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Senate Finance Committee Chair John A. DeFrancisco and Assembly Ways and Means Committee Chair Herman D. Farrell, Jr. today announced Joint Legislative Budget Hearings will continue on Monday, February 14, with two hearings that will focus on economic development and taxes in New York State.

Joint legislative hearings will continue through March 3, 2011 and are available for live viewing on the Senate and Assembly websites and the Legislative Channel (available on cable systems throughout the state), but will be preempted when the houses are in session. At the conclusion of the legislative deliberations, live televised coverage of the hearings will resume.

Witnesses scheduled to testify during the Economic Development Hearing (9:30 A.M.) include:

Empire State Development Corporation Chairman & CEO Dennis Mullen

NYS Foundation for Science Executive Director Edward Reinfurt

The Business Council of New York State
Acting President & CEO Heather Briccetti
Senior Director of Government Affairs Ken Pokalsky

Unshackle Upstate Vice President of Public Policy & Advocacy at the Rochester Business Alliance Chris Wiest

City of Glens Falls Special Assistant to the Mayor for Economic Development Ed Bartholomew

NYS Hospitality & Tourism Association President Jan Chesterton

NY Biotechnology Association, John Jennings

University of Buffalo for Advanced Biomedical & Bioengineering Technology Director of Business Development Marnie LaVigne

Business Outreach Center Network Executive Director Nancy Carin

Manufacturers Association of Central New York (MACNY) Vice President of Communications & Government Relations Karyn Burns

NY Jobs with Justice Executive Director Matt Ryan

Wine Industry Association
Vice President Susan Hayes
Secretary Tina Hazlitt

City University of New York Vice Chancellor for Research Gillian Small

Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 32BJ Executive Vice President Kevin Doyle

NY Coalition of Community Development Financial Institutions Coalition Coordinator Melanie Stern

Coalition for Economic Justice Executive Director Allison Duwe

Council of Agricultural Organizations Chairman James Bittner

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Witnesses scheduled to testify during the Taxes Hearing (1:00 P.M.) include:

New York State Department of Taxation & Finance Executive Deputy Commissioner Jamie Woodward

Empire Center for New York State Policy Senior Fellow E.J. McMahon

New York Insurance Association President Ellen Melchionni

New Yorkers for Fiscal Fairness Executive Director Ron Deutsch

NY Biotechnology Executive Director Nathan Tinker

Unshackle Upstate Executive Director Brian Sampson

Property Tax Nightmare.org Coordinator Gioia Shehar