File Nos. 2-92285
811-4074
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM N-1A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 [ X ]
Pre-Effective Amendment No. [ ]
Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 [ X ]
and/or
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 [ X ]
Amendment No. 25 [ X ]
(Check appropriate box or boxes.)
GENERAL NEW YORK MUNICIPAL BOND FUND, INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
c/o The Dreyfus Corporation
200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant's Telephone Number, including Area Code: (212) 922-6000
Mark N. Jacobs, Esq.
200 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10166
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box)
immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
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X on March 1, 2000 pursuant to paragraph (b)
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60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(i)
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on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(i)
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75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(ii)
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on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(ii) of Rule 485
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If appropriate, check the following box:
this post-effective amendment designates a new effective date
for a previously filed post-effective amendment.
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General New York Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
Investing for income exempt from federal, New York state and New York city
income taxes
PROSPECTUS March 1, 2000
As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not
approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this
prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
<PAGE>
Contents
THE FUND
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2 Goal/Approach
3 Main Risks
4 Past Performance
5 Expenses
6 Management
7 Financial Highlights
YOUR INVESTMENT
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8 Account Policies
11 Distributions and Taxes
12 Services for Fund Investors
14 Instructions for Regular Accounts
FOR MORE INFORMATION
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Back Cover
What every investor should know about the fund
Information for managing your fund account
Where to learn more about this and other Dreyfus funds
<PAGE>
The Fund
General New York Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
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Ticker Symbol: GNYMX
GOAL/APPROACH
The fund seeks to maximize current income exempt from federal, New York state
and New York city personal income taxes, to the extent consistent with the
preservation of capital. To pursue this goal, the fund normally invests
substantially all of its assets in municipal bonds the interest from which is
exempt from federal, New York state and New York city personal income taxes.
The fund will invest at least 65% of its assets in investment grade municipal
bonds or the unrated equivalent as determined by Dreyfus. For additional yield,
it may invest up to 35% of its net assets in municipal bonds rated below
investment grade ("high yield" or "junk" bonds) or the unrated equivalent as
determined by Dreyfus.
Municipal bonds are typically of two types:
* GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS, which are secured by the full faith and
credit of the issuer and its taxing power
* REVENUE BONDS, which are payable from the revenues derived from a
specific revenue source, such as charges for water and sewer service
or highway tolls
INFORMATION ON THE FUND'S RECENT STRATEGIES AND HOLDINGS CAN BE FOUND IN THE
CURRENT ANNUAL/SEMIANNUAL REPORT (SEE BACK COVER).
Concepts to understand
INVESTMENT GRADE BONDS: independent rating organizations analyze and evaluate a
bond issuer's credit history and ability to repay debts. Based on their
assessment, rating organizations assign letter grades that reflect the issuer's
creditworthiness. AAA or Aaa represents the highest credit rating, AA/Aa the
second highest, and so on down to D, for defaulted debt. Bonds rated BBB or Baa
and above are considered investment grade.
2
<PAGE 2>
MAIN RISKS
Prices of bonds tend to move inversely with changes in interest rates. While a
rise in rates may allow the fund to invest for higher yields, the most immediate
effect is usually a drop in bond prices, and therefore in the fund's share price
as well. As a result, the value of your investment in the fund could go up and
down, which means that you could lose money.
Other risk factors could have an effect on the fund's performance:
* if an issuer fails to make timely interest or principal payments or
there is a decline in the credit quality of a bond, or perception of a
decline, the bond's value could fall, potentially lowering the fund's
share price
* New York's economy and revenues underlying its municipal bonds may
decline
* investing primarily in a single state may make the fund's portfolio
securities more sensitive to risks specific to the state
* lower-rated, higher-yielding municipal obligations are subject to
greater credit risk, including the risk of default, than investment
grade obligations; lower-rated bonds tend to be more volatile and less
liquid
Although the fund's objective is to generate income exempt from federal, New
York state and New York city income taxes, interest from some of its holdings
may be subject to the federal alternative minimum tax. In addition, the fund
occasionally may invest in taxable bonds and municipal bonds that are exempt
only from federal personal income tax.
Other potential risks
The fund, at times, may invest in certain derivatives, such as futures and
options. Derivatives can be illiquid and highly sensitive to changes in their
underlying security, interest rate or index, and as a result can be highly
volatile. A small investment in certain derivatives could have a potentially
large impact on the fund's performance.
The fund is non-diversified, which means that a relatively high percentage of
the fund's assets may be invested in a limited number of issuers. Therefore, its
performance may be more vulnerable to changes in the market value of a single
issuer or group of issuers.
The Fund 3
<PAGE 3>
PAST PERFORMANCE
The bar chart and table below show some of the risks of investing in the fund.
The bar chart shows the changes in the fund's performance from year to year. The
table compares the fund's average annual total returns to those of the Lehman
Brothers Municipal Bond Index, a broad measure of municipal bond performance. Of
course, past performance is no guarantee of future results.
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Year-by-year total return AS OF 12/31 EACH YEAR (%)
6.67 14.07 10.09 14.18 -7.19 16.54 3.09 9.58 6.35 -4.68
90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99
BEST QUARTER: Q1 '95 +6.86%
WORST QUARTER: Q1 '94 -5.47%
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Average annual total returns AS OF 12/31/99
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
1 Year 5 Years 10 Years
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
FUND -4.68% 5.94% 6.60%
LEHMAN BROTHERS
MUNICIPAL
BOND INDEX -2.06% 6.91% 6.89%
</TABLE>
What this fund is -- and isn't
This fund is a mutual fund: a pooled investment that is professionally managed
and gives you the opportunity to participate in financial markets. It strives to
reach its stated goal, although as with all mutual funds, it cannot offer
guaranteed results.
An investment in this fund is not a bank deposit. It is not insured or
guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency. It is not a complete
investment program. You could lose money in this fund, but you also have the
potential to make money.
4
<PAGE 4>
EXPENSES
As an investor, you pay certain fees and expenses in connection with the fund,
which are described in the table below. Shareholder transaction fees are paid
from your account. Annual fund operating expenses are paid out of fund assets,
so their effect is included in the share price.
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Fee table
SHAREHOLDER TRANSACTION FEES
% OF TRANSACTION AMOUNT
Maximum redemption fee 0.10%
CHARGED ONLY WHEN SELLING SHARES YOU
HAVE OWNED FOR LESS THAN 15 DAYS
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ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES
% OF AVERAGE DAILY NET ASSETS
Management fees 0.60%
Rule 12b-1 fee (distribution and servicing) 0.20%
Other expenses 0.12%
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TOTAL 0.92%
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<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Expense example
1 Year 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
$94 $293 $509 $1,131
</TABLE>
This example shows what you could pay in expenses over
time. It uses the same hypothetical conditions other
funds use in their prospectuses: $10,000 initial
investment, 5% total return each year and no changes in
expenses. The figures shown would be the same whether
you sold your shares at the end of a period or kept
them. Because actual return and expenses will be
different, the example is for comparison only.
Concepts to understand
MANAGEMENT FEE: the fee paid to Dreyfus for managing the fund's portfolio and
assisting in all aspects of the fund's operations.
RULE 12B-1 FEE: a fee of 0.20% to reimburse the fund's distributor for
distributing the fund's shares and pay Dreyfus for advertising and shareholder
account service and maintenance. Because this fee is paid out of the fund's
assets on an ongoing basis, over time it will increase the cost of your
investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.
OTHER EXPENSES: fees paid by the fund for miscellaneous items such as transfer
agency, custody, professional and registration fees.
The Fund 5
<PAGE 5>
MANAGEMENT
The investment adviser for the fund is The Dreyfus Corporation, 200 Park Avenue,
New York, New York 10166. Founded in 1947, Dreyfus manages more than $127
billion in over 160 mutual fund portfolios. For the past fiscal year, the fund
paid Dreyfus a management fee at the annual rate of 0.60% of the fund's average
daily net assets. Dreyfus is the primary mutual fund business of Mellon
Financial Corporation, a global financial services company with approximately
$2.5 trillion of assets under management, administration or custody, including
approximately $450 billion under management. Mellon provides wealth management,
global investment services and a comprehensive array of banking services for
individuals, businesses and institutions. Mellon is headquartered in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania.
Monica Wieboldt has managed the fund since June 1988 and has been a portfolio
manager at Dreyfus since November 1983. Ms. Wieboldt also manages several other
Dreyfus municipal bond funds.
Dreyfus has a personal securities trading policy (the "Policy") which restricts
the personal securities transactions of its employees. Its primary purpose is to
ensure that personal trading by Dreyfus employees does not disadvantage any
Dreyfus-managed fund. Dreyfus portfolio managers and other investment personnel
who comply with the Policy's preclearance and disclosure procedures may be
permitted to purchase, sell or hold certain types of securities which also may
be or are held in the fund(s) they advise.
Concepts to understand
YEAR 2000 ISSUES: the fund could be adversely affected if the computer systems
used by Dreyfus and the fund's other service providers do not properly process
and calculate date-related information from and after January 1, 2000.
Dreyfus has taken steps designed to avoid year 2000-related problems in its
systems and to monitor the readiness of other service providers. In addition,
issuers of securities in which the fund invests may be adversely affected by
year 2000-related problems. This could have an impact on the value of the fund's
investments and its share price.
6
<PAGE 6>
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
This table describes the fund's performance for the fiscal periods indicated.
"Total return" shows how much your investment in the fund would have increased
(or decreased) during each period, assuming you had reinvested all dividends and
distributions. These figures have been independently audited by Ernst & Young
LLP, whose report, along with the fund's financial statements, is included in
the annual report.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
YEAR ENDED OCTOBER 31,
1999 1998 1997 1996 1995
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PER-SHARE DATA ($)
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Net asset value, beginning of period 20.66 20.20 19.66 19.90 18.73
Investment operations:
Investment income -- net .94 .96 .98 1.01 1.06
Net realized and unrealized gain
(loss) on investments (1.77) .65 .66 (.10) 1.29
Total from investment operations (.83) 1.61 1.64 .91 2.35
Distributions:
Dividends from investment
income -- net (.93) (.96) (.98) (1.01) (1.06)
Dividends from net realized gain
on investments (.25) (.19) (.12) (.14) (.12)
Total distributions (1.18) (1.15) (1.10) (1.15) (1.18)
Net asset value, end of period 18.65 20.66 20.20 19.66 19.90
Total return (%) (4.16) 8.14 8.63 4.68 12.98
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RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Ratio of expenses to average net assets (%) .92 .90 .91 .91 .86
Ratio of net investment income
to average net assets (%) 4.72 4.70 4.98 5.12 5.51
Decrease reflected in above expense
ratios due to actions by Dreyfus (%) -- -- -- -- .04
Portfolio turnover rate (%) 32.53 32.96 66.32 80.30 65.91
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net assets, end of period ($ x 1,000) 360,546 293,231 304,958 309,690 322,636
</TABLE>
The Fund 7
<PAGE 7>
Your Investment
ACCOUNT POLICIES
Buying shares
YOUR PRICE FOR FUND SHARES is the fund's net asset value per share (NAV), which
is generally calculated as of the close of trading on the New York Stock
Exchange (usually 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) every day the exchange is open.
YOUR ORDER WILL BE PRICED at the next NAV calculated after your order is
accepted by the fund's transfer agent or other authorized entity. Because the
fund seeks tax exempt income, it is not recommended for purchase in IRAs or
other qualified retirement plans.
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Minimum investments
Initial Additional
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REGULAR ACCOUNTS $2,500 $100
$500 FOR
TELETRANSFER
INVESTMENTS
DREYFUS AUTOMATIC $100 $100
INVESTMENT PLANS
All investments must be in U.S. dollars. Third-party
checks cannot be accepted. You may be charged a fee for
any check that does not clear. Maximum TeleTransfer
purchase is $150,000 per day.
Concepts to understand
NET ASSET VALUE (NAV): a mutual fund's share price on a given day. A fund's NAV
is calculated by dividing the value of its net assets by the number of existing
shares.
When calculating NAV, the fund's investments are valued by an independent
pricing service approved and supervised by the fund's board.
8
<PAGE 8>
Selling shares
YOU MAY SELL (REDEEM) SHARES AT ANY TIME. Your shares will be sold at the next
NAV calculated after your order is accepted by the fund's transfer agent or
other authorized entity. Any certificates representing fund shares being sold
must be returned with your redemption request. Your order will be processed
promptly and you will generally receive the proceeds within a week.
BEFORE SELLING RECENTLY PURCHASED SHARES, please note that:
* if the fund has not yet collected payment for the shares you are
selling, it may delay sending the proceeds for up to eight business
days or until it has collected payment
* if you are selling or exchanging shares you have owned for less than
15 days, the fund may deduct a 0.10% redemption fee (not charged on
shares sold through the Automatic Withdrawal Plan or Dreyfus
Auto-Exchange Privilege, or on shares acquired through dividend
reinvestment)
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Limitations on selling shares by phone
Proceeds
sent by Minimum Maximum
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CHECK NO MINIMUM $250,000 PER DAY
WIRE $1,000 $500,000 FOR JOINT
ACCOUNTS
EVERY 30 DAYS
TELETRANSFER $500 $500,000 FOR JOINT
ACCOUNTS
EVERY 30 DAYS
Written sell orders
Some circumstances require written sell orders along with signature guarantees.
These include:
* amounts of $10,000 or more on accounts whose address has been changed
within the last 30 days
* requests to send the proceeds to a different payee or address
Written sell orders of $100,000 or more must also be signature guaranteed.
A SIGNATURE GUARANTEE helps protect against fraud. You can obtain one from most
banks or securities dealers, but not from a notary public. For joint accounts,
each signature must be guaranteed. Please call us to ensure that your signature
guarantee will be processed correctly.
Your Investment 9
<PAGE 9>
ACCOUNT POLICIES (CONTINUED)
General policies
IF YOUR ACCOUNT FALLS BELOW $500, the fund may ask you to increase your balance.
If it is still below $500 after 45 days, the fund may close your account and
send you the proceeds.
UNLESS YOU DECLINE TELEPHONE PRIVILEGES on your application, you may be
responsible for any fraudulent telephone order as long as Dreyfus takes
reasonable measures to verify the order.
THE FUND RESERVES THE RIGHT TO:
* refuse any purchase or exchange request that could adversely affect
the fund or its operations, including those from any individual or
group who, in the fund's view, is likely to engage in excessive
trading (usually defined as more than four exchanges out of the fund
within a calendar year)
* refuse any purchase or exchange request in excess of 1% of the fund's
total assets
* change or discontinue its exchange privilege, or temporarily suspend
this privilege during unusual market conditions
* change its minimum investment amounts
* delay sending out redemption proceeds for up to seven days (generally
applies only in cases of very large redemptions, excessive trading or
during unusual market conditions)
The fund also reserves the right to make a "redemption in kind" -- payment in
portfolio securities rather than cash -- if the amount you are redeeming is
large enough to affect fund operations (for example, if it represents more than
1% of the fund's assets).
Third-party investments
If you invest through a third party (rather than directly with Dreyfus), the
policies and fees may be different than those described here. Banks, brokers,
financial advisers and financial supermarkets may charge transaction fees and
may set different minimum investments or limitations on buying or selling
shares. Consult a representative of your financial institution if in doubt.
10
<PAGE 10>
DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
THE FUND USUALLY PAYS ITS SHAREHOLDERS DIVIDENDS from its net investment income
once a month, and distributes any net capital gains it has realized once a year.
Your distributions will be reinvested in the fund unless you instruct the fund
otherwise. There are no fees or sales charges on reinvestments.
THE FUND ANTICIPATES THAT VIRTUALLY ALL OF ITS INCOME DIVIDENDS will be exempt
from federal, New York state and New York city personal income taxes. However,
any dividends paid from interest on taxable investments or short-term capital
gains will be taxable as ordinary income. Any distributions of long-term capital
gains will be taxable as such. The tax status of any distribution is the same
regardless of how long you have been in the fund and whether you reinvest your
distributions or take them in cash. In general, distributions are federally
taxable as follows:
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Taxability of distributions
Type of Tax rate for Tax rate for
distribution 15% bracket 28% bracket or above
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INCOME GENERALLY GENERALLY
DIVIDENDS TAX EXEMPT TAX EXEMPT
SHORT-TERM ORDINARY ORDINARY
CAPITAL GAINS INCOME RATE INCOME RATE
LONG-TERM
CAPITAL GAINS 10% 20%
The tax status of your dividends and distributions will be detailed in your
annual tax statement from the fund.
Because everyone's tax situation is unique, always consult your tax professional
about federal, state and local tax consequences.
Taxes on transactions
Any sale or exchange of fund shares, including through the checkwriting
privilege, may generate a tax liability.
