Crain's New York Business articles from February 2005

Crain's New York Business archives from February 2005

Bloomberg reviews term, looks ahead; crain's forum, march 1.(News)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Mayor michael r. bloomberg will discuss his first three years in office and his plans if he is elected to a second term at the next Crain's New York Business breakfast forum, on Tuesday, March 1. The mayor will give brief opening remarks...

Top building sales info; Biggest 2004 deals.(Real Estate)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Costar group inc. is compiling data for its list of the largest building sales in New York City in 2004. The list, which will include sales of office buildings, apartment buildings and hotels, will be published in the March 7 issue of Crain's....

New York, New York.(briefs)
February 7, 2005... Byline: edited by Valerie Block Fathering a book sequel Tim Russert is shopping a sequel to his blockbuster best seller, Big Russ and Me. There is no written proposal yet, but the Meet the Press moderator and his agent, Washington...

Clamor grows for BoNY sale; Neglected branches depress shares, drag down core areas; bidders in wings.(News)(The Bank of New York)
February 7, 2005... Byline: tom fredrickson Late last month, Bank of New York announced a major marketing initiative, complete with a snazzy new multicolored logo designed to cover every part of the company-except the retail bank. The news was yet another...

Government Alert: New York's Olympics bid may lose points by the rules; Liability guarantee in question.
February 7, 2005... Insiders say that new york City's Olympics bid is out of compliance with International Olympic Committee rules because it guarantees only $250 million for cost overruns or lawsuits. NYC2012, the private group trying to bring the 2012 games...

Zar Realty faces legal fight again; Fees in dispute at 261 Madison.(News)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Byline: christine haughney Zar Realty Management Corp. can't seem to avoid controversy. The landlord's latest difficulties involve the skyscraper it owns at 261 Madison Ave. Major leasing brokerage house CB Richard Ellis Inc. sued Zar...

At Deadline.(Late News)(Carver Bancorporation Inc.)(appointments)
February 7, 2005... NYSE forming IPO task force new york stock exchange Chief Executive John Thain told members last week that he will form a task force to explore converting to a for-profit institution, an exchange spokesman said. The move came only days...

Real estate mogul at risk as interest rates rise; Joe Moinian builds an empire on debt; business style draws kudos, criticism.
February 7, 2005... Byline: christine haughney On a recent monday afternoon, Manhattan real estate developer Joseph Moinian sat at a well-positioned corner table at Estiatorio Milos, his favorite Greek restaurant in midtown. He gazed approvingly at stacks of...

Pioneer docs log on to digital revolution; Physician-patient communication via the Internet saves time and money, yet only 10% of M.D.'s are using the Web as a tool.(Special Report: Health Care)
February 7, 2005... Byline: Andrew Marks At this time of year, New York doctors find their offices and phone lines deluged by patients worried that a head cold could be the flu and frustrated by delays in getting appointments or call-backs. Not so at the...

The Ammon murder case as divine Hamptons comedy.(Column)
February 7, 2005... Byline: james brady On a recent Halloween, millionaire Ted Ammon was beaten to death in his home on Middle Lane in East Hampton, about 300 yards from my front door. Sally Richardson, my book publisher, gave me a call. "You've got to...

Corrections.(Correction Notice)
February 7, 2005... * Plastic surgeon Dr. Paul Lorenc's name was misspelled in the Jan. 31 issue. * The average asking rent at 1775 Broadway is $45 a square foot. The rent was misstated in a Jan. 31 story. * Tony Spring is responsible for marketing and...

Stock Watch: Mergers pose threat to Verizon; Phone company loses ground to upstarts; peers extend reach.(Stocks)(Verizon Communications Inc.)
February 7, 2005... Byline: anita jain For shareholders of Verizon Communications Inc., static has been growing steadily on the line for years. In the past week, though, it has grown almost deafening. The fact is that the nation's largest phone company...

Sitcom shortages: agita for stations; Local TV scrambles to find reruns.(News)
February 7, 2005... Byline: matthew flamm Independent television stations are running out of reruns. Half-hour sitcoms-the shows most sought after for reruns-are in such short supply on network TV that the pipeline for repeats is drying up. Meanwhile, the...

Citi's run at middle market begins at back of pack; First serious effort in years is met with skepticism, despite heavy spending.(News)
February 7, 2005... Byline: tom fredrickson More than a decade after abandoning the vast middle market, Citigroup is spending millions of dollars in its most serious effort in years to attract companies smaller than the blue-chip multinationals that form its...

