Successes

WRM Bulletin

2008 Budget Victories

Enhancing the Public Health of All New Yorkers

Weingarten Reid & McNally was the sole lobby firm representing a broad coalition of public health, health care provider, and public advocacy groups to successfully obtain a $1.25 increase in the cigarette tax from $1.50 to $2.75, giving New York the highest cigarette tax in the country.

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Increasing Access to Quality Health Care

Working with various health care organizations, including the New York State Academy of Family Physicians, Weingarten, Reid & McNally worked to ensure that $15.6 million was included in the final budget for the Doctor’s Across New York program.

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Protecting the Environment, Conserving Wildlife

ZBGA Funding - In a major victory for New York’s living museums, the Zoos, Botanical Gardens and Aquaria program (ZBGA) funding has been increased by 12.5% to $9 million within an expanded Environmental Protection Fund.  Weingarten, Reid & McNally, along with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), worked with the Senate, Assembly and the Governor to provide this significant increase. 

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Bronx Zoo Capital Funding - Working with the State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, along with the Bronx Assembly Delegation, Weingarten, Reid & McNally has successfully secured $1 million in capital funding through the State Capital Assistance Program for the Wildlife Conservation Society to build an intermodal transportation facility for its flagship park, the Bronx Zoo. 

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Defeated Tax on Flavored Malt Beverages

The firm’s lobbying efforts helped Diageo-Guinness, the world's leading premium drinks business, successfully defeat a proposal in the 2008-09 budget that would have re-categorized flavored malt beverages as "liquor" and resulted in a 2300% tax increase from $.11/gallon to $2.53/gallon.

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A Proven History of Success

Passing the Landmark Smoking Ban

Weingarten, Reid & McNally was the sole lobby firm representing a broad coalition of public health, health care provider, public advocacy and other groups it organized to successfully pass a landmark law banning smoking in all workplaces.

Securing Millions of Dollars for Health Care Training

Weingarten, Reid & McNally worked with a coalition of health care providers to ensure millions of federal dollars were allocated to a variety of health care settings, like hospitals, nursing homes, and home care, throughout the state for workforce training and re-training,

Easing Access to Medication

Weingarten, Reid &McNally achieved passage of a bill scheduling in the Public Health Law a new drug developed by Orphan Medical to treat narcolepsy, and banning the illicit use of the drug under New York State’s penal law.  The drug was recently granted FDA approval.

Making NYPTA’s Voice Heard

The firm helped the New York Public Transit Association (NYPTA) enhance its lobbying efforts in Albany and increase operating and capital funding for transit properties.
Since 1998, NYPTA has seen increased appropriations of operating assistance to transit properties through both the State’s Dedicated funds and General Fund appropriations

Helping Business Succeed

In 1999 the firm secured a $20 million economic development capital grant for Delphi Automotive Systems, a recent spin-off of the General Motors Corporation.  In addition, the firm obtained $19 million in deferred investment tax credits for the company in the 2000 Legislative Session.