The table at right also can provide a guide for your potential tax liability
when selling or exchanging fund shares. "Short-term capital gains" applies to
fund shares sold or exchanged up to 12 months after buying them. "Long-term
capital gains" applies to shares sold or exchanged after 12 months.
Your Investment 11
<PAGE 11>
SERVICES FOR FUND INVESTORS
Automatic services
BUYING OR SELLING SHARES AUTOMATICALLY is easy with the services described
below. With each service, you select a schedule and amount, subject to certain
restrictions. You can set up most of these services with your application or by
calling 1-800-645-6561.
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For investing
DREYFUS AUTOMATIC For making automatic investments
ASSET BUILDER((reg.tm)) from a designated bank account.
DREYFUS PAYROLL For making automatic investments
SAVINGS PLAN through a payroll deduction.
DREYFUS GOVERNMENT For making automatic investments
DIRECT DEPOSIT from your federal employment,
PRIVILEGE Social Security or other regular
federal government check.
DREYFUS DIVIDEND For automatically reinvesting the
SWEEP dividends and distributions from
one Dreyfus fund into another
(not available for IRAs).
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For exchanging shares
DREYFUS AUTO- For making regular exchanges
EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE from one Dreyfus fund into
another.
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For selling shares
DREYFUS AUTOMATIC For making regular withdrawals
WITHDRAWAL PLAN from most Dreyfus funds.
Dreyfus Financial Centers
Through a nationwide network of Dreyfus Financial Centers, Dreyfus offers a full
array of investment services and products. This includes information on mutual
funds, brokerage services, tax-advantaged products and retirement planning.
Experienced financial consultants can help you make informed choices and provide
you with personalized attention in handling account transactions. The Financial
Centers also offer informative seminars and events. To find the Financial Center
nearest you, call 1-800-499-3327.
12
<PAGE 12>
Checkwriting privilege
YOU MAY WRITE REDEMPTION CHECKS against your account in amounts of $500 or more.
These checks are free; however, a fee will be charged if you request a stop
payment or if the transfer agent cannot honor a redemption check due to
insufficient funds or another valid reason. Please do not postdate your checks
or use them to close your account.
Exchange privilege
YOU CAN EXCHANGE SHARES WORTH $500 OR MORE from one Dreyfus fund into another.
You can request your exchange in writing or by phone. Be sure to read the
current prospectus for any fund into which you are exchanging before investing.
Any new account established through an exchange will have the same privileges as
your original account (as long as they are available). There is currently no fee
for exchanges, although you may be charged a sales load when exchanging into any
fund that has one.
Dreyfus TeleTransfer privilege
TO MOVE MONEY BETWEEN YOUR BANK ACCOUNT and your Dreyfus fund account with a
phone call, use the Dreyfus TeleTransfer privilege. You can set up TeleTransfer
on your account by providing bank account information and following the
instructions on your application.
24-hour automated account access
YOU CAN EASILY MANAGE YOUR DREYFUS ACCOUNTS, check your account balances,
transfer money between your Dreyfus funds, get price and yield information and
much more -- when it's convenient for you -- by calling 1-800-645-6561.
Your Investment 13
<PAGE 13>
INSTRUCTIONS FOR REGULAR ACCOUNTS
TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT
In Writing
Complete the application.
Mail your application and a check to:
The Dreyfus Family of Funds
P.O. Box 9387, Providence, RI 02940-9387
TO ADD TO AN ACCOUNT
Fill out an investment slip, and write your account number on your check.
Mail the slip and the check to: The Dreyfus Family of Funds P.O. Box 105,
Newark, NJ 07101-0105
By Telephone
WIRE Have your bank send your
investment to The Bank of New York, with these instructions:
* ABA# 021000018
* DDA# 8900052406
* the fund name
* your Social Security or tax ID number
* name(s) of investor(s)
Call us to obtain an account number. Return your application.
WIRE Have your bank send your investment to The Bank of New York, with these
instructions:
* ABA# 021000018
* DDA# 8900052406
* the fund name
* your account number
* name(s) of investor(s)
ELECTRONIC CHECK Same as wire, but insert "1111" before your account number.
TELETRANSFER Request TeleTransfer on your application. Call us to request your
transaction.
Automatically
WITH AN INITIAL INVESTMENT Indicate on your application which automatic
service(s) you want. Return your application with your investment.
WITHOUT ANY INITIAL INVESTMENT Check the Dreyfus Step Program option on your
application. Return your application, then complete the additional materials
when they are sent to you.
ALL SERVICES Call us to request a form to add any automatic investing service
(see "Services for Fund Investors"). Complete and return the forms along with
any other required materials.
Via the Internet
COMPUTER Visit the Dreyfus Web site http://www.dreyfus.com and follow the
instructions to download an account application.
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14
<PAGE 14>
TO SELL SHARES
Write a redemption check OR letter of instruction that includes:
* your name(s) and signature(s)
* your account number
* the fund name
* the dollar amount you want to sell
* how and where to send the proceeds
Obtain a signature guarantee or other documentation, if required (see "Account
Policies -- Selling Shares").
Mail your request to:
The Dreyfus Family of Funds
P.O. Box 9671, Providence, RI 02940-9671
WIRE Be sure the fund has your bank account information on file. Call us to
request your transaction. Proceeds will be wired to your bank.
TELETRANSFER Be sure the fund has your bank account information on file. Call
us to request your transaction. Proceeds will be sent to your bank by electronic
check.
CHECK Call us to request your transaction. A check will be sent to the address
of record.
DREYFUS AUTOMATIC WITHDRAWAL PLAN Call us to request a form to add the plan.
Complete the form, specifying the amount and frequency of withdrawals you would
like.
Be sure to maintain an account balance of $5,000 or more.
----------------------
To reach Dreyfus, call toll free in the U.S.
1-800-645-6561
Outside the U.S. 516-794-5452
Make checks payable to:
THE DREYFUS FAMILY OF FUNDS
You also can deliver requests to any Dreyfus Financial Center. Because
processing time may vary, please ask the representative when your account will
be credited or debited.
Concepts to understand
WIRE TRANSFER: for transferring money from one financial institution to another.
Wiring is the fastest way to move money, although your bank may charge a fee to
send or receive wire transfers. Wire redemptions from the fund are subject to a
$1,000 minimum.
ELECTRONIC CHECK: for transferring money out of a bank account. Your transaction
is entered electronically, but may take up to eight business days to clear.
Electronic checks usually are available without a fee at all Automated Clearing
House (ACH) banks.
Your Investment 15
<PAGE 15>
NOTES
<PAGE>
<PAGE>
For More Information
General New York Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
-----------------------------
SEC file number: 811-4074
More information on this fund is available free upon
request, including the following:
Annual/Semiannual Report
Describes the fund's performance, lists portfolio
holdings and contains a letter from the fund's manager
discussing recent market conditions, economic trends and
fund strategies that significantly affected the fund's
performance during the last fiscal year.
Statement of Additional Information (SAI)
Provides more details about the fund and its policies. A
current SAI is on file with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC) and is incorporated by reference (is
legally considered part of this prospectus).
To obtain information:
BY TELEPHONE
Call 1-800-645-6561
BY MAIL Write to:
The Dreyfus Family of Funds
144 Glenn Curtiss Boulevard
Uniondale, NY 11556-0144
BY E-MAIL Send your request
to [email protected]
ON THE INTERNET Text-only versions of fund documents can be viewed online or
downloaded from:
SEC
http://www.sec.gov
DREYFUS
http://www.dreyfus.com
You can also obtain copies by visiting the SEC's Public Reference Room in
Washington, DC (phone 1-800-SEC-0330) or by sending your request and a
duplicating fee to the SEC's Public Reference Section, Washington, DC
20549-6009.
(c) 2000 Dreyfus Service Corporation 949P0300
<PAGE>
GENERAL NEW YORK MUNICIPAL BOND FUND, INC.
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
MARCH 1, 2000
This Statement of Additional Information, which is not a prospectus,
supplements and should be read in conjunction with the current Prospectus of
General New York Municipal Bond Fund, Inc. (the "Fund"), dated March 1, 2000, as
it may be revised from time to time. To obtain a copy of the Fund's Prospectus,
please write to the Fund at 144 Glenn Curtiss Boulevard, Uniondale, New York
11556-0144, or call one of the following numbers:
Call Toll Free 1-800-645-6561
In New York City -- Call 1-718-895-1206
Outside the U.S. -- Call 516-794-5452
The Fund's most recent Annual Report and Semi-Annual Report to Shareholders
are separate documents supplied with this Statement of Additional Information,
and the financial statements, accompanying notes and report of independent
auditors appearing in the Annual Report are incorporated by reference into this
Statement of Additional Information.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
----
Description of the Fund..............................................B-2
Management of the Fund...............................................B-15
Management Arrangements..............................................B-19
How to Buy Shares....................................................B-22
Service Plan.........................................................B-24
How to Redeem Shares.................................................B-25
Shareholder Services.................................................B-28
Determination of Net Asset Value.....................................B-31
Dividends, Distributions and Taxes...................................B-32
Portfolio Transactions...............................................B-34
Performance Information..............................................B-35
Information About the Fund...........................................B-36
Counsel and Independent Auditors.....................................B-38
Appendix A...........................................................B-39
Appendix B...........................................................B-65
DESCRIPTION OF THE FUND
The Fund is a Maryland corporation formed on November 19, 1984. The Fund is
an open-end management investment company, known as a municipal bond fund.
The Dreyfus Corporation (the "Manager") serves as the Fund's investment
adviser.
Premier Mutual Fund Services, Inc. (the "Distributor") is the distributor
of the Fund's shares.
Certain Portfolio Securities
The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction
with the Fund's Prospectus.
Municipal Obligations. The Fund will invest primarily in the debt
securities of the State of New York, its political subdivisions, authorities and
corporations, the interest from which, is in the opinion of bond counsel to the
issuer, exempt from Federal, New York State and New York City personal income
taxes (collectively, "New York Municipal Obligations"). To the extent acceptable
New York Municipal Obligations are at any time unavailable for investment by the
Fund, the Fund will invest temporarily in other securities, the interest from
which is, in the opinion of bond counsel to the issuer, exempt from Federal, but
not New York State or New York City, income tax. The Fund will invest at least
80% of the value of its net assets (except when maintaining a temporary
defensive position) in Municipal Obligations. Municipal Obligations are debt
obligations issued by states, territories and possessions of the United States
and the District of Columbia and their political subdivisions, agencies and
instrumentalities, or multistate agencies or authorities, the interest from
which, in the opinion of bond counsel to the issuer, is exempt from Federal
income tax. Municipal Obligations generally include debt obligations issued to
obtain funds for various public purposes as well as certain industrial
development bonds issued by or on behalf of public authorities. Municipal
Obligations are classified as general obligation bonds, revenue bonds and notes.
General obligation bonds are secured by the issuer's pledge of its faith, credit
and taxing power for the payment of principal and interest. Revenue bonds are
payable from the revenue derived from a particular facility or class of
facilities or, in some cases, from the proceeds of a special excise or other
specific revenue source, but not from the general taxing power. Tax exempt
industrial development bonds, in most cases, are revenue bonds that do not carry
the pledge of the credit of the issuing municipality, but generally are
guaranteed by the corporate entity on whose behalf they are issued. Notes are
short-term instruments which are obligations of the issuing municipalities or
agencies and are sold in anticipation of a bond sale, collection of taxes or
receipt of other revenues. Municipal Obligations include municipal
lease/purchase agreements which are similar to installment purchase contracts
for property or equipment issued by municipalities. Municipal Obligations bear
fixed, floating or variable rates of interest, which are determined in some
instances by formulas under which the Municipal Obligation's interest rate will
change directly or inversely to changes in interest rates or an index, or
multiples thereof, in many cases subject to a maximum and minimum. Certain
Municipal Obligations are subject to redemption at a date earlier than their
stated maturity pursuant to call options, which may be separated from the
related Municipal Obligation and purchased and sold separately.
The yields on Municipal Obligations are dependent on a variety of factors,
including general economic and monetary conditions, money market factors,
conditions in the Municipal Obligations market, size of a particular offering,
maturity of the obligation and rating of the issue.
Certain Tax Exempt Obligations. The Fund may purchase floating and variable rate
demand notes and bonds, which are tax exempt obligations ordinarily having
stated maturities in excess of one year, but which permit the holder to demand
payment of principal at any time or at specified intervals. Variable rate demand
notes include master demand notes which are obligations that permit the Fund to
invest fluctuating amounts, at varying rates of interest, pursuant to direct
arrangements between the Fund, as lender, and the borrower. These obligations
permit daily changes in the amount borrowed. Because these obligations are
direct lending arrangements between the lender and borrower, it is not
contemplated that such instruments generally will be traded, and there generally
is no established secondary market for these obligations, although they are
redeemable at face value, plus accrued interest. Accordingly, where these
obligations are not secured by letters of credit or other credit support
arrangements, the Fund's right to redeem is dependent on the ability of the
borrower to pay principal and interest on demand. Each obligation purchased by
the Fund will meet the quality criteria established for the purchase of
Municipal Obligations.
Tax Exempt Participation Interests. The Fund may purchase from financial
institutions participation interests in Municipal Obligations (such as
industrial development bonds and municipal lease/purchase agreements). A
participation interest gives the Fund an undivided interest in the Municipal
Obligation in the proportion that the Fund's participation interest bears to the
total principal amount of the Municipal Obligation. These instruments may have
fixed, floating or variable rates of interest. If the participation interest is
unrated, it will be backed by an irrevocable letter of credit or guarantee of a
bank that the Fund's Board has determined meets prescribed quality standards for
banks, or the payment obligation otherwise will be collateralized by U.S.
Government securities. For certain participation interests, the Fund will have
the right to demand payment, on not more than seven days' notice, for all or any
part of the Fund's participation interest in the Municipal Obligation, plus
accrued interest. As to these instruments, the Fund intends to exercise its
right to demand payment only upon a default under the terms of the Municipal
Obligation, as needed to provide liquidity to meet redemptions, or to maintain
or improve the quality of its investment portfolio.
Municipal lease obligations or installment purchase contract obligations
(collectively, "lease obligations") have special risks not ordinarily associated
with Municipal Obligations. Although lease obligations do not constitute general
obligations of the municipality for which the municipality's taxing power is
pledged, a lease obligation ordinarily is backed by the municipality's covenant
to budget for, appropriate and make the payments due under the lease obligation.
However certain lease obligations contain "non-appropriation" clauses which
provide that the municipality has no obligation to make lease or installment
purchase payments in future years unless money is appropriated for such purpose
on a yearly basis. Although, "non-appropriation" lease obligations are secured
by the leased property, disposition of the property in the event of foreclosure
might prove difficult. The staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission
currently considers certain lease obligations to be illiquid. Determination as
to the liquidity of such securities is made in accordance with guidelines
established by the Fund's Board. Pursuant to such guidelines, the Board has
directed the Manager to monitor carefully the Fund's investment in such
securities with particular regard to (1) the frequency of trades and quotes for
the lease obligation; (2) the number of dealers willing to purchase or sell the
lease obligation and the number of the potential buyers; (3) the willingness of
dealers to undertake to make a market in the lease obligation; (4) the nature of
the marketplace trades including the time needed to dispose of the lease
obligation, the method of soliciting offers and the mechanics of transfer; and
(5) such other factors concerning the trading market for the lease obligation as
the Manager may deem relevant. In addition, in evaluating the liquidity and
credit quality of a lease obligation that is unrated, the Fund's Board has
directed the Manager to consider (a) whether the lease can be canceled; (b) what
assurance there is that the assets represented by the lease can be sold; (c) the
strength of the lessee's general credit (e.g., its debt, administrative,
economic, and financial characteristics); (d) the likelihood that the
municipality will discontinue appropriating funding for the leased property
because the property is no longer deemed essential to the operations of the
municipality (e.g., the potential for an "event of nonappropriation"); (e) the
legal recourse in the event of failure to appropriate; and (f) such other
factors concerning credit quality as the Manager may deem relevant.
Tender Option Bonds. The Fund may purchase tender option bonds. A tender option
bond is a Municipal Obligation (generally held pursuant to a custodial
arrangement) having a relatively long maturity and bearing interest at a fixed
rate substantially higher than prevailing short-term tax exempt rates, that has
been coupled with the agreement of a third party, such as a bank, broker-dealer
or other financial institution, pursuant to which such institution grants the
security holders the option, at periodic intervals, to tender their securities
to the institution and receive the face value thereof. As consideration for
providing the option, the financial institution receives periodic fees equal to
the difference between the Municipal Obligation's fixed coupon rate and the
rate, as determined by a remarketing or similar agent at or near the
commencement of such period, that would cause the securities, coupled with the
tender option, to trade at par on the date of such determination. Thus, after
payment of this fee, the security holder effectively holds a demand obligation
that bears interest at the prevailing short-term tax exempt rate. The Manager,
on behalf of the Fund, will consider on an ongoing basis the creditworthiness of
the issuer of the underlying Municipal Obligation, of any custodian and of the
third party provider of the tender option. In certain instances and for certain
tender option bonds, the option may be terminable in the event of a default in
payment of principal or interest on the underlying Municipal Obligation and for
other reasons.
