From the category archives:

Live Updates

Smoking Ban on New York Beaches? Watch the Debate

August 13, 2010

David Schwartz, a lobbyist for the New York Tobacconists’ Association, debates Michael Seilback from the American Lung Association on whether the city should be allowed to ban smoking in public beaches and parks on Thursday’s edition of “Inside City Hall.”

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Queens Campaigner: Bill Driscoll Joins Gotham

July 8, 2010

A founding partner of the Parkside Group who has been involved in Queens politics for decades has left the political consulting and lobbying firm for Gotham Government Relations, a Long Island-based lobbying firm.

Smoked Out: State, Federal Legislation Target New York Tobacco Consumers

June 28, 2010

Dramatic changes are on the horizon for New York tobacco consumers. Federal legislation has not only increased the federal tax on cigarettes, but has limited cigarette distribution. Proposed New York State legislation increases the tax on cigarettes and other tobacco products to an unprecedented level. Governor David Paterson’s emergency legislation proposes to reinstate New York’s regulatory scheme to tax cigarettes sold to non-Indians by Indian retailers on reservation land. A recent New York Court of Appeals decision provides guidance to New York legislators and regulators who may be tasked with crafting these delicate yet powerful regulations.

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UPDATE: Cigarette packs up $1.60

June 23, 2010

Packs of cigarettes increase by $1.60 and taxes on other tobacco products will increase to 75 percent of their wholesale costs. David Schwartz talks to Albany’s Fox23 News.

New York Tobacconists Speak Out Against Increased OTP Tax

June 19, 2010

New York Tobacconists Association gathered to speak out against an increased state OTP tax that would put them out of business and would lose money for the state. Shot at De La Concha in Manhattan by the European Cigar Journal.

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Meet Dr. Ellenmorris Tiegerman

June 18, 2010

What makes Dr. Tiegerman so unique? One thing is her philosophy on language learning and her mission to give all of her students the gift of language: “We can do something about the fact that the child is not talking. We can provide him with the right teacher, the right setting, and the right curriculum so that he has the best opportunity to learn.”

Danger Lies In Tobacco Tax

June 16, 2010

Politicians expand tobacco taxes to discourage smoking and to feed their own nicotine-like addiction to public spending. Like so many others, this government action smolders with unintended consequences. Tobacco taxes create a perfect arbitrage opportunity that radical Muslims exploit to collect money for terrorist groups

New York Governor Eyes Emergency Cigarette Tax

June 16, 2010

The New York Post reports this morning that Governor Paterson may include a $1-a-pack tax hike on cigarettes in his next round of emergency spending legislation.

Senate Report: Why New York Fails to Collect Cigarette Taxes on Native American Reservations

June 12, 2010

New York State faces a $9 billion shortfall while failing to collect taxes on the billions of dollars worth of cigarettes sold by Native American reservations. Why? Read the report by the New York Standing Committee on Investigations and Government Operations

Read the Report...

Gotham Announces Huge Expansion – Two Key Lobbyists Join Team

June 10, 2010

High powered lobbyist Bill Driscoll has joined the firm as a partner. In addition, Mark Lieberman has joined the firm as a political consultant. We also open a new, Manhattan Office.