Change in workers’ comp to create $1 billion in New York savings

ALBANY, NY — Rates for workers’ compensation insurance will decline by more than 20.5 percent in the 2007-2008 fiscal year, creating a projected saving for New York businesses of about $1 billion. The rate drop stems from the reform of the workers’ compensation law earlier this year.

New York State Insurance Superintendent Eric Dinallo has ordered the decline in workers’ compensation insurance rates for the fiscal year beginning July 15. In March, when the Governor and legislative leaders announced the historic agreement designed to lower the cost of workers’ compensation insurance while increasing the weekly benefits for workers, the Governor projected the result would be a rate decline of 10 to 15 percent.

According to New York Governor Elliot Spitzer, this will be the biggest single-year decline in workers’ compensation rates since at least 1975, the first year for which data is currently available.

Bonacic secures additional flood mitigation funding

ALBANY, NY — State Senator John J. Bonacic (R/I/C - Mt. Hope), has secured $250,000 to help flood-stricken communities in Delaware and Sullivan Counties. This is in addition to the $300,000 Bonacic secured earlier this year as part of the state budget process.

The funding must be used to mitigate flooding in the Delaware River basin, which includes most of Delaware and Sullivan counties. The funding can be used for stream repairs and realignment designed to mitigate future flooding, culvert installation to prevent the back-up of water and road realignment designed to mitigate flooding.

The senate also passed legislation sponsored by Bonacic requiring the state to implement the flood control measures recommended in numerous reports. “The state and federal governments have studied flood control to the death of my constituents, but have not dedicated the dollars needed to actually implement the solutions recommended by those reports. It is time to stop the studies and put the hard dollars into requiring the implementation of the plans developed by those studies,” Bonacic said.

Monticello impact patrol nets 241 arrests

MONTICELLO, NY — Monticello chief of police Douglas Solomon has announced the second-quarter results of this year’s Monticello impact patrol initiative. Monticello police, working closely with other law enforcement agencies and their specialized units, have engaged in a proactive effort to target illegal gun, gang and drug activity in the village of Monticello. A special grant from the New York State Department of Criminal Justice Services has been used by Monticello police to pay overtime for patrol shifts specifically assigned to the initiative detail.

A total of 241 arrests were made during the second quarter of the initiative, bringing the total number of arrests made to 496 in the ongoing operation. That includes 36 felony arrests, 48 arrests of persons wanted on outstanding warrants and 85 drug-related arrests, among others. Funds totaling $20,500 in U.S. currency and significant quantities of crack cocaine, cocaine, heroin, marijuana and ecstasy pills have been seized as a result of the operation.

Monticello police are seeking to reapply for the impact tools grant for next year.

Pennsylvania House OKs smoking ban

HARRISBURG, PA — Smokers will be unable to light up in bars, restaurants and casinos in Pennsylvania under a ban passed by the house last Monday, July 16. The vote was 141-62.

However, the bill must be reconciled with a less stringent version passed by the Pennsylvania senate three weeks ago.

Since the legislative session is nearing an end, the final bill may not be passed until the fall, legislative staff members say.

Hinchey finds conflicts of interest in Food and Drug Administration Act

WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) has charged that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Amendments Act, approved by the House on July 16, does not adequately protect the U.S. consumer.

In particular, he is critical of the fact that the agency is funded by the pharmaceutical companies whose drugs it approves, creating a conflict of interest. The pharmaceutical industry is also responsible for setting the performance standards of its own watchdog. A conflict of interest is also present in the agency advisory committee membership, which is supposed to provide unbiased scientific advice but in some cases consists of members of, or investors in, the pharmaceutical industry.

Hinchey also objects to the fact that the FDA can preempt state law on drug policy. “In a world in which drug companies are not fully clear about the safety of their drugs, and the FDA is not sufficiently on the side of consumers, the role of the state courts in protecting Americans is more important than ever,” he said.

Hinchey, who is a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, is a longtime critic of the FDA and is the author of the FDA Improvement Act.

Recycling regulations may get some muscle in Monticello

MONTICELLO, NY — If Monticello village manager Ray Nargizian has his way, Sullivan County regulations mandating recycling may soon be backed up with some enforcement teeth in Monticello. Nargizian is seeking approval for two full-time employees whose job would be to publicize the fact that recycling is mandatory in the county, ensure that village residents do recycle and pick up the recyclables.

The employees, whose salaries Nargizian is proposing at $27,500 each, would also help train residents to know which items are recyclable, and what categories they belong to.

After a preliminary education period, the employees would start ticketing residents who did not comply with the rules.

Tusten comprehensive plan available

NARROWSBURG, NY — Complete copies of the Tusten Comprehensive plan on compact disks are available at the Tusten branch of the Western Sullivan Library. The disks can be checked out for an in-depth look at the plan.

Tony Ritter, chairman of the Tusten zoning board of appeal, said the disks were made available to facilitate study of the plan by residents who might not have high-speed internet access.

For those who do, the plan can be seen at www.tusten-narrowsburg.org.