The Fund will purchase tender option bonds only when it is satisfied that
the custodial and tender option arrangements, including the fee payment
arrangements, will not adversely affect the tax exempt status of the underlying
Municipal Obligations and that payment of any tender fees will not have the
effect of creating taxable income for the Fund. Based on the tender option bond
agreement, the Fund expects to be able to value the tender option bond at par;
however, the value of the instrument will be monitored to assure that it is
valued at fair value.
Custodial Receipts. The Fund may purchase custodial receipts representing the
right to receive certain future principal and interest payments on Municipal
Obligations which underlie the custodial receipts. A number of different
arrangements are possible. In a typical custodial receipt arrangement, an issuer
or a third party owner of Municipal Obligations deposits such obligations with a
custodian in exchange for two classes of custodial receipts. The two classes
have different characteristics, but, in each case, payments on the two classes
are based on payments received on the underlying Municipal Obligations. One
class has the characteristics of a typical auction rate security, where at
specified intervals its interest rate is adjusted, and ownership changes, based
on an auction mechanism. This class's interest rate generally is expected to be
below the coupon rate of the underlying Municipal Obligations and generally is
at a level comparable to that of a Municipal Obligation of similar quality and
having a maturity equal to the period between interest rate adjustments. The
second class bears interest at a rate that exceeds the interest rate typically
borne by a security of comparable quality and maturity; this rate also is
adjusted, but in this case inversely to changes in the rate of interest of the
first class. In no event will the aggregate interest paid with respect to the
two classes exceed the interest paid by the underlying Municipal Obligations.
The value of the second class and similar securities should be expected to
fluctuate more than the value of a Municipal Obligation of comparable quality
and maturity and their purchase by the Fund should increase the volatility of
its net asset value and, thus, its price per share. These custodial receipts are
sold in private placements. The Fund also may purchase directly from issuers,
and not in a private placement, Municipal Obligations having characteristics
similar to custodial receipts. These securities may be issued as part of a
multi-class offering and the interest rate on certain classes may be subject to
a cap or floor.
Stand-By Commitments. The Fund may acquire "stand-by commitments" with respect
to Municipal Obligations held in its portfolio. Under a stand-by commitment, the
Fund obligates a broker, dealer or bank to repurchase, at the Fund's option,
specified securities at a specified price and, in this respect, stand-by
commitments are comparable to put options. The exercise of a stand-by
commitment, therefore, is subject to the ability of the seller to make payment
on demand. The Fund will acquire stand-by commitments solely to facilitate its
portfolio liquidity and does not intend to exercise its rights thereunder for
trading purposes. The Fund may pay for stand-by commitments if such action is
deemed necessary, thus increasing to a degree the cost of the underlying
Municipal Obligation and similarly decreasing such security's yield to
investors. Gains realized in connection with stand-by commitments will be
taxable. The Fund also may acquire call options on specific Municipal
Obligations. The Fund generally would purchase these call options to protect the
Fund from the issuer of the related Municipal Obligation redeeming, or other
holder of the call option from calling away, the Municipal Obligation before
maturity. The sale by the Fund of a call option that it owns on a specific
Municipal Obligation could result in the receipt of taxable income by the Fund.
Ratings of Municipal Obligations. The Fund will invest at least 65% of the value
of its net assets in Municipal Obligations which, in the case of bonds, are
rated no lower than Baa by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's") or BBB by
Standard & Poor's Ratings Group ("S&P") or Fitch IBCA, Inc. ("Fitch" and,
collectively with Moody's and S&P, the "Rating Agencies"). The Fund may invest
up to 35% of the value of its net assets in Municipal Obligations which, in the
case of bonds, are rated lower than Baa by Moody's and BBB by S&P and Fitch and
as low as the lowest rating assigned by a Rating Agency. The Fund also may
invest in securities which, while not rated, are determined by the Manager to be
of comparable quality to the rated securities in which the Fund may invest; for
purposes of the 65% requirement described in this paragraph, such unrated
securities will be considered to have the rating so determined.
The average distribution of investments (at value) in Municipal
Obligations (including notes) by ratings for the fiscal year ended October 31,
1999, computed on a monthly basis, was as follows:
Percentage of
Fitch or Moody's or S&P Value
------------- ------- --- -------------
AAA Aaa AAA 30.6%
AA Aa AA 8.4%
A A A 25.9%
BBB Baa BBB 25.2%
BB Ba BB 0.5%
F-1+/F-1 VMIG1/MIG1, P-1 SP-1+/SP-1, A-1 0.5%
Not Rated Not Rated Not Rated 8.9% *
----
100.0%
Subsequent to its purchase by the Fund, an issue of rated Municipal
Obligations may cease to be rated or its rating may be reduced below the minimum
required for purchase by the Fund. Neither event will require the sale of such
Municipal Obligations by the Fund, but the Manager will consider such event in
determining whether the Fund should continue to hold the Municipal Obligations.
To the extent that the ratings given by a Rating Agency for Municipal
Obligations may change as a result of changes in such organization or its rating
system, the Fund will attempt to use comparable ratings as standards for its
investments in accordance with the investment policies contained in the
Prospectus and this Statement of Additional Information. The ratings of the
Rating Agencies represent their opinions as to the quality of the Municipal
Obligations which they undertake to rate. It should be emphasized, however, that
ratings are relative and subjective and are not absolute standards of quality.
Although these ratings may be an initial criterion for selection of portfolio
investments, the Manager also will evaluate these securities and the
creditworthiness of the issuers of such securities.
Taxable Investments. From time to time, on a temporary basis other than
for temporary defensive purposes (but not to exceed 20% of the value of the
Fund's net assets) or for temporary defensive purposes, the Fund may invest in
taxable short-term investments ("Taxable Investments") consisting of: notes of
issuers having, at the time of purchase, a quality rating within the two highest
grades of a Rating Agency; obligations of the U.S. Government, its agencies or
instrumentalities; commercial paper rated not lower than P-2 by Moody's, A-2 by
S&P or F-2 by Fitch; certificates of deposit of U.S. domestic banks, including
foreign branches of domestic banks, with assets of $1 billion dollars or more;
time deposits; bankers' acceptances and other short-term bank obligations; and
repurchase agreements in respect of any of the foregoing. Dividends paid by the
Fund that are attributable to income earned by the Fund from Taxable Investments
will be taxable to investors. See "Dividends, Distributions and Taxes." Except
for temporary defensive purposes, at no time will more than 20% of the value of
the Fund's net assets be invested in Taxable Investments. When the Fund has
adopted a temporary defensive position, including when acceptable New York
Municipal Obligations are unavailable for investment by the Fund, in excess of
35% of the Fund's net assets may be invested in securities that are not exempt
from New York state and New York city personal income taxes. Under normal market
conditions, the Fund anticipates that not more than 5% of the value of its total
assets will be invested in any one category of Taxable Investments.
- ----------------------
* Included in the Not Rated category are securities comprising 8.9% of the
Fund's market value which, while not rated, have been determined by the Manager
to be of comparable quality to securities in the following rating categories:
Aaa/AAA (0.2%), A/A (0.5%), Baa/BBB (7.9%) and Ba/BB (0.3%).
Zero Coupon Securities. The Fund may invest in zero coupon securities
which are debt securities issued or sold at a discount from their face value
which do not entitle the holder to any periodic payment of interest prior to
maturity or a specified redemption date (or cash payment date) and pay-in-kind
bonds (bonds which pay interest through the issuance of additional bonds). The
amount of the discount varies depending on the time remaining until maturity or
cash payment date, prevailing interest rates, liquidity of the security and
perceived credit quality of the issuer. Zero coupon securities also may take the
form of debt securities that have been stripped of their unmatured interest
coupons, the coupons themselves and receipts or certificates representing
interest in such stripped debt obligations and coupons. The market prices of
zero coupon securities generally are more volatile than the market prices of
securities that pay interest periodically and are likely to respond to a greater
degree to changes in interest rates than non-zero coupon securities having
similar maturities and credit qualities. Federal income tax law requires the
holder of a zero coupon security or of certain pay-in-kind bonds to accrue
income with respect to these securities prior to the receipt of cash payments.
To maintain its qualification as a regulated investment company and avoid
liability for Federal income taxes, the Fund may be required to distribute such
income accrued with respect to these securities and may have to dispose of
portfolio securities under disadvantageous circumstances in order to generate
cash to satisfy these distribution requirements.
Illiquid Securities. The Fund may invest up to 15% of the value of its net
assets in securities as to which a liquid trading market does not exist,
provided such investments are consistent with the Fund's investment objective.
These securities may include securities that are not readily marketable, such as
securities that are subject to legal or contractual restrictions on resale, and
repurchase agreements providing for settlement in more than seven days after
notice. As to these securities, the Fund is subject to a risk that should the
Fund desire to sell them when a ready buyer is not available at a price that the
Fund deems representative of their value, the value of the Fund's net assets
could be adversely affected.
Investment Techniques
The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction
with the Fund's Prospectus. The Fund's use of certain of the investment
techniques described below may give rise to taxable income.
Derivatives. The Fund may invest in, or enter into, derivatives, such as
options and futures, for a variety of reasons, including to hedge certain market
risks, to provide a substitute for purchasing or selling particular securities
or to increase potential income gain. Derivatives may provide a cheaper, quicker
or more specifically focused way for the Fund to invest than "traditional"
securities would.
Derivatives can be volatile and involve various types and degrees of risk,
depending upon the characteristics of the particular derivative and the
portfolio as a whole. Derivatives permit the Fund to increase or decrease the
level of risk, or change the character of the risk, to which its portfolio is
exposed in much the same way as the Fund can increase or decrease the level of
risk, or change the character of the risk, of its portfolio by making
investments in specific securities. However, derivatives may entail investment
exposures that are greater than their cost would suggest, meaning that a small
investment in derivatives could have a large potential impact on the Fund's
performance.
If the Fund invests in derivatives at inopportune times or judges market
conditions incorrectly, such investments may lower the Fund's return or result
in a loss. The Fund also could experience losses if its derivatives were poorly
correlated with its other investments, or if the Fund were unable to liquidate
its position because of an illiquid secondary market. The market for many
derivatives is, or suddenly can become, illiquid. Changes in liquidity may
result in significant, rapid and unpredictable changes in the prices for
derivatives.
Although the Fund will not be a commodity pool, certain derivatives
subject the Fund to the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission which
limit the extent to which the Fund can invest in such derivatives. The Fund may
invest in futures contracts and options with respect thereto for hedging
purposes without limit. However, the Fund may not invest in such contracts and
options for other purposes if the sum of the amount of initial margin deposits
and premiums paid for unexpired options with respect to such contracts, other
than for bona fide hedging purposes, exceeds 5% of the liquidation value of the
Fund's assets, after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized
losses on such contracts and options; provided, however, that in the case of an
option that is in-the-money at the time of purchase, the in-the-money amount may
be excluded in calculating the 5% limitation.
Derivatives may be purchased on established exchanges or through privately
negotiated transactions referred to as over-the-counter derivatives.
Exchange-traded derivatives generally are guaranteed by the clearing agency
which is the issuer or counterparty to such derivatives. This guarantee usually
is supported by a daily variation margin system operated by the clearing agency
in order to reduce overall credit risk. As a result, unless the clearing agency
defaults, there is relatively little counterparty credit risk associated with
derivatives purchased on an exchange. By contrast, no clearing agency guarantees
over-the-counter derivatives. Therefore, each party to an over-the-counter
derivative bears the risk that the counterparty will default. Accordingly, the
Manager will consider the creditworthiness of counterparties to over-the-counter
derivatives in the same manner as it would review the credit quality of a
security to be purchased by the Fund. Over-the-counter derivatives are less
liquid than exchange-traded derivatives since the other party to the transaction
may be the only investor with sufficient understanding of the derivative to be
interested in bidding for it.
Futures Transactions--In General. The Fund may enter into futures contracts in
U.S. domestic markets. Engaging in these transactions involves risk of loss to
the Fund which could adversely affect the value of the Fund's net assets.
Although the Fund intends to purchase or sell futures contracts only if there is
an active market for such contracts, no assurance can be given that a liquid
market will exist for any particular contract at any particular time. Many
futures exchanges and boards of trade limit the amount of fluctuation permitted
in futures contract prices during a single trading day. Once the daily limit has
been reached in a particular contract, no trades may be made that day at a price
beyond that limit or trading may be suspended for specified periods during the
trading day. Futures contract prices could move to the limit for several
consecutive trading days with little or no trading, thereby preventing prompt
liquidation of futures positions and potentially subjecting the Fund to
substantial losses.
Successful use of futures by the Fund also is subject to the Manager's
ability to predict correctly movements in the direction of the relevant market
and, to the extent the transaction is entered into for hedging purposes, to
ascertain the appropriate correlation between the securities being hedged and
the price movements of the futures contract. For example, if the Fund uses
futures to hedge against the possibility of a decline in the market value of
securities held in its portfolio and the prices of such securities instead
increase, the Fund will lose part or all of the benefit of the increased value
of securities which it has hedged because it will have offsetting losses in its
futures positions. Furthermore, if in such circumstances the Fund has
insufficient cash, it may have to sell securities to meet daily variation margin
requirements. The Fund may have to sell such securities at a time when it may be
disadvantageous to do so.
Pursuant to regulations and/or published positions of the Securities and
Exchange Commission, the Fund may be required to segregate permissible liquid
assets to cover its obligations relating to its transactions in derivatives. To
maintain this required cover, the Fund may have to sell portfolio securities at
disadvantageous prices or times since it may not be possible to liquidate a
derivative position at a reasonable price. In addition, the segregation of such
assets will have the effect of limiting the Fund's ability otherwise to invest
those assets.
Specific Futures Transactions. The Fund may purchase and sell interest rate
futures contracts. An interest rate future obligates the Fund to purchase or
sell an amount of a specific debt security at a future date at a specific price.
Options--In General. The Fund may invest up to 5% of its assets, represented by
the premium paid, in the purchase of call and put options. The Fund may write
(i.e., sell) covered call and put option contracts to the extent of 20% of the
value of its net assets at the time such option contracts are written. A call
option gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy, and obligates the
writer to sell, the underlying security or securities at the exercise price at
any time during the option period, or at a specific date. Conversely, a put
option gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell, and obligates the
writer to buy, the underlying security or securities at the exercise price at
any time during the option period, or at a specific date.
A covered call option written by the Fund is a call option with respect to
which the Fund owns the underlying security or otherwise covers the transaction
by segregating permissible liquid assets. A put option written by the Fund is
covered when, among other things, the Fund segregates permissible liquid assets
having a value equal to or greater than the exercise price of the option to
fulfill the obligation undertaken. The principal reason for writing covered call
and put options is to realize, through the receipt of premiums, a greater return
than would be realized on the underlying securities alone. The Fund receives a
premium from writing covered call or put options which it retains whether or not
the option is exercised.
There is no assurance that sufficient trading interest to create a liquid
secondary market on a securities exchange will exist for any particular option
or at any particular time, and for some options no such secondary market may
exist. A liquid secondary market in an option may cease to exist for a variety
of reasons. In the past, for example, higher than anticipated trading activity
or order flow, or other unforeseen events, at times have rendered certain of the
clearing facilities inadequate and resulted in the institution of special
procedures, such as trading rotations, restrictions on certain types of orders
or trading halts or suspensions in one or more options. There can be no
assurance that similar events, or events that may otherwise interfere with the
timely execution of customers' orders, will not recur. In such event, it might
not be possible to effect closing transactions in particular options. If, as a
covered call option writer, the Fund is unable to effect a closing purchase
transaction in a secondary market, it will not be able to sell the underlying
security until the option expires or it delivers the underlying security upon
exercise or it otherwise covers its position.
Successful use by the Fund of options will be subject to the Manager's
ability to predict correctly movements in interest rates. To the extent the
Manager's predictions are incorrect, the Fund may incur losses.
Future Developments. The Fund may take advantage of opportunities in the
area of options and futures contracts and options on futures contracts and any
other derivatives which are not presently contemplated for use by the Fund or
which are not currently available but which may be developed, to the extent such
opportunities are both consistent with the Fund's investment objective and
legally permissible for the Fund. Before entering into such transactions or
making any such investment, the Fund will provide appropriate disclosure in its
Prospectus or this Statement of Additional Information.
