Unfortunately, Mr. Cuomo so far has been unwilling to combine the tax cap with meaningful local-mandate relief, especially public-sector collective-bargaining reforms that would give county executives, mayors and school boards more tools to live within the cap. Read More
New York's State Environmental Quality Review needs to be reformed to reduce costly delays in the process for approving development projects, according to a report released today by the Empire Center for Public Policy. "SEQR adds an unnecessary layer of red tape to environmental regulations and local land-use laws, discouraging development that New York needs to promote a strong and growing economy," said E.J. McMahon, president of the Empire Center, who co-authored the report with Michael Wright, a senior policy analyst at the Albany-based policy research organization. Read More
New York’s State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) process needs to be reformed to reduce costly delays in the process for approving development projects, according to a report released today by the Empire Center for Public Policy. “SEQR adds an unnecessary layer of red tape to environmental regulations and local land-use laws, discouraging development that New York needs to promote a strong and growing economy,” said E.J. McMahon, president of the Empire Center, who co-authored the report with Michael Wright, a senior policy analyst at the Albany-based policy research organization. Read More
A conservative think tank has proposed a more strict time limit for the state's environmental review system, recommending the approval process be completed within 300 days. The Empire Center for New York State Policy included the recommendation in a report on Monday detailing ways the New York’s State Environmental Quality Review can be streamlined to reduce delays on development projects. 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, buttressed nearly everywhere by local land-use regulations addressing the community impacts of such projects. Read More
A report issued last week by one of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's two tax commissions has rekindled debate regarding taxes in the Empire State. Former Gov. George Pataki and former state Comptroller Carl McCall headed the commission. E. J. McMahon, president of the Empire Center for Public Policy, praised the report's recommendation the state cut the top estate-tax rate and raise the taxable estate threshold to federal levels. "The Empire State would remain one of a very few jurisdictions still imposing any death tax, but it would at least take a smaller bite out of fewer estates," he said in comments published in the New York Post. 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. 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