Press Release
April 22, 2004

In a whirlwind 24-hour visit through the offices of the State Capitol, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce Members and staff had 30 meetings with legislators and government officials to discuss business conditions and economic development issues in Brooklyn.  The Brooklyn delegation also hosted the annual “Brooklyn Night in Albany” reception to showcase all things Brooklyn – specialty foods and beverages and cultural and educational institutions.

“Our team of enthusiastic Chamber volunteers sacrifice time away from their businesses to help us present our “Agenda for Growth” – the Chamber’s platform of issues that is vital to the growth and vitality of the Brooklyn business community,” said Kenneth Adams, President of the Brooklyn Chamber.  “The annual lobbying trip to Albany is a cornerstone of the Chamber’s advocacy program.”      

“The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce has become recognized by legislators from around the state as a model for what a successful chamber can be," said Joni Yoswein, President of Yoswein New York, the Chamber's government affairs representatives.   She added, "The annual lobbying trip is important because it provides an opportunity for us to brief legislators on the Chamber's activities and demonstrate how a chamber of commerce can serve as a successful, pro-active force for economic development."

In addition to meetings with Brooklyn legislators, the group also met with Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Secretary of State Randy Daniels and other leaders of the legislature.  The Speaker makes all the committee assignments and appoints and directs the work of most of the Assembly staff.  The Secretary of State is appointed by the Governor to head the Department of State, the oldest and most diverse agency in New York State government with services ranging from training firefighters to maintaining corporate records.

Major issues discussed during the Brooklyn Chamber’s trip to Albany April 19 and 20 included small business insurance concerns, Empire Zones, health care and transportation investments in Brooklyn.  Click here to view the Brooklyn Chamber’s Agenda for Growth 2004 Legislative Proposals for its Albany Lobbying Trip.

The issues were compiled from a survey that the Brooklyn Chamber issued to its 1,155 Members in February.  The overall response rate was 15 percent (172 responses).  The two-part survey required Chamber Members to rank specific issues on the city, state and federal levels that are obstacles to growth and it sought their opinions on specific issues.  The top issues included:  cost of liability insurance, which still remains a leading concern and ranked number one in the Chamber’s previous year’s survey; increased cost of health insurance, which is holding steady at position two, the second greatest problem compared to last year’s survey; real estate taxes and workers’ compensation costs tied for third.

In addition to meetings with legislators, the trip included the “Brooklyn Night in Albany” reception in the Hart Lounge at “The Egg” on April 19, hosted by the Brooklyn Chamber and the Brooklyn delegations to the New York State Assembly and Senate.  More than 450 people, including 105 legislators from across the state, attended the reception to sample foods and beverages made and packaged in Brooklyn and to see what the borough’s libraries, museums and educational institutions have to offer.

The Brooklyn Chamber’s Annual Albany Lobbying Trip is successful because of the team of volunteers, Chamber Members and staff that work together to represent the Brooklyn business community.

Under the leadership of Mr. Holt, chair of the Brooklyn Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee, which advocates on behalf of the Brooklyn business community, the volunteers formed four teams of about 10 volunteers each to tackle the 30 meetings with legislators.