Lending Portfolio Securities. The Fund may lend securities from its
portfolio to brokers, dealers and other financial institutions needing to borrow
securities to complete certain transactions. The Fund continues to be entitled
to payments in amounts equal to the interest or other distributions payable on
the loaned securities which affords the Fund an opportunity to earn interest on
the amount of the loan and on the loaned securities' collateral. Loans of
portfolio securities may not exceed 33-1/3% of the value of the Fund's total
assets, and the Fund will receive collateral consisting of cash, U.S. Government
securities or irrevocable letters of credit which will be maintained at all
times in an amount equal to at least 100% of the current market value of the
loaned securities. Such loans are terminable by the Fund at any time upon
specified notice. The Fund might experience risk of loss if the institution with
which it has engaged in a portfolio loan transaction breaches its agreement with
the Fund. In connection with its securities lending transactions, the Fund may
return to the borrower or a third party which is unaffiliated with the Fund, and
which is acting as a "placing broker," a part of the interest earned from the
investment of collateral received for securities loaned.
Borrowing Money. The Fund is permitted to borrow to the extent permitted
under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), which
permits an investment company to borrow in an amount up to 33-1/3% of the value
of its total assets. The Fund currently intends to borrow money only for
temporary or emergency (not leveraging) purposes, in an amount up to 15% of the
value of its total assets (including the amount borrowed) valued at the lesser
of cost or market, less liabilities (not including the amount borrowed) at the
time the borrowing is made. While such borrowings exceed 5% of the Fund's total
assets, the Fund will not make any additional investments.
Forward Commitments. The Fund may purchase Municipal Obligations and other
securities on a forward commitment or when-issued basis, which means that
delivery and payment take place a number of days after the date of the
commitment to purchase. The payment obligation and the interest rate receivable
on a forward commitment or when-issued security are fixed when the Fund enters
into the commitment, but the Fund does not make payment until it receives
delivery from the counterparty. The Fund will commit to purchase such securities
only with the intention of actually acquiring the securities, but the Fund may
sell these securities before the settlement date if it is deemed advisable. The
Fund will segregate permissible liquid assets at least equal at all times to the
amount of the Fund's purchase commitments.
Municipal Obligations and other securities purchased on a forward
commitment or when-issued basis are subject to changes in value (generally
changing in the same way, i.e. appreciating when interest rates decline and
depreciating when interest rates rise) based upon the public's perception of the
creditworthiness of the issuer and changes, real or anticipated, in the level of
interest rates. Securities purchased on a forward commitment or when-issued
basis may expose the Fund to risks because they may experience such fluctuations
prior to their actual delivery. Purchasing securities on a forward commitment or
when-issued basis can involve the additional risk that the yield available in
the market when the delivery takes place actually may be higher than that
obtained in the transaction itself. Purchasing securities on a forward
commitment or when-issued basis when the Fund is fully or almost fully invested
may result in greater potential fluctuation in the value of the Fund's net
assets and its net asset value per share.
Investment Considerations and Risks
Investing in Municipal Obligations. The Fund may invest more than 25% of
the value of its total assets in Municipal Obligations which are related in such
a way that an economic, business or political development or change affecting
one such security also would affect the other securities; for example,
securities the interest upon which is paid from revenues of similar types of
projects. As a result, the Fund may be subject to greater risk as compared to a
fund that does not follow this practice.
Certain municipal lease/purchase obligations in which the Fund may invest
may contain "non-appropriation" clauses which provide that the municipality has
no obligation to make lease payments in future years unless money is
appropriated for such purpose on a yearly basis. Although "non-appropriation"
lease/purchase obligations are secured by the leased property, disposition of
the leased property in the event of foreclosure might prove difficult. In
evaluating the credit quality of a municipal lease/purchase obligation that is
unrated, the Manager will consider, on an ongoing basis, a number of factors
including the likelihood that the issuing municipality will discontinue
appropriating funding for the leased property.
Certain provisions in the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the
"Code"), relating to the issuance of Municipal Obligations may reduce the volume
of Municipal Obligations qualifying for Federal tax exemption. One effect of
these provisions could be to increase the cost of the Municipal Obligations
available for purchase by the Fund and thus reduce available yield. Shareholders
should consult their tax advisers concerning the effect of these provisions on
an investment in the Fund. Proposals that may restrict or eliminate the income
tax exemption for interest on Municipal Obligations may be introduced in the
future. If any such proposal were enacted that would reduce the availability of
Municipal Obligations for investment by the Fund so as to adversely affect Fund
shareholders, the Fund would reevaluate its investment objective and policies
and submit possible changes in the Fund's structure to shareholders for their
consideration. If legislation were enacted that would treat a type of Municipal
Obligation as taxable, the Fund would treat such security as a permissible
Taxable Investment within the applicable limits set forth herein.
Investing in New York Municipal Obligations. Since the Fund is
concentrated in securities issued by New York or entities within New York, an
investment in the Fund may involve greater risk than investments in certain
other types of bond funds. You should consider carefully the special risks
inherent in the Fund's investment in New York Municipal Obligations. You should
review "Appendix A" which more fully sets forth these and other risk factors.
Lower Rated Bonds. The Fund may invest up to 35% of the value of its net
assets in higher yielding (and, therefore, higher risk) debt securities such as
those rated below investment grade by the Rating Agencies (commonly known as
junk bonds). They may be subject to greater risks and market fluctuations than
certain lower yielding, higher rated Municipal Obligations. See "Appendix B" for
a general description of the Rating Agencies' ratings of Municipal Obligations.
Although ratings may be useful in evaluating the safety of interest and
principal payments, they do not evaluate the market value risk of these bonds.
The Fund will rely on the Manager's judgment, analysis and experience in
evaluating the creditworthiness of an issuer.
You should be aware that the market values of many of these bonds tend to
be more sensitive to economic conditions than are higher rated securities and
will fluctuate over time. These bonds generally are considered by the Rating
Agencies to be, on balance, predominantly speculative with respect to capacity
to pay interest and repay principal in accordance with the terms of the
obligation and generally will involve more credit risk than securities in the
higher rating categories.
Because there is no established retail secondary market for many of these
securities, the Fund anticipates that such securities could be sold only to a
limited number of dealers or institutional investors. To the extent a secondary
trading market for these bonds does exist, it generally is not as liquid as the
secondary market for higher rated securities. The lack of a liquid secondary
market may have an adverse impact on market price and yield and the Fund's
ability to dispose of particular issues when necessary to meet the Fund's
liquidity needs or in response to a specific economic event such as a
deterioration in the creditworthiness of the issuer. The lack of a liquid
secondary market for certain securities also may make it more difficult for the
Fund to obtain accurate market quotations for purposes of valuing the Fund's
portfolio and calculating its net asset value. Adverse publicity and investor
perceptions, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may decrease the
values and liquidity of these securities. In such cases, the Manager's judgment
may play a greater role in valuation.
These bonds may be particularly susceptible to economic downturns. It is
likely that any economic recession could disrupt severely the market for such
securities and may have an adverse impact on the value of such securities. In
addition, it is likely that any such economic downturn could adversely affect
the ability of the issuers of such securities to repay principal and pay
interest thereon and increase the incidence of default for such securities.
The Fund may acquire these bonds during an initial offering. Such
securities may involve special risks because they are new issues. The Fund has
no arrangement with the Distributor or any other persons concerning the
acquisition of such securities, and the Manager will review carefully the credit
and other characteristics pertinent to such new issues.
The credit risk factors pertaining to lower rated securities also apply to
lower rated zero coupon bonds and pay-in-kind bonds, in which the Fund may
invest up to 5% of its total assets. Zero coupon bonds and pay-in-kind bonds
carry an additional risk in that, unlike bonds which pay interest throughout the
period to maturity, the Fund will realize no cash until the cash payment date
unless a portion of such securities are sold and, if the issuer defaults, the
Fund may obtain no return at all on its investment. See "Dividends,
Distributions and Taxes."
Simultaneous Investments. Investment decisions for the Fund are made
independently from those of other investment companies advised by the Manager.
If, however, such other investment companies desire to invest in, or dispose of,
the same securities as the Fund, available investments or opportunities for
sales will be allocated equitably to each investment company. In some cases,
this procedure may adversely affect the size of the position obtained for or
disposed of by the Fund or the price paid or received by the Fund.
<PAGE>
Investment Restrictions
The Fund's investment objective is a fundamental policy, which cannot be
changed without approval by the holders of a majority (as defined in the 1940
Act) of the Fund's outstanding voting shares. In addition, the Fund has adopted
investment restrictions numbered 1 through 7 as fundamental policies. Investment
restrictions numbered 8 through 12 are not fundamental policies and may be
changed by a vote of a majority of the Fund's Board members at any time. The
Fund may not:
1. Invest more than 25% of its assets in the securities of issuers in any
single industry; provided that there shall be no limitation on the purchase of
Municipal Obligations and, for temporary defensive purposes, obligations issued
or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities.
2. Borrow money, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act (which
currently limits borrowing to no more than 33-1/3% of the value of the Fund's
total assets). For purposes of this investment restriction, the entry into
options, forward contracts, futures contracts, including those relating to
indices, and options on futures contracts or indices shall not constitute
borrowing.
3. Purchase or sell real estate, commodities or commodity contracts, or
oil and gas interests, but this shall not prevent the Fund from investing in
Municipal Obligations secured by real estate or interests therein, or prevent
the Fund from purchasing and selling options, forward contracts, futures
contracts, including those relating to indices, and options on futures contracts
or indices.
4. Underwrite the securities of other issuers, except that the Fund may
bid separately or as part of a group for the purchase of Municipal Obligations
directly from an issuer for its own portfolio to take advantage of the lower
purchase price available, and except to the extent the Fund may be deemed an
underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, by virtue of disposing
of portfolio securities.
5. Make loans to others except through the purchase of debt obligations
and the entry into repurchase agreements; however, the Fund may lend its
portfolio securities in an amount not to exceed 33-1/3% of the value of its
total assets. Any loans of portfolio securities will be made according to
guidelines established by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Fund's
Board.
6. Issue any senior security (as such term is defined in Section 18(f) of
the 1940 Act), except to the extent that the activities permitted in Investment
Restriction Nos. 2, 3 and 10 may be deemed to give rise to a senior security.
7. Sell securities short or purchase securities on margin, but the Fund
may make margin deposits in connection with transactions in options, forward
contracts, futures contracts, including those relating to indices, and options
on futures contracts or indices.
8. Purchase securities other than Municipal Obligations and Taxable
Investments and those arising out of transactions in futures and options or as
otherwise provided in the Fund's Prospectus.
9. Invest in securities of other investment companies, except to the
extent permitted under the 1940 Act.
10. Pledge, hypothecate, mortgage or otherwise encumber its assets, except
to the extent necessary to secure permitted borrowings, and except to the extent
related to the deposit of assets in escrow in connection with the purchase of
securities on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis and collateral and initial
or variation margin arrangements with respect to options, futures contracts,
including those relating to indices, and options on futures contracts or
indices.
11. Enter into repurchase agreements providing for settlement in more than
seven days after notice or purchase securities which are illiquid (which
securities could include participation interests (including municipal
lease/purchase agreements) that are not subject to the demand feature described
in the Fund's Prospectus, and floating and variable rate demand obligations as
to which the Fund cannot exercise the demand feature described in the Fund's
Prospectus on less than seven days' notice and as to which there is no secondary
market) if, in the aggregate, more than 15% of its net assets would be so
invested.
12. Invest in companies for the purpose of exercising control.
For purposes of Investment Restriction No. 1, industrial development
bonds, where the payment of principal and interest is the ultimate
responsibility of companies within the same industry, are grouped together as an
"industry."
If a percentage restriction is adhered to at the time of investment, a
later increase or decrease in percentage resulting from a change in values or
assets will not constitute a violation of such restriction.
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND
The Fund's Board is responsible for the management and supervision of the
Fund. The Board approves all significant agreements between the Fund and those
companies that furnish services to the Fund. These companies are as follows:
The Dreyfus Corporation.....................Investment Adviser
Premier Mutual Fund Services, Inc...........Distributor
Dreyfus Transfer, Inc.......................Transfer Agent
The Bank of New York........................Custodian
Board members and officers of the Fund, together with information as to
their principal business occupations during at least the last five years, are
shown below.
Board Members of the Fund
JOSEPH S. DiMARTINO, Chairman of the Board. Since January 1995, Chairman of the
Board of various funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds. He also is a
director of The Muscular Dystrophy Association, HealthPlan Services
Corporation, a provider of marketing, administrative and risk management
services to health and other benefit programs, Carlyle Industries, Inc.
(formerly, Belding Heminway Company, Inc.), a button packager and
distributor, Century Business Services, Inc. (formerly, International
Alliance Services, Inc.), a provider of various outsourcing functions for
small and medium sized companies and QuikCAT.com, Inc., a private company
engaged in the development of high speed movement, routing, storage and
encryption of data across all modes of data transport. For more than five
years prior to January 1995, he was President, a director and, until
August 1994, Chief Operating Officer of the Manager and Executive Vice
President and a director of Dreyfus Service Corporation, a wholly-owned
subsidiary of the Manager and, until August 24, 1994, the Fund's
distributor. From August 1994 until December 31, 1994, he was a director
of Mellon Financial Corporation. He is 56 years old and his address is 200
Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166.
CLIFFORD L. ALEXANDER, JR., Board Member. President of Alexander & Associates,
Inc., a management consulting firm. From 1977 to 1981, Mr.
Alexander served as Secretary of the Army and Chairman of the Board of the
Panama Canal Company, and from 1975 to 1977, he was a member of the
Washington, D.C. law firm of Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson and
Alexander. He is a director of American Home Products Corporation, IMS
Health, a service provider of marketing information and information
technology, The Dun & Bradstreet Corporation, MCI WorldCom and Mutual of
America Life Insurance Company. He is 66 years old and his address is 400 C
Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20002.
PEGGY C. DAVIS, Board Member. Shad Professor of Law, New York University School
of Law. Professor Davis has been a member of the New York University law
faculty since 1983. Prior to that time, she served for three years as a
judge in the courts of New York State; was engaged for eight years in the
practice of law, working in both corporate and non-profit sectors; and
served for two years as a criminal justice administrator in the government
of the City of New York. She writes and teaches in the fields of evidence,
constitutional theory, family law, social sciences and the law, legal
process and professional methodology and training. She is 57 years old and
her address is c/o New York University School of Law, 40 Washington Square
South, New York, New York 10012.
ERNEST KAFKA, Board Member. A physician engaged in private practice specializing
in the psychoanalysis of adults and adolescents. Since 1981, he has served
as an Instructor at the New York Psychoanalytic Institute and, prior
thereto, held other teaching positions. He is Associate Clinical Professor
of Psychiatry at Cornell Medical School. For more than the past five
years, Dr. Kafka has held numerous administrative positions and has
published many articles on subjects in the field of psychoanalysis. He is
67 years old and his address is 23 East 92nd Street, New York, New York
10128.
NATHAN LEVENTHAL, Board Member. President of Lincoln Center for the Performing
Arts, Inc. Mr. Leventhal was Deputy Mayor for Operations of New York City
from September 1979 until March 1984 and Commissioner of the Department of
Housing Preservation and Development of New York City from February 1978
to September 1979. Mr. Leventhal was an associate and then a member of the
New York law firm of Poletti Freidin Prashker Feldman and Gartner from
1974 to 1978. He was Commissioner of Rent and Housing Maintenance for New
York City from 1972 to 1973. Mr. Leventhal served as Chairman of Citizens
Union, an organization which strives to reform and modernize city and
state government from June 1994 until June 1997. He is 57 years old and
his address is 70 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, New York 10023-6583.
The Fund has a standing nominating committee comprised of its Board
members who are not "interested persons" of the Fund, as defined in the 1940
Act. The function of the nominating committee is to select and nominate all
candidates who are not "interested persons" of the Fund for election to the
Fund's Board.
The Fund typically pays its Board members an annual retainer and a per
meeting fee and reimburses them for their expenses. The Chairman of the Board
receives an additional 25% of such compensation. Emeritus Board members are
entitled to receive an annual retainer and a per meeting fee of one-half the
amount paid to them as Board members. The aggregate amount of compensation paid
to each Board member by the Fund for the fiscal year ended October 31, 1999, and
by all funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds for which such person was a Board
member (the number of which is set forth in parenthesis next to each Board
member's total compensation)* for the year ended December 31, 1999, was as
follows:
Total Compensation
Aggregate From Fund and Fund
Name of Board Compensation from Complex Paid to
Member Fund** Board Member
Joseph S. DiMartino $5,625 $ 642,177.00 (189)
Peggy C. Davis $4,500 $ 68,378.00 (29)
Clifford L. Alexander, Jr. $4,500 $ 85,378.00 (43)
Ernest Kafka $4,500 $ 68,378.00 (29)
Saul B. Klaman*** $4,500 $ 68,378.00 (29)
Nathan Leventhal $4,500 $ 68,378.00 (29)
- ---------------------
* Represents the number of separate portfolios comprising the investment
companies in the Fund Complex, including the Fund, for which the Board
member serves.