From rogues' galleries to art galleries; Mott Haven is drawing the artistic, and businesses are taking notice.
February 7, 2005... Byline: tommy fernandez Entranced as a child by the creative energy of the studios and cafes of Greenwich Village, Melissa Calderon dreamed of finding a similar artistic refuge in her home borough of the Bronx. She feared she'd never find...

Fulfilling teen dreams; Hotels offer luxury packages to splurging girls.
February 7, 2005... Byline: lisa fickenscher The four teenaged girls from Scarsdale, N.Y., checked into The Regency hotel and plopped their baggage down in their $800-plus two-bedroom suite for a day of celebrating and pampering. On tap were haircuts at a...

2 tech-savvy hospitals spend big to elevate care; Paperless e-systems provide instant info, cut down confusion; other facilities lag.(Special Report: Health Care)
February 7, 2005... Byline: jeremy quittner On a recent winter morning at Maimonides Medical Center, several dozen patients packed the busy emergency room, in various stages of treatment. A frenzied scene in most big urban centers, the emergency room here...

Lawyers keep legal eye on needy; Group unsnarls red tape in hospitals; cost-saving program faces funding woes.
February 7, 2005... Byline: tina traster A patient at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn needed to change her work schedule to accommodate her cancer treatments, but her boss denied her request for flexible hours. The patient, a New York City transit...

Borough barons hit the big time.
February 7, 2005... Byline: christine haughney Developers, consultants on luxury projects evoke dot-com lifestyle; trouble for tyros? Elan Padeh recently celebrated a profitable year by buying a 40-foot powerboat named Aquasition, a 28-foot sailboat...

E-prescriptions offer hospitals a cheaper Rx; HHC facilities, others install automated drug order systems.(Special Report: Health Care)
February 7, 2005... Byline: victoria rivkin Dr. David Coun, a physician at a Health and Hospitals Corp. clinic on the Lower East Side, used to spend hours tracking down lab results and drug prescriptions for patients who had been discharged from Bellevue...

The Weeks Ahead.(Calendar/Datebook)(Calendar)
February 7, 2005... Byline: adrianne pasquarelli this week's events February 8-10. SoBRO Entrepreneurial Development Program holds workshop on starting a business. 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., 555 Bergen Ave., third floor, Bronx. Fee: $10. (718) 732-7547. ...

Executive Moves.(Profiles)
February 7, 2005... Byline: adrianne pasquarelli accounting & consulting AlixPartners: Dan Miller, 54, joined as managing director in the New York office of the Southfield, Mich.-based firm. He had been chief executive at Russell-Stanley Holdings. ...

Free Health Pulse trials.(Special Report: Health Care)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Crain's new york business offers free two-week trial subscriptions to its daily Crain's Health Pulse fax. The Pulse fax covers the business of health care, supplying information on mergers, contracts, executive appointments, regulatory actions...

Film tax credit sets the scene.
February 7, 2005... Byline: Alair Townsend Economics isn't a lab science. Practitioners theorize about supply and demand, but it's not like firing up the old Bunsen burner and meticulously measuring the effect of heat on some substance. So when the real...

Real estate tax cushion thins.(Briefs)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... the mayor's budget problems have been manageable largely because the residential real estate boom and a surge in mortgage refinancings have filled city coffers. Mortgage and transfer tax collections have nearly doubled since fiscal 2001, rising...

Cheer up; the IOC is coming.(International Olympic Committee)
February 7, 2005... Later this month, members of the International Olympic Committee arrive in New York for an inspection tour that may very well decide whether the city will win the right to host the 2012 Summer Olympics. The competition for the games is intense,...

Bankers bask in glow of new merger boom; Cash-rich buyers shift power to boutiques; undoing old deals.
February 7, 2005... Byline: aaron elstein Merger mania is back. Since the beginning of the year, $142 billion worth of corporate mergers and acquisitions have been announced-50% more than in 2004's fast start, and the best kickoff to a new year since the...

American style; Weaker dollar gives edge to domestic designers as clothing stores turn away from European brands.(News)
February 7, 2005... Byline: elisabeth butler New York's Fashion Week is always a time for American designers to strut their stuff, but this year's weak dollar is adding a flattering shimmer to the domestic brands featured on the runway. With the dollar's...

Reprints from Crain's.(News)
February 7, 2005... Crain's new york business offers reprints of the articles it publishes. For an estimate, please contact Lori Noffz at Reprint Management Services, (717) 399-1900, ext. 104, or lnoffz@reprintbuyer.com. Readers wishing to make their own...

