Plugged In @ Hinman Straub – March 22, 2019

What’s Inside

  • Agreement on Table Targets Announced by Legislative Leaders
  • Siena College Research Institute Releases Poll
  • Governor Announces Projects Funded Through Empire State Poverty Reduction Initiative
  • Governor Reveals Initiative to Bolster Faculty Diversity at SUNY
  • Attorney General Announces Sentencing for Owner of Three Manhattan Pharmacies in Medicaid Fraud Case
  • Comptroller Issues Report on Small Business Growth in New York
  • Countdown to Sports Wagering Officially Begins
  • Updates, Reminders, and Links
  • Coming Up

Agreement on Table Targets Announced by Legislative Leaders

Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins announced a consensus on table targets for the upcoming budget. Table targets are an important step in the budget process, outlining the funds available for legislative additions for each area of the budget. The targets for this year are as follows:

  • $20 million – Mental Hygiene
  • $50 million – Education
  • $10 million – General Government
  • $10 million – Economic Development
  • $30 million – Health
  • $5 million – Transportation
  • $55 million – Higher Education
  • $50 million – Human Services
  • $15 million – Public Protection
  • $10 million – Environment, Housing & Agriculture
  • $20 million – General Conference
  • $275 million – Total

Targets for each table are smaller compared to last year as a result of this year’s revenue shortfall. For context, last year’s targets were as follows:

  • $35 million – Mental Hygiene
  • $70 million – Education
  • $15 million – General Government
  • $15 million – Economic Development
  • $70 million – Health
  • $5 million – Transportation
  • $75 million – Higher Education
  • $60 million – Human Services
  • $30 million – Public Protection
  • $25 million – Environment, Housing & Agriculture

$400 million – Last Year Total 

Siena College Research Institute Releases Poll

Siena College Research Institute released a wide ranging poll this week focusing on relevant issues and popularity of elected officials. Among the many topics polled, Amazon deciding to not locate its HQ2 in Long Island City was viewed by participants across the political spectrum as “bad for New York” by a 67-21 percent margin. By as nearly large a margin, 61-30 percent, participants would support the deal as structured, with Amazon receiving up to $3 billion in tax incentives with the promise of creating 25,000 jobs, if Amazon were to reconsider. Other topics polled include required vaccinations, permanent property tax cap, legalizing recreational marijuana, eliminating cash bail, instituting congestion pricing, and allowing undocumented immigrants to get a New York driver’s license.

Favorability numbers for most politicians polled bounced back from the results of Siena’s February results.

The poll results also demonstrate that the majority of participants believe that Democratic Party control of both houses of the legislature and the Executive chamber are moving the state too far to the left. Participants feel that it is getting harder to do business in New York and that the needs of Upstate New York are being ignored. A majority of participants do not believe that the state functioned better when the Republicans controlled the State Senate.

Governor Announces Projects Funded Through Empire State Poverty Reduction Initiative

The Governor announced seven projects in Buffalo being funded through the Empire State Poverty Reduction Initiative (ESPRI). ESPRI was designed and implemented in 2016 to help 16 different communities develop local strategies to reduce poverty and increase economic opportunities for disadvantaged communities. Since that time, individual task forces were created to determine how best to implement programs in each of the 16 areas. The United Way of Buffalo and Erie County, along with the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, are implementing the THRIVE Buffalo program, utilizing ESPRI funding, to help low income residents access workforce development programs, financial education, and supportive services aimed at helping them become employed and achieving long-term financial stability.

The seven programs approved for funding in support of THRIVE Buffalo are:

Buffalo and Erie County Workforce Development Consortium, $701,725 – Working with the Buffalo Employment and Training Center, key stakeholders will be engaged to create a workforce development pipeline to prepare and connect program participants with high-quality, family-sustaining employment opportunities in key growth industries. This effort also involves aligning resources to support long-term program sustainability.

 Northland Workforce Training Center, $397,597 – Key stakeholders will be engaged to create a workforce development pipeline, with a specific focus on training in advanced manufacturing and related industries. The program also aligns resources to support long-term program sustainability.

 Buffalo Niagara Partnership, $199,696 – To serve as the lead partner in convening and organizing employers and to connect THRIVE Buffalo participants to opportunities to improve their skills and compete for jobs with local employers in high-demand industries.

 Center for Governmental Research, $75,000 – An evaluation plan will be designed that establishes THRIVE Buffalo’s intended outcomes and ensures the program’s performance is measured, as well as help shape future program modeling.

 Jackson Parker Communication, $60,000 – Marketing and public relations services will be provided that promote awareness of THRIVE Buffalo to ensure the initiative is attracting interested and qualified participants.

 211-WNY and Buffalo 311, $24,000 – Call center staff will be trained to identify candidates for THRIVE Buffalo and refer them to the appropriate program provider based on each individual’s needs.

 Community Connections of New York, $11,500 – Supportive services will be provided based on individual needs to overcome barriers to employment, including transportation, child care, financial literacy and certification or licensing.