** Amount does not include reimbursed expenses for attending Board meetings,
which amounted to $1,423 for all Board members as a group.
*** Board Member Emeritus as of January 18, 2000.
Officers of the Fund
MARIE E. CONNOLLY, President and Treasurer. President, Chief Executive Officer,
Chief Compliance Officer and a director of the Distributor and Funds
Distributor, Inc., the ultimate parent of which is Boston Institutional
Group, Inc., and an officer of other investment companies advised or
administered by the Manager. She is 42 years old.
MARGARET W. CHAMBERS, Vice President and Secretary. Senior Vice President and
General Counsel of Funds Distributor, Inc., and an officer of other
investment companies advised or administered by the Manager. From August
1996 to March 1998, she was Vice President and Assistant General Counsel
for Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P. From January 1986 to July 1996, she was
an associate with the law firm of Ropes & Gray. She is 40 years old.
*FREDERICK DEY, Vice President, Assistant Treasurer and Assistant Secretary.
Vice President, New Business Development of Funds Distributor, Inc. since
September 1994, and an officer of other investment companies advised or
administered by the Manager. He is 38 years old.
STEPHANIE D. PIERCE, Vice President, Assistant Secretary and Assistant
Treasurer. Vice President of the Distributor and Funds Distributor, Inc.,
and an officer of other investment companies advised or administered by the
Manager. From April 1997 to March 1998, she was employed as a Relationship
Manager with Citibank, N.A. From August 1995 to April 1997, she was an
Assistant Vice President with Hudson Valley Bank, and from September 1990
to August 1995, she was Second Vice President with Chase Manhattan Bank.
She is 31 years old.
MARY A. NELSON, Vice President and Assistant Treasurer. Vice President of the
Distributor and Funds Distributor, Inc., and an officer of other investment
companies advised or administered by the Manager. She is 35 years old.
GEORGE A. RIO, Vice President and Assistant Treasurer. Executive Vice President
and Client Service Director of Funds Distributor, Inc., and an officer of
other investment companies advised or administered by the Manager. From
June 1995 to March 1998, he was Senior Vice President and Senior Key
Account Manager for Putnam Mutual Funds. From May 1994 to June 1995, he was
Director of Business Development for First Data Corporation. He is 45 years
old.
JOSEPH F. TOWER, III, Vice President and Assistant Treasurer. Senior Vice
President, Treasurer, Chief Financial Officer and a director of the
Distributor and Funds Distributor, Inc., and an officer of other investment
companies advised or administered by the Manager. He is 37 years old.
DOUGLAS C. CONROY, Vice President and Assistant Secretary. Assistant Vice
President of Funds Distributor, Inc., and an officer of other investment
companies advised or administered by the Manager. He is 30 years old.
*KAREN JACOPPO-WOOD, Vice President and Assistant Secretary. Vice President and
Senior Counsel of Funds Distributor, Inc. since February 1997, and an
officer of other investment companies advised or administered by the
Manager. From June 1994 to January 1996, she was Manager of SEC
Registration at Scudder, Stevens & Clark, Inc. She is 33 years old.
CHRISTOPHER J. KELLEY, Vice President and Assistant Secretary. Vice President
and Senior Associate General Counsel of Funds Distributor, Inc., and an
officer of other investment companies advised or administered by the
Manager. From April 1994 to July 1996, he was Assistant Counsel at Forum
Financial Group. He is 35 years old.
KATHLEEN K. MORRISEY, Vice President and Assistant Secretary. Manager of
Treasury Services Administration of Funds Distributor, Inc., and an officer
of other investment companies advised or administered by the Manager. From
July 1994 to November 1995, she was a Fund Accountant for Investors Bank &
Trust Company. She is 27 years old.
ELBA VASQUEZ, Vice President and Assistant Secretary. Assistant Vice President
of Funds Distributor, Inc., and an officer of other investment companies
advised or administered by the Manager. From March 1990 to May 1996, she
was employed by U.S. Trust Company of New York where she held various sales
and marketing positions. She is 38 years old.
The address of each officer of the Fund is 200 Park Avenue, New York, New
York 10166, except those officers indicated by an (*), whose address is 60 State
Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02109.
The Fund's Board members and officers, as a group, owned less than 1% of
the Fund's shares outstanding on February 1, 2000.
MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENTS
Investment Adviser. The Manager is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mellon
Bank, N.A., which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mellon Financial Corporation
("Mellon"). Mellon is a publicly owned multibank holding company incorporated
under Pennsylvania law in 1971 and registered under the Federal Bank Holding
Company Act of 1956, as amended. Mellon provides a comprehensive range of
financial products and services in domestic and selected international markets.
Mellon is among the twenty-five largest bank holding companies in the United
States based on total assets.
The Manager provides management services pursuant to the Management
Agreement (the "Agreement") between the Fund and the Manager. The Agreement is
subject to annual approval by (i) the Fund's Board or (ii) vote of a majority
(as defined in the 1940 Act) of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund,
provided that in either event the continuance also is approved by a majority of
the Board members who are not "interested persons" (as defined in the 1940 Act)
of the Fund or the Manager, by vote cast in person at a meeting called for the
purpose of voting on such approval. The Agreement is terminable without penalty,
on 60 days' notice, by the Fund's Board or by vote of the holders of a majority
of the Fund's shares, or, on not less than 90 days' notice, by the Manager. The
Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment (as
defined in the 1940 Act).
The following persons are officers and/or directors of the Manager:
Christopher M. Condron, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer;
Stephen E. Canter, President, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Investment Officer
and a director; Thomas F. Eggers, Vice Chairman-Institutional and a director;
Lawrence S. Kash, Vice Chairman; J. David Officer, Vice Chairman and a director;
Ronald P. O'Hanley III, Vice Chairman; William T. Sandalls, Jr., Executive Vice
President; Stephen R. Byers, Senior Vice President; Mark N. Jacobs, Vice
President, General Counsel and Secretary; Diane P. Durnin, Vice
President--Information Systems; Patrice M. Kozlowski, Vice President-Corporate
Communications; Mary Beth Leibig, Vice President-Human Resources; Ray Van Cott,
Vice President-Information Systems; Theodore A. Schachar, Vice President--Tax;
Wendy Strutt, Vice President; Richard Terres, Vice President; William H.
Maresca, Controller; James Bitetto, Assistant Secretary; Steven F. Newman,
Assistant Secretary; and Mandell L. Berman, Burton C. Borgelt, Steven G.
Elliott, Martin G. McGuinn, Richard W. Sabo and Richard F. Syron, directors.
The Manager manages the Fund's portfolio of investments in accordance with
the stated policies of the Fund, subject to the approval of the Fund's Board.
The Manager is responsible for investment decisions, and provides the Fund with
portfolio managers who are authorized by the Fund's Board to execute purchases
and sales of securities. The Fund's portfolio managers are Joseph P. Darcy, A.
Paul Disdier, Douglas J. Gaylor, Joseph Irace, Colleen Meehan, Richard J.
Moynihan, Jill C. Shaffro, Scott Sprauer, Samuel J. Weinstock and Monica S.
Wieboldt. The Manager also maintains a research department with a professional
staff of portfolio managers and securities analysts who provide research
services for the Fund and for other funds advised by the Manager.
Under the Manager's personal securities trading policy (the "Policy"), the
Manager's employees must preclear personal transactions in securities not exempt
under the Policy. In addition, the Manager's employees must report their
personal securities transactions and holdings, which are reviewed for compliance
with the Policy. In that regard, the Manager's portfolio managers and other
investment personnel also are subject to the oversight of Mellon's Investment
Ethics Committee. The Manager's portfolio managers and other investment
personnel who comply with the Policy's preclearance and disclosure procedures,
and the requirements of the Committee, may be permitted to purchase, sell or
hold securities which also may be or are held in fund(s) they manage or for
which they otherwise provide investment advice.
All expenses incurred in the operation of the Fund are borne by the Fund,
except to the extent specifically assumed by the Manager. The expenses borne by
the Fund include, without limitation: taxes, interest, loan commitment fees,
interest and distributions paid on securities sold short, brokerage fees and
commissions, if any, fees of Board members who are not officers, directors,
employees or holder of 5% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the
Manager, Securities and Exchange Commission fees, state Blue Sky qualification
fees, advisory fees, charges of custodians, transfer and dividend disbursing
agents' fees, certain insurance premiums, industry association fees, outside
auditing and legal expenses, costs of maintaining corporate existence, costs of
independent pricing services, costs attributable to investor services
(including, without limitation, telephone and personnel expenses), costs of
preparing and printing prospectuses and statements of additional information for
regulatory purposes and for distribution to existing shareholders, costs of
shareholders' reports and meetings, and any extraordinary expenses. In addition,
Fund shares are subject to an annual service and distribution fee. See "Service
Plan."
The Manager maintains office facilities on behalf of the Fund, and
furnishes statistical and research data, clerical help, accounting, data
processing, bookkeeping and internal auditing and certain other required
services to the Fund. The Manager may pay the Distributor for shareholder
services from the Manager's own assets, including past profits but not including
the management fee paid by the Fund. The Distributor may use part or all of such
payments to pay Service Agents (as defined below) in respect of these services.
The Manager also may make such advertising and promotional expenditures, using
its own resources, as it from time to time deems appropriate.
As compensation for the Manager's services, the Fund has agreed to pay the
Manager a monthly management fee at the annual rate of 0.60% of the value of the
Fund's average daily net assets. All fees and expenses are accrued daily and
deducted before payment of dividends to investors. For the fiscal years ended
October 31, 1997, 1998 and 1999, the management fees paid by the Fund amounted
to $1,831,617, $1,862,525 and $1,772,246, respectively.
The Manager has agreed that if in any fiscal year the aggregate expenses
of the Fund, exclusive of taxes, brokerage fees, interest on borrowings and
(with the prior written consent of the necessary state securities commissions)
extraordinary expenses, but including the management fee, exceed 1-1/2% of the
value of the Fund's average net assets for that fiscal year, the Fund may deduct
from the payment to be made to the Manager under the Agreement, or the Manager
will bear, such excess expense. Such deduction or payment, if any, will be
estimated daily, and reconciled and effected or paid, as the case may be, on a
monthly basis.
The aggregate of the fees payable to the Manager is not subject to
reduction as the value of the Fund's net assets increases.
Distributor. The Distributor, located at 60 State Street, Boston,
Massachusetts 02109, serves as the Fund's distributor on a best efforts basis
pursuant to an agreement which is renewable annually.
Transfer and Dividend Disbursing Agent and Custodian. Dreyfus Transfer,
Inc. (the "Transfer Agent"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Manager, P.O. Box
9671, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9671, is the Fund's transfer and dividend
disbursing agent. Under a transfer agency agreement with the Fund, the Transfer
Agent arranges for the maintenance of shareholder account records for the Fund,
the handling of certain communications between shareholders and the Fund and the
payment of dividends and distributions payable by the Fund. For these services,
the Transfer Agent receives a monthly fee computed on the basis of the number of
shareholder accounts it maintains for the Fund during the month, and is
reimbursed for certain out-of-pocket expenses.
The Bank of New York (the "Custodian"), 100 Church Street, New York, New
York 10286, is the Fund's custodian. The Custodian has no part in determining
the investment policies of the Fund or which securities are to be purchased or
sold by the Fund. Under a custody agreement with the Fund, the Custodian holds
the Fund's securities and keeps all necessary accounts and records. For its
custody services, the Custodian receives a monthly fee based on the market value
of the Fund's assets held in custody and receives certain securities
transactions charges.
HOW TO BUY SHARES
General. Fund shares may be purchased through the Distributor or certain
financial institutions (which may include banks), securities dealers and other
industry professionals, such as investment advisers, accountants and estate
planning firms (collectively, "Service Agents") that have entered into service
agreements with the Distributor. Stock certificates are issued only upon your
written request. No certificates are issued for fractional shares. It is not
recommended that the Fund be used as a vehicle for Keogh, IRA or other qualified
plans. The Fund reserves the right to reject any purchase order.
The minimum initial investment is $2,500, or $1,000 if you are a client of
a Service Agent which maintains an omnibus account in the Fund and has made an
aggregate minimum initial purchase for its customers of $2,500. Subsequent
investments must be at least $100. The initial investment must be accompanied by
the Account Application. For full-time or part-time employees of the Manager or
any of its affiliates or subsidiaries, directors of the Manager, Board members
of a fund advised by the Manager, including members of the Fund's Board, or the
spouse or minor child of any of the foregoing, the minimum initial investment is
$1,000. For full-time or part-time employees of the Manager or any of its
affiliates or subsidiaries who elect to have a portion of their pay directly
deposited into their Fund accounts, the minimum initial investment is $50. The
Fund reserves the right to vary the initial and subsequent investment minimum
requirements at any time.
Fund shares also are offered without regard to the minimum initial
investment requirements through Dreyfus-Automatic Asset Builder(R), Dreyfus
Government Direct Deposit Privilege or Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan pursuant to
the Dreyfus Step Program described under "Shareholder Services." These services
enable you to make regularly scheduled investments and may provide you with a
convenient way to invest for long-term financial goals. You should be aware,
however, that periodic investment plans do not guarantee a profit and will not
protect an investor against loss in a declining market.
Management understands that some Service Agents may impose certain
conditions on their clients which are different from those described in the
Fund's Prospectus and this Statement of Additional Information, and, to the
extent permitted by applicable regulatory authority, may charge their clients
direct fees. You should consult your Service Agent in this regard.
Shares are sold on a continuous basis at the net asset value per share
next determined after an order in proper form is received by the Transfer Agent
or other entity authorized to receive orders on behalf of the Fund. Net asset
value per share is determined as of the close of trading on the floor of the New
York Stock Exchange (currently 4:00 p.m., New York time) on each day the New
York Stock Exchange is open for business. For purposes of computing net asset
value per share, options and futures will be valued 15 minutes after the close
of trading on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Net asset value per
share is computed by dividing the value of the Fund's net assets (i.e., the
value of its assets less liabilities) by the total number of shares outstanding.
The Fund's investments are valued by an independent pricing service approved by
the Fund's Board and are valued at fair value as determined by the pricing
service. The pricing service's procedures are reviewed under the general
supervision of the Fund's Board. For further information regarding the methods
employed in valuing the Fund's investments, see "Determination of Net Asset
Value."
Dreyfus TeleTransfer Privilege. You may purchase shares by telephone if
you have checked the appropriate box and supplied the necessary information on
the Account Application or have filed a Shareholder Services Form with the
Transfer Agent. The proceeds will be transferred between the bank account
designated in one of these documents and your Fund account. Only a bank account
maintained in a domestic financial institution which is an Automated Clearing
House ("ACH") member may be so designated.
Dreyfus TeleTransfer purchase orders may be made at any time. Purchase
orders received by 4:00 p.m., New York time, on any day that the Transfer Agent
and the New York Stock Exchange are open for business will be credited to the
shareholder's Fund account on the next bank business day following such purchase
order. Purchase orders made after 4:00 p.m., New York time, on any day the
Transfer Agent and the New York Stock Exchange are open for business, or orders
made on Saturday, Sunday or any Fund holiday (e.g., when the New York Stock
Exchange is not open for business), will be credited to the shareholder's Fund
account on the second bank business day following such purchase order. To
qualify to use the Dreyfus TeleTransfer Privilege, the initial payment for
purchase of Fund shares must be drawn on, and redemption proceeds paid to, the
same bank and account as are designated on the Account Application or
Shareholder Services Form on file. If the proceeds of a particular redemption
are to be wired to an account at any other bank, the request must be in writing
and signature-guaranteed. See "How to Redeem Shares--Dreyfus TeleTransfer
Privilege."
Reopening an Account. You may reopen an account with a minimum investment
of $100 without filing a new Account Application during the calendar year the
account is closed or during the following calendar year, provided the
information on the old Account Application is still applicable.
SERVICE PLAN
Rule 12b-1 (the "Rule") adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission
under the 1940 Act provides, among other things, that an investment company may
bear expenses of distributing its shares only pursuant to a plan adopted in
accordance with the Rule. The Fund's Board has adopted such a plan (the "Service
Plan") pursuant to which the Fund (i) reimburses the Distributor for payments to
Service Agents for distributing the Fund's shares and servicing shareholder
accounts ("Servicing") and (ii) pays the Manager, Dreyfus Service Corporation
and any affiliate of either of them (collectively, "Dreyfus") for advertising
and marketing relating to the Fund and for servicing shareholder accounts, at an
aggregate annual rate of 0.20% of the value of the Fund's average daily net
assets. The Fund's Board believes that there is a reasonable likelihood that the
Service Plan may benefit the Fund and its shareholders.
