Thru the Lens: The Center For Cost Effective Government

A busload of Long Island's most influential and outspoken business leaders went to Albany to address lawmakers at the Capital on behalf of a new Mandate Relief Bill put together by The Center For Cost Effective Government. Marie Zere, Zere Real Estate Services and Ken Greenberg, Austin Williams Advertising with Steve Levy, Esq. former Suffolk County executive and NY State assemblyman Michael Fitzpatrick were leading the charge. The new legislation would 1) Modify the Triborough Amendment, thereby ending automatic step salary increases once a contract has expired, 2) Cap mandatory arbitration salary increases to 2%, and 3) Implement pension reform by requiring all incoming employees to be part of a defined pension contribution system, rather than a defined benefit system which requires taxpayers to make up any shortfalls in the pension system.