New Executive: License to entertain; Exec takes on more brands in bigger role at Nickelodeon and Viacom.(Profiles)(Nickelodeon and Viacom's president Anne Brodsky sets her mission)
February 7, 2005... Byline: matthew flamm If there's one thing leigh Anne Brodsky has learned in her years in the licensing industry, it's that properties are never just businesses. "You're dealing with works that are very personal extensions of the...

Weight Watchers makes move to NYC; Diet company shifts its headquarters from LI; restaurant family sells buildings.(Real Estate)(New York City, Woodbury, L.I.,)
February 7, 2005... Weight watchers is quietly making plans to move its international headquarters to Manhattan from its Woodbury, L.I., home. The company needs to spruce up its image to better compete with the low-carb fad that has captured the fancy of its...

Nino's Tuscan composes a duet for food and piano; Irving Fields' deft playing attracts Tony Bennett for classic Italian dining.(Nino's Tuscany)(Restaurant Review)
February 7, 2005... Byline: bob lape The nino and irving show makes me rethink a long-held belief in separating music and food as much as possible. At Nino's Tuscany, the fifth restaurant of Nino Selimaj, 89-year-old pianist-songwriter Irving Fields can...

Doctors refuse costly deliveries; As insurance soars, more OB/GYNs move out of state or limit practices.(Special Report: Health Care)
February 7, 2005... Byline: faye brookman Obstetrician Jill Thompson stopped delivering babies a year ago when her annual malpractice premium hit $125,000. She decided instead to concentrate on gynecology. "It takes a while to grow an obstetrics...

Small Business: Broad city effort gives firms pointers; Centers designed to help owners find answers; about 335 calls per week.(Small Business)(NYC Business Solutions Center)
February 7, 2005... Byline: erika rasmusson janes At 9 bond st. in downtown Brooklyn, business was brisk on a recent morning. There, in the new office of the NYC Business Solutions Center, three counselors were fielding calls from across the borough. On...

After long delay, city finds biotech formula; Science center set for land near Bellevue; deals for developers.(Special Report: Health Care)(Public Health Research Institute)
February 7, 2005... Byline: kerry murtha Three years ago, the Public Health Research Institute, a not-for-profit organization that studies infectious diseases, abandoned its cramped Manhattan offices for a sprawling space in a new 50-acre science park in...

JFK rail plan stays on track; Environmental study is next step; Congressional approval needed.(News)
February 7, 2005... Byline: anne michaud The plan to build a rail link between downtown and JFK International Airport is proceeding full speed ahead, despite the failure of Congress to approve $2 billion in funding for the project last fall. The...

Variable Rhythms of Wall Street; Then & Now: Crain's weekly look back at the past two decades is a prelude to the paper's 20th anniversary, culminating in a special issue on June 6.(News)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... The one certainty on wall street is that there is no certainty, as the jagged fever lines in these three charts show. Profits and wages bounced up and down along with the cycles of deal-making. However, there's been a steady loss of jobs in the...

THE BEST OF BOB LAPE; The following are the top Italian restau-rant recommendations by Bob Lape.(Tuscan Square, Vento Trattoria, Spasso)(Restaurant Review)
February 7, 2005... Tuscan Square (2) 16 W. 51st St. (between Fifth and Sixth avenues), Manhattan. (212) 977-7777. Upscale family-style Italian food is faithfully prepared in Pino Luongo's high, wide and handsome restaurant at Rock Center. Vento Trattoria...

Unrecognized NY Co-ops.(New York co-operatives sales figures)(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... Two of the largest and most-successful co-ops in the New York area are household names that most people mistakenly view as run-of-the-mill chain stores. Wakefern Foods * Owned by 39 members, who in turn own 220 ShopRite and PriceRite...

Angered salespeople collar firms with suits; Cases swell as savvy staffers rebel; bosses must change policies to spare legal costs.
February 14, 2005... Byline: tommy fernandez Every time that bryan Gennes failed to get a company to renew its advertisement with Yellow Book of New York Inc., he was docked as much as 7% of the money his employer would have made from the renewed account. ...

NY firms rush into IPO market.(New York firms issue initial public offerings)(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... Eight New York area companies are preparing to go public as the market for initial public offerings heats up. So far this year, 24 IPO deals have been done nationally, raising $4.8 billion in net proceeds, according to Thomson Financial, a bit...

