David F. Shaffer

President, Public Policy Institute New York State Business Council

David F. Shaffer specializes in research, writing and public information about the political economy of New York State. He is president of the Public Policy Institute, the research affiliate of The Business Council of New York State, Inc.

Shaffer joined The Business Council in 1980, as its director of public relations, and was elected corporate secretary in 1981. In 1982 he added the additional title of general manager, and in that capacity he oversaw the organization's member and public relations, communications, publishing, financial, insurance and personnel operations, and strategic planning.

He moved to the Public Policy Institute as its executive director in 1988, and in September of 1993 he was elected its president. He also serves a staff support role for The Business Council, responsible for communications with its Board of Directors, its members and the general public.

The Institute has concentrated on studies of New York State tax and fiscal policy; on education reform and accountability; on the performance of New York's economy overall; on the special economic challenges facing Upstate New York; and on containment of health-care
costs. Shaffer is the co-author of the Institute's 1994 book, The Comeback State, and is the author or editor of more than two dozen research reports by the Institute, and of numerous other articles and papers.

The Council has loaned his services to government for a number of projects; for example, he served on Governor Pataki's budget transition task force, led a management review of the New York State Education Department, and served on the Governor's Commission on Education Reform (the Zarb Commission).

Before joining The Business Council, Shaffer worked for six years as head of the Albany Capitol office of The Associated Press, responsible for The AP's coverage of New York State government and politics. A native of Richmond, Va. (b. March 4, 1948), he holds degrees in political science from Duke University (B.A., 1970) and from the Graduate School of Public Affairs at the University at Albany, State University of New York (M.A., 1972).

Representing more than 585,000
professionals in education and health care
New York State United Teachers Affiliated with AFT • NEA • AFL-CIO