Empire State Future—Legislative Change
Peter Fleischer (link to bio)
Executive Director, Empire State Future
www.empirestatefuture.org

Peter will present the resources Empire has to devote: Economic Revitalization and Smart Growth Legislative Agency, Monitoring what the Governor’s Smart Growth Cabinet does and does not do, and efforts to improve communications among all the groups and organizations statewide that are focused on better outcomes from the Land Use and Development process.

The statewide coalition of 25 member organizations that’s been leading the citizen effort to improve New York’s economic and civil potential through Smart Growth is entering its second year!

Front-and-center among the goals of Empire State Future:

• Developing a legislative strategy that will result in useful new state law in areas such as -- but not limited to -- historic preservation tax credits, priority infrastructure, and multi-jurisdictional collaboration.
• Closely monitoring Governor Paterson's "Smart Growth Cabinet" and the actions of his Administration in Albany. We plan to help set an enlightened agenda, follow up on implementation, propose new policy initiatives, and support or oppose the Administration whenever we believe it's appropriate to advance the success of Smart Growth values.

Peter Fleischer has been the Executive Director of Empire State Future since its founding in 2007. He was formerly a transportation and environment policy advisor to New York City Mayors David Dinkins and Rudy Guiliani. He was the Senior Vice President for Operations at the Governors Island Preservation and Education Corporation, the joint New York State and City entity that owns Governors Island. Peter graduated from Harvard University and received a master’s degree in public and private management from Yale University.