Women scorned fight back.(women sales staff file lawsuits over male chauvinism regarding sales meetings)(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... The escalating legal war between salespeople and employers is making managers rethink the manly tradition of taking clients out to cigar bars or go-go clubs, says labor attorney Robert Lipman. Angered by the lingering male chauvinism sometimes...

Stock Watch: Tommy shares take off on hope of turnaround; Investors bet on Hilfiger CEO to iron out scandal, revive tired brand.(chief executive officer of Tommy Hilfiger Corp.)
February 14, 2005... Byline: elisabeth butler Everyone knows tommy Hilfiger Corp. is up to its eyeballs in dirty laundry. The company is under federal investigation for possible underpayment of taxes related to overseas commissions. Meanwhile, its U.S....

SBA tries to up volume on big loan program.(small business associations)
February 14, 2005... Byline: jean ende Wanted: Small business owners interested in financing the purchase of real estate or fixed assets such as machinery Terms: Attractive interest rates and terms up to 20 years; down payments of as little as 10% ...

Banding together yields big gains for small firms; Co-ops provide discounts, other benefits; organizing can be difficult.(co-operatives)
February 14, 2005... Byline: judy temes After years of watching new competitors crimp his sales growth, Charles McCorkell decided the time had come for radical action to launch a counterattack. The owner of Bicycle Habitat in Manhattan joined a buyers...

Weekly war of words hits Ft. Greene; Newspaper group Courier-Life battles Brooklyn Papers with a new edition.(Courier-Life Publications)
February 14, 2005... Byline: anita jain For the past several years, daily newspapers like The New York Times and Washington Post have watched steady declines in their relevance, circulation and advertising revenues, as readers, especially younger ones, turn to...

What Spitzer needs to know.(Viewpoint)
February 14, 2005... Byline: Greg David Nothing in politics is certain, but no prediction in the last 20 years seems safer than the one that says Eliot Spitzer will be the next governor. That certainty now has insiders focused on how much the attorney general...

Trendy NY couples just say 'Outdo'; Weddings resemble big-budget movie sets.(New York)
February 14, 2005... Byline: miriam kreinin souccar On Valentine's day a year ago, 325 guests piled into a wedding ceremony expecting the same old walk down the aisle. They were in for a shock. Instead of the typical white runner, the bride and groom...

Premium relief.(News)
February 14, 2005... While the future looks bleak for New York City car owners, they recently caught one surprising break: auto insurance premiums have actually declined. New York is notorious for its high insurance premiums, which are second in the country only to...

Everyone wants to be Spitzer; AG office's new celebrity status draws many candidates.(attorney general Eliot Spitzer)
February 14, 2005... Byline: anne michaud Quick, name New York's last three attorneys general. There's Eliot Spitzer, and... uh... uh... . (Hint: Dennis Vacco and Robert Abrams.) For a position not known for having a high profile, there's an awful...

Dolans taking MTA for a ride.(James Dolan and Charles Dolan exploiting Metropolitan Transit Authority)
February 14, 2005... It is amazing how many people have been suckered by Cablevision's supposed $600 million bid to develop the land that the city wants to use for a new stadium for the New York Jets football team and the 2012 Olympics. All one has to do is look at...

Bloomberg reviews term; crain's forum, march 1.(Michael R. Bloomberg to speak at Crain's New York Business breakfast forum)(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... Mayor michael r. bloomberg will discuss his first three years in office and his plans for a second term at the next Crain's New York Business breakfast forum, on Tuesday, March 1. The mayor will give brief opening remarks and then will be...

Established Scandinavian resettles on the East Side; In new, cool space, Aquavit offers mod, eclectic food; dishes hard to describe.(Dining/Restaurant Review)(Restaurant Review)
February 14, 2005... Byline: bob lape In new surroundings for the first time since 1987, Aquavit owner Hkan Swahn says, "Our biggest fear was that like many older restaurants, we could slip into oblivion if we did not do something different. We had a 25-seat...

New disc a step forward in back-repair surgery; Big demand for device, but insurers not yet willing to pay for procedure.
February 14, 2005... Byline: gale scott A loud popping noise announced the end of Joseph Brito's break-dancing career. It was the sound of his L-5 lumbar disc rupturing. "The whole crowd went `Ooh,' because they just knew it had to be bad,'' recalls the...

