ALBANY - Gov. David Paterson's latest executive order aims to cut red tape that businesses have long said discourages development and job growth in New York.
Paterson on Friday ordered his agencies to identify and eliminate or revise outdated and burdensome rules and regulations. He's starting with regulations on businesses, local governments, health care providers and other public and private entities. Changes could take months.
The move is already worrying environmental advocates and others who argue the rules and regulations are necessary to protect the environment as well as public health and safety.
“I would be very nervous about cutting anything that protects your drinking water, air quality, your occupational health and safety, and those are things in the crosshairs of this executive order,” said Robert Moore, executive director of Environmental Advocates of New York.
He also questioned the timing. Paterson's potential broadside against advocates for the environment, patient care and workers came a day after he signed an executive order setting a statewide goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 to 80 percent below the 1990 levels. That drew raves from environmental policy leaders.
“It sure feels like a setup because they knew we didn't like this approach,” Moore said. “I can't believe how taken aback I am.”
But the Democratic governor, facing election next year, is taking on a decades-long concern for business in New York.
“Governor Paterson's proposal on state regulatory reform rightly recognizes that state government needs to remove obstacles to private sector job growth in order for New York's economy to recover,” Kenneth Adams, president and CEO of the Business Council of New York State, said in a written statement. “We look forward to working with the Governor as he implements the Regulatory Review and Reform Program.”
In its annual ranking, Forbes magazine ranked New York among the most expensive states for business, with 20 other states imposing fewer regulations.
AP-ES-08-07-09 1844EDT
The move is already worrying environmental advocates and others who argue the rules and regulations are necessary to protect the environment as well as public health and safety.
“I would be very nervous about cutting anything that protects your drinking water, air quality, your occupational health and safety, and those are things in the crosshairs of this executive order,” said Robert Moore, executive director of Environmental Advocates of New York.
He also questioned the timing. Paterson's potential broadside against advocates for the environment, patient care and workers came a day after he signed an executive order setting a statewide goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 to 80 percent below the 1990 levels. That drew raves from environmental policy leaders.
“It sure feels like a setup because they knew we didn't like this approach,” Moore said. “I can't believe how taken aback I am.”
But the Democratic governor, facing election next year, is taking on a decades-long concern for business in New York.
“Governor Paterson's proposal on state regulatory reform rightly recognizes that state government needs to remove obstacles to private sector job growth in order for New York's economy to recover,” Kenneth Adams, president and CEO of the Business Council of New York State, said in a written statement. “We look forward to working with the Governor as he implements the Regulatory Review and Reform Program.”
In its annual ranking, Forbes magazine ranked New York among the most expensive states for business, with 20 other states imposing fewer regulations.
AP-ES-08-07-09 1844EDT
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