NYNEX, The Business Council of New York State, Inc., and The New York City Partnership New York Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. host discussion about future of state, regional economy

Business Wire, Feb 10, 1995

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 10, 1995--Key leaders from the New York City area will discuss the future of the New York State economy and region-specific issues and concerns at a conference sponsored by NYNEX in association with the Business Council of New York State, Inc., and the New York City Partnership/New York Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc.

The half-day discussion will be held Feb. 15 at 9:00 a.m. at the Crowne Plaza Holiday Inn (Broadway at 49th Street) in Manhattan.

The conference will be the final forum in a series -- called Agenda for Growth -- presented by NYNEX, the Business Council and local business groups across the state. In all, five such forums will have been held: Poughkeepsie, Albany, Buffalo, Syracuse and New York City. The discussion series is designed to focus public attention on key economic development issues in New York State.

Specific areas to be discussed include employment, quality-of-life, the labor force, transportation, telecommunications, regulatory issues, taxes and others. Among the particular concerns to be examined at the New York City conference will be fiscal policy and economic development, the emergence of leisure and entertainment clusters, privatization and higher education.

The event will feature an opening presentation by John Brademas, president emeritus of New York University, who will provide an overview of the region's economy. A roundtable discussion will include representatives from the business, labor, community and government sectors, and focus on the challenges and choices the city faces in preparing for a changing economy. The final part of the program allows members of the audience to join the discussion or raise other issues.

The panel will be moderated by Lewis Kaden, a partner in the law firm of Davis, Polk & Wardwell and adjunct professor of law at Columbia University. Kaden served as moderator of PBS' Media & Society Seminars, including the episodes "Ethics in America" and "The Constitution: That Delicate Balance."

"We all have a stake in keeping New York City and New York State leaders in the Northeast, the nation and internationally," said Richard A. Jalkut, chairman of the Business Council and president and group executive of NYNEX's Telecommunications Group. "We must utilize our strengths -- the people, the businesses and our infrastructure -- to maintain the pole position in the race for economic advantages."

Said Daniel Walsh, president of the Business Council, "Regional and local economies are the appropriate areas for fostering business growth. At the same time, it is at the state level where basic public policy decisions such as those on taxes and regulation influence the economic well-being of all New Yorkers."

According to James Gifford, acting president of the New York City Partnership, "Good public policies have their inception at the local level. Our goal is to highlight some of these issues and help craft an economic agenda that will be reflected in growth and stability in New York City for the next 20 years."

The Business Council of New York State, Inc. is the largest broad-based business organization representing the interests of large and small firms throughout the state. With more than 5,500 member companies, chambers of commerce and professional and trade organizations, the Business Council serves as New York State's primary advocate for employers, working for policies that foster New York's economic revitalization.

The New York City Partnership is an organization of businesses, education and civic leaders that works to improve the city's economic and social climate.

Through a grant from NYNEX, WMHT-TV, the Public Broadcasting Service affiliate serving New York's Capital and mid-Hudson areas, will broadcast the forum and a series of one-hour programs based on the statewide Agenda for Growth discussions. -0- Agenda For Growth Participants

John Brademas, New York University (Opening presentation) Stanley Brezenoff, Maimonides Medical Center Geoffrey Canada, Rheedlen Centers for Children and Families Ellen Futter, American Museum of Natural History Richard Jalkut, NYNEX Lewis Kaden, Davis, Polk & Wardwell (Moderator) Bud Konheim, Nicole Miller, Ltd. Elaine LaRoche, Morgan Stanley and Co., Inc. Mitchell L. Moss, Taub Urban Research Center, New York University Richard Parsons, Time Warner Inc. Jan Pierce, Communications Workers of America Bruce Ratner, Forest City Ratner Companies Yolanda Rivera, Banana Kelly Community Improvement Association John W. Rowe, Mount Sinai Medical Center Jonathan Tisch, Loews Hotels Mortimer Zuckerman, The New York Daily News

CONTACT: NYNEX

John Bonomo, 212/395-0500