Museum seeks a director to paint it in a new light; New-York Historical Society broadens scope to stress art.
February 14, 2005... Byline: miriam kreinin souccar In the last year and a half, the New-York Historical Society has undergone a controversial transformation. It has added deep-pocketed and opinionated board members; hired Louise Mirrer, a former City...

Reprint, post published Crain's stories.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... Crain's offers reprints of published articles. For an estimate, contact Lori Noffz at Reprint Management Services, (717) 399-1900, ext. 104, or lnoffz@reprintbuyer.com. Readers wishing to make their own reprints or to post a story on a Web...

City assists three manufacturers; Helps retain 170 jobs, creates 20 new ones.(News)(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... The city's Industrial Development Agency approved financing assistance for three industrial companies, including a security systems supplier in Long Island City, Queens, a maker of air conditioning ductwork in Brooklyn, and a commercial printer...

Midtown office rents picking up; Big tenants, hedge funds fuel rise; trend could spread to broader market.(News)
February 14, 2005... Byline: christine haughney After four years of flat or falling prices, commercial office rents in midtown are marching upward again. So far, the rebound is limited to two submarkets-megaspaces of more than 250,000 square feet and the...

Corrections.(Correction Notice)
February 14, 2005... * The latest Chopt restaurant is located at 60 E. 56th St. The address was misstated in a Jan. 31 story. * The chief executive of Arbor Realty Trust is Ivan Kaufman. His name was misstated in a Feb. 7 story.

Fed-up NYers ditch their cars; Dwindling parking, high insurance and fines put fewer city dwellers in the driver's seat.(New York)
February 14, 2005... Byline: tommy fernandez Richard Gottlieb likes his Ford Focus. He really does. The six-month-old car is a brilliant liquid-gray, five-door hatchback with great mileage. But during the big snowstorm he had to carry a shovel on his...

Executive Moves.(Profiles)(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... Byline: adrianne pasquarelli accounting & consulting Interbrand: James L. Orsini, 42, was appointed chief operating officer, North America, for the brand consultant. He had been group chief financial officer. advertising &...

Rich residents flee as state's estate tax bites; More retirees change primary residences as gap between NYS, no-tax states widens.(News)
February 14, 2005... Byline: tom fredrickson An increasing number of rich retirees are fleeing New York to escape the state's estate tax, triggering a loss of millions in sales, charitable donations and income tax receipts. The problem is that state and...

Two plans to cure hospitals' ills; Groups propose new tax packages, state assistance.
February 14, 2005... Byline: gale scott Two new plans have been proposed by New York hospital groups to solve the problem of hospitals with empty beds and mounting care costs in the state. The proposals follow the recommendations of a governor's health care...

Free trials of daily health fax; CRAIN'S PULSE.(News)
February 14, 2005... Crain's new york Business offers free two-week trial subscriptions to its daily Crain's Health Pulse fax. The Pulse fax covers the business of health care, supplying information on mergers and affiliations, contracts, executive...

New York, New York.(Briefs)
February 14, 2005... Byline: edited by Valerie Block America out, Mexicano in America, the cavernous restaurant that has been a fixture in the Flatiron district for the past two decades, will close in March. Rosa Mexicano will take over the lease. ...

At Deadline.(Late News)
February 14, 2005... State to decide on West St. tunnel the state department of Transportation is expected to announce plans for the West Street/Route 9A tunnel early this week. The tunnel, originally proposed to direct traffic away from the World Trade Center...

Drawbacks.(risks of using artificial discs )(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... Artificial discs won't replace spinal fusion for everyone with lower back pain. They can't help patients with diseased or malformed spines or children or teenagers who are still growing. Also, says Wyckoff Heights Medical Center vascular...

New Executive: Amex trading tired image; Nymex vet vows major changes to raise fortunes of battered market.(Profiles)
February 14, 2005... Byline: aaron elstein Shortly after he graduated from law school, Neal Wolkoff landed a job at the New York Mercantile Exchange, where he was charged with bringing cases against traders accused of wrongdoing. The role thrust the...

Morgan Stanley plans to stay put; Firm goes forward with renewals despite questions over future; agencies consolidate.(Real Estate)
February 14, 2005... While chairman philip Purcell may be under pressure to break up Morgan Stanley, the company's top executives continue to make long-term real estate plans. The Wall Street giant renewed its lease for its investment management division on...

Bookies in barber chairs not in style on Park Avenue.
February 14, 2005... Byline: James Brady Remember when everything was simple? As a kid I had my hair cut at Izzo's barbershop on Sheepshead Bay Road, except for those occasions when Aunt Mary took me into Manhattan to Best & Co. on Fifth Avenue. Izzo's...

