Major residential, commercial and industrial developments throughout the country are subject to an array of federal and state laws designed to protect the environment. They're buttressed nearly everywhere by local land-use regulations addressing the community impacts of such projects. In New York, these regulations are wrapped in the added red tape of the State Environmental Quality Review Act. Read More
Major residential, commercial and industrial developments throughout the country are subject to an array of federal and state laws designed to protect the environment. They're buttressed nearly everywhere by local land-use regulations addressing the community impacts of such projects. Read More
The governor who led New York State out of the fiscal crisis of the 1970s died Sunday at the age of 92. Read More
Mayor Dayton King recently said he plans to propose a 2 percent property tax reduction when he presents the Common Council with his proposed 2014 city budget. The tax relief is long overdue. Read More
This committee has chosen an opportune moment to review New York’s state tax code and consider reform options. Wall Street, the state’s cash cow for 20 years, is now retrenching. And in an era of slower economic growth, many businesses will be less willing to shoulder costs they can avoid by moving elsewhere. Needless to say, by various measures, most states can offer a lower-cost environment than New York. Read More
New York’s property tax levy cap makes it more important than ever for local governments and school districts to bring their long-term spending into line with long-term revenues. But most localities don’t issue budget forecasts that look further than a year ahead —making it it easier to put off tough decisions. Read More
Whatever the outcomes of Tuesday's primaries, most mayors who win a new term in cities across the state will face a similar big challenge - how to get their municipalities back on secure financial footing. The next political leaders of New York City, smaller cities upstate , and even large suburban counties like Nassau County, will all face a big test once they take office- how to solve mounting fiscal difficulties. EJ McMahon, with the Empire Center, a fiscally conservative think tank, says the recession, which began five years ago this week, has not caused the budget problems plaguing many of New York’s municipalities, but rather has worsened already existing structural weaknesses. Read More
Western New Yorkers don’t have to look far to find reasons to support an environmental upgrade plan such as the one proposed last week by State Sen. Mark J. Grisanti, R-Buffalo. Read More