Each of the Distributor and Dreyfus may pay one or more Service Agents a
fee in respect of Fund shares owned by shareholders with whom the Service Agent
has a Servicing relationship or for whom the Service Agent is the dealer or
holder of record. Each of the Distributor and Dreyfus determine the amount, if
any, to be paid to Service Agents under the Service Plan and the basis on which
such payments are made. The fees payable under the Service Plan are payable
without regard to actual expenses incurred.
The Fund also bears the costs of preparing and printing prospectuses and
statements of additional information used for regulatory purposes and for
distribution to existing shareholders. Under the Service Plan, the Fund bears
(a) the costs of preparing, printing and distributing prospectuses and
statements of additional information used for other purposes and (b) the costs
associated with implementing and operating the Service Plan (such as costs of
printing and mailing service agreements), the aggregate of such amounts not to
exceed in any fiscal year of the Fund the greater of $100,000 or 0.005% of the
value of the Fund's average daily net assets for such fiscal year. Each item for
which a payment may be made under the Service Plan may constitute an expense of
distributing Fund shares as the Securities and Exchange Commission construes
such term under the Rule.
A quarterly report of the amounts expended under the Service Plan, and the
purposes for which such expenditures were incurred, must be made to the Board
for its review. In addition, the Service Plan provides that it may not be
amended to increase materially the costs which the Fund may bear for
distribution pursuant to the Service Plan without shareholder approval and that
other material amendments of the Service Plan must be approved by the Board, and
by the Board members who are not "interested persons" (as defined in the 1940
Act) of the Fund or the Manager and have no direct or indirect financial
interest in the operation of the Service Plan or in the related service
agreements, by vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of
considering such amendments. The Service Plan and the related service agreements
are subject to annual approval by such vote of the Board members cast in person
at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on the Service Plan. The Service
Plan is terminable at any time by vote of a majority of the Board members who
are not "interested persons" and have no direct or indirect financial interest
in the operation of the Service Plan or in any of the related service agreements
or by vote of a majority of the Fund's shares.
For the fiscal year ended October 31, 1999, the Fund (a) reimbursed the
Distributor $31,800 for payments made to Service Agents for distributing Fund
shares and servicing shareholder accounts, and (b) paid Dreyfus $558,949 for
advertising and marketing Fund shares and for servicing shareholder accounts. In
addition, the Fund paid $4,651 for printing the Fund's prospectuses and
statements of additional information as well as implementing and operating the
Service Plan.
HOW TO REDEEM SHARES
Redemption Fee. The Fund will deduct a redemption fee equal to 0.10% of
the net asset value of Fund shares redeemed (including redemptions through the
use of the Fund Exchanges service) less than 15 days following the issuance of
such shares. The redemption fee will be deducted from the redemption proceeds
and retained by the Fund. For the fiscal year ended October 31, 1999, the Fund
retained $563 in redemption fees.
No redemption fee will be charged on the redemption or exchange of shares
(i) through the Fund's Check Redemption Privilege, Automatic Withdrawal Plan or
Dreyfus Auto-Exchange Privilege, (ii) through accounts that are reflected on the
records of the Transfer Agent as omnibus accounts approved by Dreyfus Service
Corporation, (iii) through accounts established by Service Agents approved by
Dreyfus Service Corporation that utilize the National Securities Clearing
Corporation's networking system, or (iv) acquired through the reinvestment of
dividends or distributions. The redemption fee may be waived, modified or
terminated at any time.
Check Redemption Privilege. The Fund provides Redemption Checks ("Checks")
automatically upon opening an account, unless you specifically refuse the Check
Redemption Privilege by checking the applicable "No" box on the Account
Application. The Check Redemption Privilege may be established for an existing
account by a separate signed Shareholder Services Form. Checks will be sent only
to the registered owner(s) of the account and only to the address of record. The
Account Application or Shareholder Services Form must be manually signed by the
registered owner(s). Checks may be made payable to the order of any person in an
amount of $500 or more. When a Check is presented to the Transfer Agent for
payment, the Transfer Agent, as your agent, will cause the Fund to redeem a
sufficient number of shares in your account to cover the amount of the Check.
Dividends are earned until the Check clears. After clearance, a copy of the
Check will be returned to you. You generally will be subject to the same rules
and regulations that apply to checking accounts, although the election of this
Privilege creates only a shareholder-transfer agent relationship with the
Transfer Agent.
You should date your Checks with the current date when you write them.
Please do not postdate your Checks. If you do, the Transfer Agent will honor,
upon presentment, even if presented before the date of the Check, all postdated
Checks which are dated within six months of presentment for payment, if they are
otherwise in good order.
Checks are free, but the Transfer Agent will impose a fee for stopping
payment of a Check upon your request or if the Transfer Agent cannot honor a
Check due to insufficient funds or other valid reason. If the amount of the
Check is greater than the value of the shares in your account, the Check will be
returned marked insufficient funds. Checks should not be used to close an
account.
This Privilege will be terminated immediately, without notice, with
respect to any account which is, or becomes, subject to backup withholding on
redemptions. Any Check written on an account which has become subject to backup
withholding on redemptions will not be honored by the Transfer Agent.
Wire Redemption Privilege. By using this Privilege, you authorize the
Transfer Agent to act on wire, telephone or letter redemption instructions from
any person representing himself or herself to be you and reasonably believed by
the Transfer Agent to be genuine. Ordinarily, the Fund will initiate payment for
shares redeemed pursuant to this Privilege on the next business day after
receipt by the Transfer Agent of a redemption request in proper form. Redemption
proceeds ($1,000 minimum) will be transferred by Federal Reserve wire only to
the commercial bank account specified by you on the Account Application or
Shareholder Services Form, or to a correspondent bank if your bank is not a
member of the Federal Reserve System. Fees ordinarily are imposed by such bank
and borne by the investor. Immediate notification by the correspondent bank to
your bank is necessary to avoid a delay in crediting the funds to your bank
account.
If you have access to telegraphic equipment, you may wire redemption
requests to the Transfer Agent by employing the following transmittal code which
may be used for domestic or overseas transmissions:
Transfer Agent's
Transmittal Code Answer Back Sign
144295 144295 TSSG PREP
If you do not have direct access to telegraphic equipment, you may have
the wire transmitted by contacting a TRT Cables operator at 1-800-654-7171, toll
free. You should advise the operator that the above transmittal code must be
used and should also inform the operator of the Transfer Agent's answer back
sign.
To change the commercial bank or account designated to receive redemption
proceeds, a written request must be sent to the Transfer Agent. This request
must be signed by each shareholder, with each signature guaranteed as described
below under "Stock Certificates; Signatures."
Dreyfus TeleTransfer Privilege. You may request by telephone that
redemption proceeds be transferred between your Fund account and your bank
account. Only a bank account maintained in a domestic financial institution
which is an ACH member may be designated. Holders of jointly registered Fund or
bank accounts may redeem through the Dreyfus TeleTransfer Privilege for transfer
to their bank account not more than $500,000 within any 30-day period. You
should be aware that if you have selected the Dreyfus TeleTransfer Privilege,
any request for a wire redemption will be effected as a Dreyfus TeleTransfer
transaction through the ACH system unless more prompt transmittal specifically
is requested. Redemption proceeds will be on deposit in your account at an ACH
member bank ordinarily two business days after receipt of the redemption
request. See "How to Buy Shares--Dreyfus TeleTransfer Privilege."
Redemption Through a Selected Dealer. If you are a customer of a Selected
Dealer, you may make redemption requests to your Selected Dealer. If the
Selected Dealer transmits the redemption request so that it is received by the
Transfer Agent prior to the close of trading on the floor of the New York Stock
Exchange (currently 4:00 p.m., New York time), the redemption request will be
effective on that day. If a redemption request is received by the Transfer Agent
after the close of trading on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, the
redemption request will be effective on the next business day. It is the
responsibility of the Selected Dealer to transmit a request so that it is
received in a timely manner. The proceeds of the redemption are credited to your
account with the Selected Dealer. See "How to Buy Shares" for a discussion of
additional conditions or fees that may be imposed upon redemption.
Stock Certificates; Signatures. Any certificates representing Fund shares
to be redeemed must be submitted with the redemption request. Written redemption
requests must be signed by each shareholder, including each holder of a joint
account, and each signature must be guaranteed. Signatures on endorsed
certificates submitted for redemption also must be guaranteed. The Transfer
Agent has adopted standards and procedures pursuant to which
signature-guarantees in proper form generally will be accepted from domestic
banks, brokers, dealers, credit unions, national securities exchanges,
registered securities associations, clearing agencies and savings associations,
as well as from participants in the New York Stock Exchange Medallion Signature
Program, the Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program ("STAMP") and the
Stock Exchanges Medallion Program. Guarantees must be signed by an authorized
signatory of the guarantor, and "Signature-Guaranteed" must appear with the
signature. The Transfer Agent may request additional documentation from
corporations, executors, administrators, trustees or guardians, and may accept
other suitable verification arrangements from foreign investors, such as
consular verification. For more information with respect to
signature-guarantees, please call one of the telephone numbers listed on the
cover.
Redemption Commitment. The Fund has committed itself to pay in cash all
redemption requests by any shareholder of record, limited in amount during any
90-day period to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the value of the Fund's net
assets at the beginning of such period. Such commitment is irrevocable without
the prior approval of the Securities and Exchange Commission. In the case of
requests for redemption in excess of such amount, the Board reserves the right
to make payments in whole or in part in securities or other assets of the Fund
in case of an emergency or any time a cash distribution would impair the
liquidity of the Fund to the detriment of the existing shareholders. In such
event, the securities would be valued in the same manner as the Fund's portfolio
is valued. If the recipient sells such securities, brokerage charges might be
incurred.
Suspension of Redemptions. The right of redemption may be suspended or the
date of payment postponed (a) during any period when the New York Stock Exchange
is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings), (b) when trading
in the markets the Fund ordinarily utilizes is restricted, or when an emergency
exists as determined by the Securities and Exchange Commission so that disposal
of the Fund's investments or determination of its net asset value is not
reasonably practicable, or (c) for such other periods as the Securities and
Exchange Commission by order may permit to protect the Fund's shareholders.
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES
Fund Exchanges. You may purchase, in exchange for shares of the Fund,
shares of certain other funds managed or administered by the Manager or Founders
Asset Management LLC ("Founders"), an affiliate of the Manager, to the extent
such shares are offered for sale in your state of residence. The Fund will
deduct a redemption fee equal to 0.10% of the net asset value of Fund shares
exchanged where the exchange is made less than 15 days after the issuance of
such shares. Shares of other funds purchased by exchange will be purchased on
the basis of relative net asset value per share as follows:
A. Exchanges for shares of funds offered without a sales load
will be made without a sales load.
B. Shares of funds purchased without a sales load may be
exchanged for shares of other funds sold with a sales load,
and the applicable sales load will be deducted.
C. Shares of funds purchased with a sales load may be exchanged
without a sales load for shares of other funds sold without a
sales load.
D. Shares of funds purchased with a sales load, shares of funds
acquired by a previous exchange from shares purchased with a
sales load and additional shares acquired through reinvestment
of dividends or distributions of any such funds (collectively
referred to herein as "Purchased Shares") may be exchanged for
shares of other funds sold with a sales load (referred to
herein as "Offered Shares"), but if the sales load applicable
to the Offered Shares exceeds the maximum sales load that
could have been imposed in connection with the Purchased
Shares (at the time the Purchased Shares were acquired),
without giving effect to any reduced loads, the difference
will be deducted.
To accomplish an exchange under item D above, you must notify the Transfer
Agent of your prior ownership of fund shares and your account number.
To request an exchange, you or your Service Agent acting on your behalf
must give exchange instructions to the Transfer Agent in writing or by
telephone. The ability to issue exchange instructions by telephone is given to
all Fund shareholders automatically, unless you check the applicable "No" box on
the Account Application, indicating that you specifically refuse this Privilege.
By using the Telephone Exchange Privilege, you authorize the Transfer Agent to
act on telephonic instructions (including over The Dreyfus Touch(R) automated
telephone system) from any person representing himself or herself to be you and
reasonably believed by the Transfer Agent to be genuine. Telephone exchanges may
be subject to limitations as to the amount involved or the number of telephone
exchanges permitted. Shares issued in certificate form are not eligible for
telephone exchange. No fees currently are charged shareholders directly in
connection with exchanges, although the Fund reserves the right, upon not less
than 60 days' written notice, to charge shareholders a nominal administrative
fee in accordance with rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
To establish a personal retirement plan by exchange, shares of the fund
being exchanged must have a value of at least the minimum initial investment
required for the fund into which the exchange is being made.
Dreyfus Auto-Exchange Privilege. Dreyfus Auto-Exchange Privilege permits
you to purchase, in exchange for shares of the Fund, shares of another fund in
the Dreyfus Family of Funds or certain funds advised by Founders of which you
are a shareholder. This Privilege is available only for existing accounts.
Shares will be exchanged on the basis of relative net asset value as described
above under "Fund Exchanges." Enrollment in or modification or cancellation of
this Privilege is effective three business days following notification by the
investor. You will be notified if your account falls below the amount designated
to be exchanged under this Privilege. In this case, your account will fall to
zero unless additional investments are made in excess of the designated amount
prior to the next Auto-Exchange transaction. Shares held under IRA and other
retirement plans are eligible for this Privilege. Exchanges of IRA shares may be
made between IRA accounts and from regular accounts to IRA accounts, but not
from IRA accounts to regular accounts. With respect to all other retirement
accounts, exchanges may be made only among those accounts.
Shareholder Services Forms and prospectuses of the other funds may be
obtained by calling 1-800-645-6561. The Fund reserves the right to reject any
exchange request in whole or in part. Shares may be exchanged only between
accounts having identical names and other identifying designations. The Fund
Exchanges service or the Dreyfus Auto-Exchange Privilege may be modified or
terminated at any time upon notice to shareholders.
Dreyfus-Automatic Asset Builder(R). Dreyfus-Automatic Asset Builder
permits you to purchase Fund shares (minimum of $100 and maximum of $150,000 per
transaction) at regular intervals selected by you. Fund shares are purchased by
transferring funds from the bank account designated by you.
Dreyfus Government Direct Deposit Privilege. Dreyfus Government Direct
Deposit Privilege enables you to purchase Fund shares (minimum of $100 and
maximum of $50,000 per transaction) by having Federal salary, Social Security,
or certain veterans', military or other payments from the U.S. Government
automatically deposited into your fund account. You may deposit as much of such
payments as you elect.
Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan. Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan permits you to
purchase Fund shares (minimum of $100 per transaction) automatically on a
regular basis. Depending upon your employer's direct deposit program, you may
have part or all of your paycheck transferred to your existing Dreyfus account
electronically through the ACH system at each pay period. To establish a Dreyfus
Payroll Savings Plan account, you must file an authorization form with your
employer's payroll department. It is the sole responsibility of your employer to
arrange for transactions under the Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan.
Dreyfus Step Program. The Dreyfus Step Program enables you to purchase
Fund shares without regard to the Fund's minimum initial investment requirements
through Dreyfus-Automatic Asset Builder(R), Dreyfus Government Direct Deposit
Privilege or Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan. To establish a Dreyfus Step Program
account, you must supply the necessary information on the Account Application
and file the required authorization form(s) with the Transfer Agent. For more
information concerning this Program, or to request the necessary authorization
form(s), please call toll free 1-800-782-6620. You may terminate your
participation in this Program at any time by discontinuing your participation in
Dreyfus-Automatic Asset Builder, Dreyfus Government Direct Deposit Privilege or
Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan, as the case may be, as provided under the terms of
such Privilege(s). The Fund may modify or terminate this Program at any time.
Dreyfus Dividend Options. Dreyfus Dividend Sweep allows you to invest
automatically your dividends or dividends and capital gain distributions, if
any, from the Fund in shares of another fund in the Dreyfus Family of Funds or
certain funds advised by Founders of which you are a shareholder. Shares of
other funds purchased pursuant to this privilege will be purchased on the basis
of relative net asset value per share as follows:
A. Dividends and distributions paid by a fund may be invested
without imposition of a sales load in shares of other funds
offered without a sales load.
B. Dividends and distributions paid by a fund which does not
charge a sales load may be invested in shares of other funds
sold with a sales load, and the applicable sales load will be
deducted.
C. Dividends and distributions paid by a fund that charges a
sales load may be invested in shares of other funds sold with
a sales load (referred to herein as "Offered Shares"), but if
the sales load applicable to the Offered Shares exceeds the
maximum sales load charged by the fund from which dividends or
distributions are being swept (without giving effect to any
reduced loads), the difference will be deducted.