Six rules for retaining a firm's key employees; Money and perks aren't enough to keep them away from the exits.(Special Report: Small Business)
February 14, 2005... Byline: tina traster Competitive pay and stock options attract good salespeople to Manhattan-based telecom company M5 Networks. Continuous professional development is key to keeping them on board. "The most powerful thing we've done is...

NY finds recipe for love at dining/dating clubs; Over-40s prefer setups to surfing.(New York)
February 14, 2005... Byline: lisa fickenscher Kobi Jaeger, a 66-year-old widower, won't try an online dating service-and not because he's not tech-savvy. A prominent TV and movie producer who once served as the president of an Internet company, Mr. Jaeger...

Top building sales info; Biggest 2004 deals.(Real Estate)
February 14, 2005... Costar group inc. is compiling data for its list of the largest building sales in New York City in 2004. The list, which will include sales of office and apartment buildings and hotels, will appear in Crain's March 7 issue. Transactions will be...

Ad volume down. Prices up? Radio stations reduce clutter; advertisers don't buy higher rates.(News)
February 14, 2005... Byline: matthew flamm The biggest radio operators in the country are cleaning up their airwaves. After years of nonstop bingeing on commercials, stations have been experimenting since January with portion control, cutting back on the...

The Weeks Ahead.(Calendar/Datebook)(Calendar)
February 14, 2005... Byline: adrianne pasquarelli this week's events February 15. Ryze NYC Bronx holds networking meeting. 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Riverdale's Greentree, 5693 Riverdale Ave., Bronx. Fee: $12 members, $15 nonmembers. (646) 483-4636. ...

Government Alert: EDC re-evaluates tax breaks for downtown development.(Briefs)
February 14, 2005... Residential incentives could end in light of conversion boom; Miller time in B'klyn The city's economic development Corp. is quietly considering ending tax incentives for residential development in parts of downtown. The explosion in...

Telling Tales.(stories about small businesses)
February 14, 2005... Byline: Tina Traster A sweet spot for chocolatier What drew christopher Norman Chocolates to the Wall Street area was the combination of cheap, post-Sept. 11 rents, plus various subsidies available to downtown business owners. What...

Then & Now: 20 Years on the Great White Way.(News)
February 21, 2005... new york theatergoers love their musicals. The top-attended shows back in 1985 included eight musicals, while all of the most popular shows last year were of the song-and-dance variety. 42nd Street is the only show to appear on both lists,...

Give teachers more pay in return for accountability.(Special Report: Agenda for New York)(education policy)
February 21, 2005... Byline: andrew marks Thanks to the DECADE-LONG COURT BATTLE WAGED BY the Campaign for Fiscal Equity, New York may have its best opportunity in decades to offer city schoolchildren an education on par with the rest of the state. Since the...

Mobilize business to offset weak Democratic pols.(Special Report: Agenda for New York)(tax policy of United States)
February 21, 2005... Byline: anne michaud The Bush administration has put tax reform high on its second-term agenda. In principle, simplifying the tax code might sound great to New Yorkers, who pay more taxes than anyone else in the nation. In practice,...

Rehab Medicaid to jump-start wider reform.(Special Report: Agenda for New York)(health policy)
February 21, 2005... Byline: barbara benson Stephen Berger has a word for the way many hospitals feel toward the money they get through Medicaid, the joint federal-state insurance plan for the poor: entitled. "Medicaid has grown into a stream of programs...

Don't harass small business, a vital economic contributor.(Special Report: Agenda for New York)(economic policy)
February 21, 2005... Byline: tina traster Loren Michelle, a Brooklyn caterer, says the city is eating up her profits with absurd fines. Traffic cops ticketed her because the letters on her van were a quarter-inch too small. Practically on a daily basis, they...

Prioritize transit projects and track down funding.(Special Report: Agenda for New York)(transportation policy)
February 21, 2005... Byline: judy temes One hundred years ago, city leaders faced a daunting task: how to move unprecedented numbers of people around their rapidly growing city. They took up the challenge and constructed, in the span of 20 years, almost all of...

Credit mayor with progress.(Viewpoint)(economic policy of Michael R. Bloomberg)
February 21, 2005... Byline: Alair Townsend "Agenda for New York,'' our special report that begins on Page 13, is our second annual attempt to meet a reader's plea to summarize, in digestible form, what we need to do to make the city's economy thrive. It...