fall-short/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/07/05/coniberal-progractionary/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/07/05/coniberal-progractionary/#comments Tue, 05 Jul 2011 17:51:47 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=4752

by Richard Brodsky

I used to be able to recognize lefties by smell, touch or sound. They cared about progressive taxation, economic justice for the poor, a decent level of government services and the environment and had a healthy suspicion of big business. ]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/07/05/coniberal-progractionary/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/06/25/small-business-and-immigrant-entrepreneurship-brooklyn-labor-market-review-bmlr-spring-2011/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/06/25/small-business-and-immigrant-entrepreneurship-brooklyn-labor-market-review-bmlr-spring-2011/#comments Sat, 25 Jun 2011 15:59:44 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=4715


Small Business and Immigrant Entrepreneurship, Brooklyn Labor Market Review (BMLR), Spring 2011.

Prepared by FPI for the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, the latest issue of the BLMR looks at immigrant entrepreneurs in Brooklyn by sector. The report finds that there are nearly 14,500 Brooklyn immigrant small businesses across a range of sectors from construction to restaurants, grocery stores, child care services and doctors' offices.

Read the full article: FPI]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/06/25/small-business-and-immigrant-entrepreneurship-brooklyn-labor-market-review-bmlr-spring-2011/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/06/25/proposed-new-york-property-tax-cap-is-much-more-restrictive-than-the-massachusetts-cap/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/06/25/proposed-new-york-property-tax-cap-is-much-more-restrictive-than-the-massachusetts-cap/#comments Sat, 25 Jun 2011 15:54:45 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=4712


Proposed New York property tax cap is much more restrictive than the Massachusetts cap after which it is supposedly modeled.

No lawmaker or taxpayer should be one bit reassured by the Massachusetts experience with a tax cap. New analysis from FPI's Frank Mauro shows what a New York-style tax cap would mean if it had been in effect in Massachusetts over the last decades. The result: property tax revenues in Massachusetts would be less than half what they are today, with devastating implications for the entire array of locally-funded public services.

Read the full article: Tax Cap]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/06/25/proposed-new-york-property-tax-cap-is-much-more-restrictive-than-the-massachusetts-cap/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/06/25/governor-cuomos-fiscal-policies/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/06/25/governor-cuomos-fiscal-policies/#comments Sat, 25 Jun 2011 15:51:22 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=4709


Governor Cuomo's Fiscal Policies: How Will New York’s Economy Be Affected?

Governor Cuomo won a great political victory in getting his 2011-2012 budget adopted on time and with very few changes. And it now looks like the Legislature will be enacting - again with very few changes - the very tight cap on property tax levies that the Governor spelled out during his 2010 campaign. This brief examines how the New York economy fared, compared to other states, under the more balanced fiscal policies of recent years. But dramatic cuts in spending can easily derail fragile recoveries; it remains to be seen whether the state will do as well under Governor Cuomo's new policy directions.

Read the full article: Fiscal Policies]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/06/25/governor-cuomos-fiscal-policies/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/06/21/pef-rallies-at-capitol-it%e2%80%99s-about-r-e-s-p-e-c-t/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/06/21/pef-rallies-at-capitol-it%e2%80%99s-about-r-e-s-p-e-c-t/#comments Tue, 21 Jun 2011 13:19:06 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=4599



At a Monday afternoon rally at the Capitol, Public Employees Federation President Ken Brynien said his anger at Gov. Andrew Cuomo wasn’t based simply on budget cuts, or up to 9,800 potential layoffs, or the failure of Cuomo’s negotiators to offer a retirement incentive or even meet with the union in more than a month.
]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/06/21/pef-rallies-at-capitol-it%e2%80%99s-about-r-e-s-p-e-c-t/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/06/09/pef-offers-concessions-to-achieve-savings-gov-opts-for-layoffs/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/06/09/pef-offers-concessions-to-achieve-savings-gov-opts-for-layoffs/#comments Thu, 09 Jun 2011 19:48:34 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=4496

Albany - Leaders of the New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF) are appalled to learn the governor plans to move forward with thousands of state layoffs as PEF’s contract negotiating team continues to wait for a response from the state’s negotiators in an attempt to reach an agreement.]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/06/09/pef-offers-concessions-to-achieve-savings-gov-opts-for-layoffs/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/06/09/csea-on-tier-vi-another-%e2%80%98grandstand-play%e2%80%99-by-cuomo/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/06/09/csea-on-tier-vi-another-%e2%80%98grandstand-play%e2%80%99-by-cuomo/#comments Thu, 09 Jun 2011 13:31:45 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=4490



CSEA President Danny Donohue didn’t take long to survey the proposals in Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Tier VI proposal before giving it a big thumbs-down. Donohue had previously swatted at the major elements of the proposal as they emerged.