D. Dividends and distributions paid by a fund may be invested in
shares of other funds that impose a contingent deferred sales
charge ("CDSC") and the applicable CDSC, if any, will be
imposed upon redemption of such shares.
Dreyfus Dividend ACH permits you to transfer electronically dividends or
dividends and capital gain distributions, if any, from the Fund to a designated
bank account. Only an account maintained at a domestic financial institution
which is an ACH member may be so designated. Banks may charge a fee for this
service.
Automatic Withdrawal Plan. The Automatic Withdrawal Plan permits you to
request withdrawal of a specified dollar amount (minimum of $50) on either a
monthly or quarterly basis if you have a $5,000 minimum account. Withdrawal
payments are the proceeds from sales of Fund shares, not the yield on the
shares. If withdrawal payments exceed reinvested dividends and distributions,
your shares will be reduced and eventually may be depleted. Automatic Withdrawal
may be terminated at any time by you, the Fund or the Transfer Agent. Shares for
which certificates have been issued may not be redeemed through the Automatic
Withdrawal Plan.
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
Valuation of Portfolio Securities. The Fund's investments are valued each
business day by an independent pricing service (the "Service") approved by the
Fund's Board. When, in the judgment of the Service, quoted bid prices for
investments are readily available and are representative of the bid side of the
market, these investments are valued at the mean between the quoted bid prices
(as obtained by the Service from dealers in such securities) and asked prices
(as calculated by the Service based upon its evaluation of the market for such
securities). Other investments (which constitute a majority of the portfolio
securities) are carried at fair value as determined by the Service, based on
methods which include consideration of: yields or prices of municipal bonds of
comparable quality, coupon, maturity and type; indications as to values from
dealers; and general market conditions. The Service may employ electronic data
processing techniques and/or a matrix system to determine valuations. The
Service's procedures are reviewed by the Fund's officers under the general
supervision of the Fund's Board. Expenses and fees, including the management fee
(reduced by the expense limitation, if any), are accrued daily and are taken
into account for the purpose of determining the net asset value of Fund shares.
New York Stock Exchange Closings. The holidays (as observed) on which the
New York Stock Exchange is closed currently are: New Year's Day, Martin Luther
King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day,
Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
<PAGE>
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
Management believes that the Fund has qualified for the fiscal year ended
October 31, 1999 as a "regulated investment company" under the Code. The Fund
intends to continue to so qualify if such qualification is in the best interests
of its shareholders. Such qualification relieves the Fund of any liability for
Federal income tax to the extent its earnings are distributed in accordance with
applicable provisions of the Code. If the Fund did not qualify as a regulated
investment company, it would be treated for tax purposes as an ordinary
corporation subject to Federal income tax.
The Fund ordinarily declares dividends from its net investment income on
each day the New York Stock Exchange is open for business. Fund shares begin
earning income dividends on the day following the date of purchase. Dividends
usually are paid on the last business day of each month and are automatically
reinvested in additional Fund shares at net asset value or, at your option, paid
in cash. The Fund's earnings for Saturdays, Sundays and holidays are declared as
dividends on the next business day. If you redeem all shares in your account at
any time during the month, all dividends to which you are entitled will be paid
to you along with the proceeds of the redemption. If you are an omnibus
accountholder and indicate in a partial redemption request that a portion of any
accrued dividends to which such account is entitled belongs to an underlying
accountholder who has redeemed all shares in his or her account, such portion of
the accrued dividends will be paid to you along with the proceeds of the
redemption.
If you elect to receive dividends and distributions in cash, and your
dividend or distribution check is returned to the Fund as undeliverable or
remains uncashed for six months, the Fund reserves the right to reinvest such
dividend or distribution and all future dividends and distributions payable to
you in additional Fund shares at net asset value. No interest will accrue on
amounts represented by uncashed distribution or redemption checks.
If, at the close of each quarter of its taxable year, at least 50% of the
value of the Fund's total assets consists of Federal tax exempt obligations,
then the Fund may designate and pay Federal exempt-interest dividends from
interest earned on all such tax exempt obligations. Such exempt-interest
dividends may be excluded by shareholders of the Fund from their gross income
for Federal income tax purposes. Dividends derived from Taxable Investments,
together with distributions from any net realized short-term securities gains,
generally are taxable as ordinary income for Federal income tax purposes whether
or not reinvested. Distributions from net realized long-term securities gains
generally are taxable as long-term capital gains to a shareholder who is a
citizen or resident of the United States, whether or not reinvested and
regardless of the length of time the shareholder has held his shares.
Any dividend or distribution paid shortly after an investor's purchase may
have the effect of reducing the aggregate net asset value of the shares below
the cost of his investment. Such a distribution would be a return on investment
in an economic sense although taxable as stated under "Distributions and Taxes"
in the Prospectus. In addition, the Code provides that if a shareholder holds
Fund shares for six months or less and has received an exempt-interest dividend
with respect to such shares, any loss incurred on the sale of such shares will
be disallowed to the extent of the exempt-interest dividend received.
Ordinarily, gains and losses realized from portfolio transactions will be
treated as capital gains or losses. However, all or a portion of any gains
realized from the sale or other disposition of certain market discount bonds
will be treated as ordinary income under Section 1276 of the Code. In addition,
all or a portion of the gain realized from engaging in "conversion transactions"
may be treated as ordinary income under Section 1258 of the Code. "Conversion
transactions" are defined to include certain forward, futures, option and
"straddle" transactions, transactions marketed or sold to produce capital gains,
or transactions described in Treasury regulations to be issued in the future.
Under Section 1256 of the Code, any gain or loss realized by the Fund from
certain financial futures and options transactions will be treated as 60%
long-term capital gain or loss and 40% short-term capital gain or loss. Gain or
loss will arise upon exercise or lapse of such futures and options as well as
from closing transactions. In addition, any such futures or options remaining
unexercised at the end of the Fund's taxable year will be treated as sold for
their then fair market value, resulting in additional gain or loss to the Fund
characterized as described above.
Offsetting positions held by the Fund involving certain financial futures
contracts or options transactions may be considered, for tax purposes, to
constitute "straddles." "Straddles" are defined to include "offsetting
positions" in actively traded personal property. The tax treatment of
"straddles" is governed by Sections 1092 and 1258 of the Code, which, in certain
circumstances, override or modify the provisions of Section 1256 of the Code. As
such, all or a portion of any short or long-term capital gain from certain
"straddle" and/or conversion transactions may be recharacterized as ordinary
income.
If the Fund were treated as entering into "straddles" by reason of its
engaging in financial futures contracts or options transactions, such
"straddles" would be characterized as "mixed straddles" if the futures or
options comprising a part of such "straddles" were governed by Section 1256 of
the Code. The Fund may make one or more elections with respect to "mixed
straddles." If no election is made, to the extent the straddle and conversion
transaction rules apply to positions established by the Fund, losses realized by
the Fund will be deferred to the extent of unrealized gain in the related
offsetting position. Moreover, as a result of the straddle and the conversion
transaction rules, short-term capital loss on straddle positions may be
recharacterized as long-term capital loss, and long-term capital gain on
straddle positions may be recharacterized as short-term capital gain or ordinary
income.
The Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 included constructive sale provisions that
generally apply if the Fund either (1) holds an appreciated financial position
with respect to stock, certain debt obligations, or partnership interests
("appreciated financial position") and then enters into a short sale, futures,
forward, or offsetting notional principal contract (collectively, a "Contract")
respecting the same or substantially identical property or (2) holds an
appreciated financial position that is a Contract and then acquires property
that is the same as, or substantially identical to, the underlying property. In
each instance, with certain exceptions, the Fund generally will be taxed as if
the appreciated financial position were sold at its fair market value on the
date the Fund enters into the financial position or acquires the property,
respectively. Transactions that are identified as hedging or straddle
transactions under other provisions of the Code can be subject to the
constructive sale provisions.
Investment by the Fund in securities issued at a discount or providing for
deferred interest or for payment of interest in the form of additional
obligations could, under special tax rules, affect the amount, timing and
character of distributions to shareholders. For example, the Fund could be
required to take into account annually a portion of the discount (or deemed
discount) at which such securities were issued and to distribute such portion in
order to maintain its qualification as a regulated investment company. In such
case, the Fund may have to dispose of securities which it might otherwise have
continued to hold in order to generate cash to satisfy these distribution
requirements.
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS
Portfolio securities are purchased from and sold to parties acting as
either principal or agent. Newly-issued securities ordinarily are purchased
directly from the issuer or from an underwriter; other purchases and sales
usually are placed with those dealers from which it appears that the best price
or execution will be obtained. Usually no brokerage commissions, as such, are
paid by the Fund for such purchases and sales, although the price paid usually
includes an undisclosed compensation to the dealer acting as agent. The prices
paid to underwriters of newly-issued securities usually include a concession
paid by the issuer to the underwriter, and purchases of after-market securities
from dealers ordinarily are executed at a price between the bid and asked price.
No brokerage commissions have been paid by the Fund to date.
Transactions are allocated to various dealers by the Fund's portfolio
managers in their best judgment. The primary consideration is prompt and
effective execution of orders at the most favorable price. Subject to that
primary consideration, dealers may be selected for research, statistical or
other services to enable the Manager to supplement its own research and analysis
with the views and information of other securities firms and may be selected
based upon their sales of shares of the Fund or other funds advised by the
Manager or its affiliates.
Research services furnished by brokers through which the Fund effects
securities transactions may be used by the Manager in advising other funds it
advises and, conversely, research services furnished to the Manager by brokers
in connection with other funds the Manager advises may be used by the Manager in
advising the Fund. Although it is not possible to place a dollar value on these
services, it is the Manager's opinion that the receipt and study of such
services should not reduce the expenses of its research department.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
The Fund's current yield for the 30-day period ended October 31, 1999 was
4.97%. Current yield is computed pursuant to a formula which operates as
follows: the amount of the Fund's expenses accrued for the 30-day period (net of
reimbursements) is subtracted from the amount of the dividends and interest
earned (computed in accordance with regulatory requirements) by the Fund during
the period. That result is then divided by the product of: (a) the average daily
number of shares outstanding during the period that were entitled to receive
dividends and distributions, and (b) the net asset value per share on the last
day of the period less any undistributed earned income per share reasonably
expected to be declared as a dividend shortly thereafter. The quotient is then
added to 1, and that sum is raised to the 6th power, after which 1 is
subtracted. The current yield is then arrived at by multiplying the result by 2.
Based upon a combined 1999 Federal, New York State and New York City
effective tax rate of 46.03%, the Fund's tax equivalent yield for the 30-day
period ended October 31, 1999 was 9.21%. Tax equivalent yield is computed by
dividing that portion of the current yield (calculated as described above) which
is tax exempt by 1 minus a stated tax rate and adding the quotient to that
portion, if any, of the yield of the Fund that is not tax exempt.
The tax equivalent yield quoted above represents the application of the
highest Federal, New York State and New York City marginal personal tax rates
presently in effect. For Federal personal income tax purposes, a 39.60% tax rate
has been used. For New York State personal income tax purposes, a 6.85% tax rate
has been used. For New York City personal income tax purposes, a 3.83% tax rate
has been used. The tax equivalent figure, however, does not include the
potential effect of any local (including, but not limited to, county, district
or city, other than New York City) taxes, including applicable surcharges. In
addition, there may be pending legislation which could affect such stated tax
rates or yields. Each investor should consult its tax adviser, consider its own
factual circumstances and applicable tax laws, in order to ascertain the
relevant tax equivalent yield.
The Fund's average annual total return for the 1, 5 and 10 year periods
ended October 31, 1999 was -4.16%, 5.89% and 6.77%, respectively. Average annual
total return is calculated by determining the ending redeemable value of an
investment purchased with a hypothetical $1,000 payment made at the beginning of
the period (assuming the reinvestment of dividends and distributions), dividing
by the amount of the initial investment, taking the "n"th root of the quotient
(where "n" is the number of years in the period) and subtracting 1 from the
result.
The Fund's aggregate total return for the period November 19, 1984
(commencement of operations) through October 31, 1999 was 189.24%. Total return
is calculated by subtracting the amount of the Fund's net asset value per share
at the beginning of a stated period from the net asset value per share at the
end of the period (after giving effect to the reinvestment of dividends and
distributions during the period), and dividing the result by the net asset value
per share at the beginning of the period.
Certain performance figures set forth above are for periods when the Fund's
investment restrictions were different from what they are as of the date hereof.
See "Information About the Fund."
From time to time, the Fund may use hypothetical tax equivalent yields or
charts in its advertising. These hypothetical yields or charts will be used for
illustrative purposes only and are not indicative of the Fund's past or future
performance.
Comparative performance information may be used from time to time in
advertising or marketing the Fund's shares, including data from Lipper
Analytical Services, Inc., CDA Investment Technologies, Inc., Moody's Bond
Survey Bond Index, Lehman Brothers Municipal Bond Index, Morningstar, Inc. and
other industry publications. From time to time, advertising materials for the
Fund may refer to or discuss then-current or past economic conditions,
developments and/or events, actual or proposed tax legislation, or to
statistical or other information concerning trends relating to investment
companies, as compiled by industry associations such as the Investment Company
Institute. From time to time, advertising materials for the Fund also may refer
to Morningstar ratings and related analyses supporting such ratings.
From time to time, advertising material for the Fund may include
biographical information relating to its portfolio manager and may refer to, or
include commentary by the portfolio manager relating to investment strategy,
asset growth, current or past business, political, economic or financial
conditions and other matters of general interest to investors.
From time to time, advertising materials may refer to studies performed by
the Manager or its affiliates, such as "The Dreyfus Tax Informed Investing
Study" or "The Dreyfus Gender Investment Comparison Study (1996 & 1997)" or
other such studies.
INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND
Each Fund share has one vote and, when issued and paid for in accordance
with the terms of the offering, is fully paid and non-assessable. Fund shares
are of one class and have equal rights as to dividends and in liquidation.
Shares have no preemptive, subscription or conversion rights and are freely
transferable.
On December 18, 1989, Fund shareholders approved a proposal to (a) change
the Fund's investment restrictions to permit the Fund to purchase and sell
futures and options on futures transactions, lend portfolio securities and
purchase stand-by commitments, and (b) change the Fund's name from General New
York Exempt Intermediate Bond Fund, Inc. to General New York Municipal Bond
Fund, Inc. In addition, prior thereto at least 80% of the value of the Fund's
portfolio was required to consist of Municipal Obligations rated no lower than
Baa by Moody's or BBB by S&P, and the dollar-weighted average maturity of its
portfolio ranged between three and ten years.
Unless otherwise required by the 1940 Act, ordinarily it will not be
necessary for the Fund to hold annual meetings of shareholders. As a result,
Fund shareholders may not consider each year the election of Board members or
the appointment of auditors. However, the holders of at least 10% of the shares
outstanding and entitled to vote may require the Fund to hold a special meeting
of shareholders for purposes of removing a Board member from office. Fund
shareholders may remove a Board member by the affirmative vote of a majority of
the Fund's outstanding voting shares. In addition, the Board will call a meeting
of shareholders for the purpose of electing Board members if, at any time, less
than a majority of the Board members then holding office have been elected by
shareholders.
The Fund is intended to be a long-term investment vehicle and is not
designed to provide investors with a means of speculating on short-term market
movements. A pattern of frequent purchases and exchanges can be disruptive to
efficient portfolio management and, consequently, can be detrimental to the
Fund's performance and its shareholders. Accordingly, if the Fund's management
determines that an investor is following a market-timing strategy or is
otherwise engaging in excessive trading, the Fund, with or without prior notice,
may temporarily or permanently terminate the availability of Fund Exchanges, or
reject in whole or part any purchase or exchange request, with respect to such
investor's account. Such investors also may be barred from purchasing other
funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds. Generally, an investor who makes more than
four exchanges out of the Fund during any calendar year or who makes exchanges
that appear to coincide with a market-timing strategy may be deemed to be
engaged in excessive trading. Accounts under common ownership or control will be
considered as one account for purposes of determining a pattern of excessive
trading. In addition, the Fund may refuse or restrict purchase or exchange
requests by any person or group if, in the judgment of the Fund's management,
the Fund would be unable to invest the money effectively in accordance with its
investment objective and policies or could otherwise be adversely affected or if
the Fund receives or anticipates receiving simultaneous orders that may
significantly affect the Fund (e.g., amounts equal to 1% or more of the Fund's
total assets). If an exchange request is refused, the Fund will take no other
action with respect to the shares until it receives further instructions from
the investor. The Fund may delay forwarding redemption proceeds for up to seven
days if the investor redeeming shares is engaged in excessive trading or if the
amount of the redemption request otherwise would be disruptive to efficient
portfolio management or would adversely affect the Fund. The Fund's policy on
excessive trading applies to investors who invest in the Fund directly or
through financial intermediaries, but does not apply to the Dreyfus
Auto-Exchange Privilege, to any automatic investment or withdrawal privilege
described herein, or to participants in employer-sponsored retirement plans.