The Governor said:

“We are empowering communities to connect people with opportunities that help move them on a path out of poverty toward economic independence. I commend Buffalo for their efforts to bring meaningful change to their community and I look forward to these programs delivering results.”

United Way of Buffalo and Erie County President & CEO Michael Weiner said:

 “The United Way of Buffalo and Erie County is very pleased to be launching THRIVE Buffalo; a collaborative community initiative designed to create a Talent Pipeline Management continuum in support of unemployed and underemployed City of Buffalo residents. More families are facing financial hardship than even the federal poverty line suggests and improving access to higher-paying jobs and upskilling opportunities will better support these families and position them for greater financial stability. We want to thank Governor Cuomo for his continued support of our community.”

Governor Reveals Initiative to Bolster Faculty Diversity at SUNY

Governor Cuomo announced the launch of PRODiG – Promoting Recruitment, Opportunity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Growth – an initiative by The State University of New York to increase faculty diversity to better reflect the diversity of students across its 64 campuses. The goal of the initiative will be to hire 1,000 faculty members from underrepresented groups by the year 2030. Through PRODiG, SUNY will provide three-year salary support grants for underrepresented groups in STEM disciplines, after which the positions will be fully funded by each campus.

SUNY Chancellor Kristina M. Johnson said:

“SUNY continues to be a leader in affordable high quality education and focusing on increasing faculty diversity – particularly underrepresented minorities and women in STEM disciplines – is the right thing to do at the right time. PRODiG is personal to me, during my eight years as an undergrad and graduate student I didn’t initially consider becoming a professor in my field in large part because there were no female faculty members in STEM. This first of its kind program delivers on a commitment that SUNY will continue to listen to the needs of students and faculty and find creative ways to expand their education experience at campuses across the state.”

Attorney General Announces Sentencing for Owner of Three Manhattan Pharmacies in Medicaid Fraud Case

Attorney General Letitia James announced sentencing for Hin T. Wong, the owner of three pharmacies, upon her conviction for a multi-million dollar Medicaid fraud scheme involving HIV drugs. The scheme involved unlawful kickbacks and never actually dispensing HIV drugs paid for by Medicaid. Wong was sentenced to a term of incarceration for a period of two to six years in prison and will pay $3.6 million as restitution to the New York State Medicaid program.

Attorney General James said:

“The defendant used vulnerable New Yorkers to steal millions of dollars earmarked for those who truly needed it. My office will continue to hold accountable health care professionals who choose to steal public funds rather than provide New Yorkers with essential health care.”

Comptroller Issues Report on Small Business Growth in New York

This week, State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli released a report which highlighted that employment by New York small businesses has outpaced the national average. The report was based on the most recent data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau which provided a snapshot for the years 2011 through 2016. During that time frame, small business employment rose by 9.2 percent in New York while increasing 8.9 percent across the country. These companies provided more than 4.1 million jobs in the state in 2016, just over half of all private sector jobs in New York. Small businesses provided more than $212 billion in payroll, nearly 40 percent of the total private sector payroll in the state.

Highlights from the report include:

  • The smallest firms in New York, those with four or fewer employees, provided nearly 488,000 jobs with total payroll of $23.3 billion.
  • Businesses with 20-49 employees contributed more than 809,000 jobs, almost one-fifth of all small business employment and 10 percent of all private sector employment. These firms had total payroll of over $39 billion in 2016.
  • Small businesses with over 200 employees had the second highest level of employment (693,000 jobs), but the highest total payroll ($43 billion).
  • Three industry sectors account for almost half of all small businesses in New York – trade, professional services and leisure activities. With almost 87,000 firms, the trade sector, which includes both retail and wholesale establishments, had the largest share, nearly 19 percent of all small businesses in New York.
  • The leisure activities sector, which includes restaurants and theaters, had the highest employment level of all sectors, with more than 677,000 jobs or 16.5 percent of the total.

Updates, Reminders, and Links

City & State NY’s weekly Winners & Losers here.

Governor announces agreement between Alcoa and NYPA for low cost power to preserve 450 jobs in Massena at Alcoa’s smelting plant.

DiNapoli: three cities, seven villages in fiscal stress in New York.

 Listen to Governor Cuomo’s radio interview with Alan Chartock.

Listen to Senator Schumer’s radio interview with Alan Chartock.

Cannon layoffs on Long Island.

41% of New Yorkers say they can no longer afford to live here, poll.

Coming Up

JCOPE will hold its next meeting on March 26th

The Board of Regents will next meet on April 8 and 9.

Senate Higher Education Committee will hold a public hearing to explore ways to provide oversight of for-profit schools at 10:00am on April 10 in Albany (Hearing Room A, LOB).

The Public Service Commission will hold its next meeting on April 18.

Senate Finance Committee will hold a public hearing on the issue of divesting the NYS Common Retirement Fund from fossil fuels as outlined in S.2126 / A.1536 at 10:00am on April 30 in Albany (Hearing Room A, LOB).