Read the labor leader’s full statement:]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/06/09/csea-on-tier-vi-another-%e2%80%98grandstand-play%e2%80%99-by-cuomo/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/06/09/cuomo-urges-broad-limits-to-n-y-public-pensions/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/06/09/cuomo-urges-broad-limits-to-n-y-public-pensions/#comments Thu, 09 Jun 2011 13:27:39 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=4488

By DANNY HAKIM and THOMAS KAPLAN

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, joining a parade of officials from across the country who are seeking to rein in spending by limiting public employees’ pensions, proposed Wednesday to broadly limit retirement benefits for new city and state workers in New York.

Mr. Cuomo said New York State and New York City simply could no longer afford to offer new employees the generous benefits their predecessors received.]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/06/09/cuomo-urges-broad-limits-to-n-y-public-pensions/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/06/09/governor-plays-politics-with-pensions-by-introducing-new-pension-tier/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/06/09/governor-plays-politics-with-pensions-by-introducing-new-pension-tier/#comments Thu, 09 Jun 2011 13:23:25 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=4485

Albany - The New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF) is calling on state lawmakers to reject the governor’s proposal for a new pension plan. The governor introduced a bill today that would drastically reduce the pensions of future state and local government workers.]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/06/09/governor-plays-politics-with-pensions-by-introducing-new-pension-tier/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/04/07/why-we-must-raise-taxes-on-the-rich/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/04/07/why-we-must-raise-taxes-on-the-rich/#comments Thu, 07 Apr 2011 21:53:42 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=4051


It’s tax time. It’s also a time when right-wing Republicans are setting the agenda for massive spending cuts that will hurt most Americans.

Here’s the truth: The only way America can reduce the long-term budget deficit, maintain vital services, protect Social Security and Medicare, invest more in education and infrastructure, and not raise taxes on the working middle class is by raising taxes on the super rich.

Even if we got rid of corporate welfare subsidies for big oil, big agriculture, and big Pharma – even if we cut back on our bloated defense budget – it wouldn’t be nearly enough.

The vast majority of Americans can’t afford to pay more. Despite an economy that’s twice as large as it was thirty years ago, the bottom 90 percent are still stuck in the mud. If they’re employed they’re earning on average only about $280 more a year than thirty years ago, adjusted for inflation. That’s less than a 1 percent gain over more than a third of a century. (Families are doing somewhat better but that’s only because so many families now have to rely on two incomes.)

Yet even as their share of the nation’s total income has withered, the tax burden on the middle has grown. Today’s working and middle-class taxpayers are shelling out a bigger chunk of income in payroll taxes, sales taxes, and property taxes than thirty years ago.

It’s just the opposite for super rich. ]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/04/07/why-we-must-raise-taxes-on-the-rich/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/04/04/nysna-applauds-preservation-of-nursing-care-quality-protection-act-and-nursing-education-funding-in-state-budget-concern-remains-about-implementation-of-medicaid-cap/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/04/04/nysna-applauds-preservation-of-nursing-care-quality-protection-act-and-nursing-education-funding-in-state-budget-concern-remains-about-implementation-of-medicaid-cap/#comments Mon, 04 Apr 2011 19:28:43 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=4024

LATHAM - The New York State Nurses Association applauds the state legislature and Governor Andrew Cuomo for not including the suspension of the Nursing Care Quality Protection Act (Public Health Law 2805t) in the 2011-12 state budget. This important law protects public health by disclosing nursing quality care indicators and staffing ratios and its suspension would not have eased the state's fiscal burden. “Having this important information available to the public, legislators and regulators is critical to evidence-based healthcare reform,” said Tina Gerardi, MS, RN, CAE, CEO of the Nurses Association. ]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/04/04/nysna-applauds-preservation-of-nursing-care-quality-protection-act-and-nursing-education-funding-in-state-budget-concern-remains-about-implementation-of-medicaid-cap/feed/ 0 http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/03/31/state-ready-to-pay-140m-step-hikes/ http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/03/31/state-ready-to-pay-140m-step-hikes/#comments Thu, 31 Mar 2011 20:37:59 +0000 kevin http://www.balconynewyork.com/?p=4021

by Rick Karlin

50,000 state workers to get increases as PEF, CSEA contracts expire

ALBANY -- The state is moving ahead with "step" or longevity-based raises for some 50,000 state workers, despite suggestions earlier this month that giving up the pay hikes could help trim the budget deficit -- and possibly avoid at least some layoffs. ]]> http://www.balconynewyork.com/2011/03/31/state-ready-to-pay-140m-step-hikes/feed/ 0