During times of drastic economic or market conditions, the Fund may
suspend Fund Exchanges temporarily without notice and treat exchange requests
based on their separate components -- redemption orders with a simultaneous
request to purchase the other fund's shares. In such a case, the redemption
request would be processed at the Fund's next determined net asset value but the
purchase order would be effective only at the net asset value next determined
after the fund being purchased receives the proceeds of the redemption, which
may result in the purchase being delayed.
The Fund sends annual and semi-annual financial statements to all its
shareholders.
<PAGE>
COUNSEL AND INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP, 180 Maiden Lane, New York, New York
10038-4982, as counsel for the Fund, has rendered its opinion as to certain
legal matters regarding the due authorization and valid issuance of the shares
being sold pursuant to the Fund's Prospectus.
Ernst & Young LLP, 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019,
independent auditors, have been selected as independent auditors of the Fund.
<PAGE>
APPENDIX A
INVESTING IN NEW YORK MUNICIPAL OBLIGATIONS
RISK FACTORS--INVESTING IN NEW YORK MUNICIPAL OBLIGATIONS
The following information is a summary of special factors affecting
investments in New York Municipal Obligations. It does not purport to be a
complete description and is based on information drawn from the Official
Statement issued by the State of New York (the "State") for its public bond
issue on August 24, 1999. While the Fund has not independently verified this
information, it has no reason to believe that such information is not correct in
all material respects.
The State's fiscal year begins on April 1st and ends on March 31st. On
March 31, 1999, the State adopted the debt service portion of the State budget
for the 1999-2000 fiscal year; four months later, on August 4, 1999, it enacted
the remainder of the budget. The Governor approved the budget as passed by the
Legislature. Prior to passing the budget in its entirety for the 1999-2000
fiscal year, the State enacted appropriations that permitted the State to
continue its operations.
Following enactment of the 1999-2000 budget, the State prepared a
Financial Plan for the 1999-2000 fiscal year (the "1999-2000 Financial Plan")
that sets forth projected receipts and disbursements based on the actions taken
by the Legislature. For fiscal year 1999-2000, General Fund disbursements,
including transfers to support capital projects, debt service and other funds,
are estimated at $37.36 billion, an increase of $868 million or 2.38 % over
1998-99. Projected spending under the 1999-2000 enacted budget is $215 million
above the Governor's Executive Budget recommendations. The increase in General
Fund spending is comprised of $1.1 billion in legislative additions to the
Executive Budget (primarily in education), offset by various actions, including
reestimates of required spending based on year-to-date results and the
identification of certain other resources that offset spending, such as $250
million from commencing the process of privatizing the Medical Malpractice
Insurance Association (MMIA), $250 million from the retention of the Debt
Reduction Reserve Fund within the General Fund and about $100 million in excess
fund balances. The MMIA was established in 1983 to provide excess liability
insurance to doctors and medical providers. Legislation enacted with the
1999-2000 budget initiates the process of MMIA privatization and transfers
excess fund balances to the State.
The 1999-2000 enacted budget provides for $831 million in new funding for
public schools, the largest year-to-year increase in State history. The budget
also enacts several new tax cuts valued at $375 million when fully phased in by
2003-04. None of the $1.82 billion cash surplus from 1998-99 is assumed to
support spending in 1999-2000, but instead is reserved to help offset the costs
of previously enacted tax cuts that take effect after 1999-2000.
The 1999-2000 Financial Plan projects a closing balance of $2.85 billion
in the General Fund. The balance is comprised of the $1.82 billion surplus from
1998-99 that has been set aside to finance already-enacted tax cuts, $473
million in the Tax Stabilization Reserve Fund (TSRF), $250 million in the Debt
Reduction Reserve Fund (DRRF), $107 million in the Contingency Reserve Fund
(CRF), and $200 million in the Community Projects Fund (CPF), which finances
legislative initiatives. The State expects to close fiscal year 1999-2000 with
cash balances in these funds at their highest levels ever.
Many complex political, social and economic forces influence the State's
economy and finances, which in turn may affect the State Financial Plan. These
forces may affect the State unpredictably from fiscal year to fiscal year and
are influenced by governments, institutions, and organizations that are not
subject to the State's control. The State Financial Plan also is based upon
forecasts of national and State economic activity. Economic forecasts frequently
have failed to predict accurately the timing and magnitude of changes in the
national and State economies. The Division of Budget (DOB) believes that its
projections of receipts and disbursements relating to the current State
Financial Plan, and the assumptions on which they are based, are reasonable.
Actual results, however, could differ materially and adversely from the
projections set forth below, and those projections may be changed materially and
adversely from time to time. See the section entitled "Special Considerations"
below for a discussion of risks and uncertainties faced by the State.
1999-2000 STATE FINANCIAL PLAN
Four governmental fund types comprise the State Financial Plan: the
General Fund, the Special Revenue Funds, the Capital Projects Funds, and the
Debt Service Funds. The State's fund structure adheres to the accounting
standards of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board.
GENERAL FUND
The General Fund is the principal operating fund of the State and is used
to account for all financial transactions except those required to be accounted
for in another fund. It is the State's largest fund and receives almost all
State taxes and other resources not dedicated to particular purposes. In the
State's 1999-2000 fiscal year, the General Fund (exclusive of transfers) is
expected to account for approximately 47.1 % of All Governmental Funds
disbursements and 69.3 % of total State Funds disbursements. General Fund moneys
also are transferred to other funds, primarily to support certain capital
projects and debt service payments in other fund types.
Total receipts and transfers from other funds are projected to be $39.31
billion in 1999-2000, an increase of $2.57 billion over 1998-99. Total General
Fund disbursements and transfers to other funds are projected to be $37.36
billion, an increase of $868 million over 1998-99.
Projected General Fund Receipts
Total General Fund receipts and transfers in 1999-2000 are projected to be
$39.31 billion, an increase of $2.57 billion from the $36.74 billion recorded in
1998-99. This total includes $35.93 billion in tax receipts, $1.36 billion in
miscellaneous receipts, and $2.02 billion in transfers from other funds. The
transfer of the $1.82 billion surplus recorded in 1998-99 to the 1999-2000
fiscal period has the effect of exaggerating the growth in State receipts from
year to year by depressing reported 1998-99 figures and inflating 1999-2000
projections.
The Personal Income Tax is imposed on the income of individuals, estates
and trusts and is based, with certain modifications, on federal definitions of
income and deductions. Net General Fund personal income tax collections are
projected to reach $22.95 billion in 1999-2000, well over half of all General
Fund receipts and nearly $2.87 billion above the reported 1998-99 collection
total. Much of this growth is associated with the $1.82 billion net impact of
the transfer of the surplus from 1998-99 to the current year as partially offset
by the diversion of an additional $661 million in income tax receipts to the
School Tax Relief (STAR) fund. The STAR program was created in 1997 as a
State-funded local property tax relief program funded through the use of
personal income tax receipts. Adjusted for these transactions, the growth in net
income tax receipts is roughly $1.8 billion, an increase of almost 9%.
This growth is largely a function of two factors: (i) the 8% growth in
income tax liability projected for 1999; and (ii) the impact of the 1998 tax
year settlement recorded early in the 1999-2000 fiscal year.
The most significant statutory change made this year provides for an
increase, phased-in over two years, in the earned income tax credit from 20% to
25% of the federal credit.
User taxes and fees are comprised of three-quarters of the State's 4%
sales and use tax, cigarette, alcoholic beverage, container, and auto rental
taxes, and a portion of the motor fuel excise levies. This category also
includes receipts from the motor vehicle registration fees and alcoholic
beverage license fees. Dedicated transportation funds outside of the General
Fund receive a portion of motor fuel tax and motor vehicle registration fees and
all of the highway use taxes.
Receipts from user taxes and fees are projected to total $7.35 billion, an
increase of $105 million from reported collections in the prior year. The sales
tax component of this category accounts for virtually all of the 1999-2000
growth. Growth in base sales tax yield, after adjusting for tax law and other
changes, is projected at 5.6%. Modest increases in motor fuel and auto rental
tax receipts over 1998-99 levels are also expected. However, receipts from other
user taxes and fees are estimated to decline by $177 million.
The yield of other excise taxes in this category, particularly the
cigarette and alcoholic beverage taxes, show long-term declining trends. General
Fund declines in 1999-2000 motor vehicle fee receipts, in contrast, reflect
statutory fee reductions and an increased amount of collections earmarked to the
Dedicated Highway and Bridge Trust Fund.
Significant statutory changes made in this category during the 1999-2000
legislative session include: delaying until March 1, 2000 the implementation of
the exemption from State sales tax of clothing and footwear priced under $110;
providing week-long sales tax exemptions in September 1999 and January 2000 for
clothing and footwear priced under $500; enactment of a variety of small sales
tax exemptions including certain equipment used in providing telecommunications
service for sale, property and services used in theatrical productions, computer
hardware used to design Internet web sites, and building materials used in
farming; a reduction in the beer tax rate; and an expanded exemption from the
alcoholic beverage tax for small brewers.
Business taxes include franchise taxes based generally on net income of
general business, bank and insurance corporations, as well as
gross-receipts-based taxes on utilities and gallonage-based petroleum business
taxes. Beginning in 1994, a 15% surcharge on these levies began to be phased out
and, for most taxpayers, there is no surcharge liability for taxable periods
ending in 1997 and thereafter.
Total business tax collections in 1999-2000 are now projected to be $4.63
billion, $230 million below results for the prior fiscal year. The
year-over-year decline in projected receipts in this category is largely
attributable to statutory changes. These include the first year of a scheduled
corporation franchise tax rate reduction, the alternative minimum tax rate
reduction, the fixed dollar minimum rate reduction, and the expansion of the
investment tax credit to financial service companies. Ongoing tax reductions
include the second year of the "Power for Jobs" utility tax credit program, the
gross receipts tax rate reduction, and scheduled additional diversion of General
Fund petroleum business and utility tax receipts to dedicated transportation
funds.
Legislation enacted this year affecting receipts in this category
includes: a phased reduction in the net income tax rate applicable to bank and
insurance companies from 9% to 7.5%; reforms to the corporation franchise
subsidiary capital tax; a further reduction in the alternative minimum tax rate
from 3% to 2.5%; doubling the economic development zone and zone equivalent area
wage tax credits; and providing further reforms to the apportionment of income
for the airline industry.
Other taxes include the estate and gift tax, the real property gains tax
and pari-mutuel taxes. Taxes in this category are now projected to total $1
billion, $137 million below last year's amount. The primary factors accounting
for most of the expected decline include: an adverse tax tribunal decision
resulting in significant refunds of the now repealed real property gains tax;
pari-mutuel tax reductions enacted with the 1999-2000 budget; and the effects of
the already enacted reductions in the estate and gift taxes.
Significant legislation passed with the 1999-2000 enacted budget affecting
these sources include both the extension of and an increase in certain temporary
tax reductions at the State's race tracks and conformity with new federal estate
tax provisions.
Miscellaneous receipts include investment income, abandoned property
receipts, medical provider assessments, minor federal grants, receipts from
public authorities, and certain other license and fee revenues. Miscellaneous
receipts are expected to total $1.36 billion, down $142 million from the prior
year amount. This reflects the loss of non-recurring receipts received in
1998-99 and the growing effects of the phase-out of the medical provider
assessments.
Transfers from other funds to the General Fund consist primarily of tax
revenues in excess of debt service requirements, including the 1% sales tax used
to support payments to Local Government Assistance Corporation (LGAC).
Transfers from other funds are expected to total $2.02 billion, or $99
million more than total receipts from this category during 1998-99. Total
transfers of sales taxes in excess of LGAC debt service requirements are
expected to increase by approximately $93 million, while transfers from all
other funds are expected to increase by $6 million.
Projected General Fund Disbursements
General Fund disbursements, including transfers to support capital
projects, debt service and other funds, are estimated at $37.36 billion in
1999-2000, an increase of $868 million or 2.38% over 1998-99.
Following the pattern of the last two fiscal years, education programs
receive the largest share of new funding contained in the 1999-2000 Financial
Plan. School aid is expected to grow by $831 million or 8.58% over 1998-99
levels (on a State fiscal year basis). Outside of education, the largest growth
in spending is for State Operations ($207 million, including $100 million
reserved for possible collective bargaining costs); Debt Service ($183 million);
and mental hygiene programs, including funding for a cost of living increase for
care providers ($114 million). These increases were offset, in part, by spending
reductions or actions in health and social welfare ($280 million), and in
general State charges ($222 million).
Grants to Local Governments is the largest category of General Fund
disbursements and includes financial assistance to local governments and
not-for-profit corporations, as well as entitlement benefits to individuals. The
largest areas of spending in this category are for aid to elementary and
secondary schools (41%) and for the State's share of Medicaid payments to
providers (22%). Grants to Local Governments are projected at $25.60 billion in
1999-2000, an increase of $910 million or 3.68% over 1998-99.
Under the 1999-2000 enacted budget, General Fund spending on school aid is
projected at $10.52 billion on a State fiscal year basis, an increase of $831
million from the prior year. The budget provides additional funding for
operating aid, building aid, and several other targeted aid programs. It also
funds the balance of aid payable for the 1998-99 school year that is due
primarily in the first quarter of the 1999-2000 fiscal year. For all other
educational programs, disbursements are projected to grow by $78 million to
$2.99 billion.
Spending for Medicaid in 1999-2000 is projected to total $5.54 billion,
essentially unchanged from 1998-99, due in part to the use of $145 million in
other available funds that lowers disbursements in this area. Disbursements for
all other health and social welfare programs are projected to total $2.70
billion, a decrease of $252 million. Lower welfare spending, driven by State and
federal reforms and a robust economy, accounts for most of the decline.
The remaining disbursements primarily support community-based mental
hygiene programs, local transportation programs, and revenue sharing payments to
local governments. Revenue sharing and other general purpose aid to local
governments is projected at $825 million.
State operations pays for the costs of operating the Executive,
Legislative, and Judicial branches of government, including the prison system,
mental hygiene institutions, and the State University system (SUNY). Personal
Service costs account for approximately 73% of spending in this category.
Spending in State operations is projected to increase by $207 million or
3.1% over the prior year. The growth reflects $100 million in projected spending
for new collective bargaining agreements that the State expects to be ratified
in the current year. Funding for this expense will come from the Collective
Bargaining Reserve. The annualized costs of current collective bargaining
agreements, growth in the Legislative and Judiciary budgets, and staffing costs
for the State's Year 2000 compliance programs also contribute to the
year-to-year growth in spending. The State's overall workforce is expected to
remain stable at around 191,300 employees.
General State charges account for the costs of providing fringe benefits
to State employees and retirees of the Executive, Legislature, and Judiciary.
These payments, many of which are mandated by statute and collective bargaining
agreements, include employer contributions for pensions, social security, health
insurance, workers' compensation, and unemployment insurance. General State
charges also cover State payments-in-lieu-of-taxes to local governments for
certain State-owned lands, and the costs of defending lawsuits against the State
and its public officers.
Disbursements in this category are estimated at $2.04 billion, a decrease
of $222 million from the prior year. The change primarily reflects projected
growth of $27 million in a variety of programs offset by the use of proceeds
from the privatization of the MMIA, which is expected to offset certain General
Fund fringe benefit costs over the next two fiscal years by approximately $250
million annually.
This category accounts for debt service on short-term obligations of the
State, i.e., the interest costs of the State's commercial paper program. The
commercial paper program is expected to have an average of approximately $185
million outstanding during 1999-2000. The majority of the State's debt service
is for long-term bonds, and is shown in the Financial Plan as a transfer to the
General Debt Service Fund.
Transfers to other funds from the General Fund are made primarily to
finance certain portions of State capital projects spending and debt service on
long-term bonds where these costs are not funded from other sources.
Long-term debt service transfers are projected at $2.27 billion in
1999-2000, an increase of $183 million from 1998-99. The increase reflects debt
service costs from prior-year bond sales (net of refunding savings), and certain
sales planned to occur during the 1999-2000 fiscal year.
Transfers for capital projects provide General Fund support for projects
that are not financed with bond proceeds, dedicated taxes, other revenues, or
federal grants. Transfers in this category are projected to total $168 million
in 1999-2000. The decline of $78 million from the prior year is due primarily to
the delay of the receipt of payment of certain reimbursements in 1998-99.
Receipts of $50 million transferred to DRRF in 1998-99 will be used in the
Capital Projects Fund in 1999-2000 to provide pay-as-you-go funding for five
capital programs that were previously funded with bond proceeds. The 1999-2000
enacted budget also reserves $250 million in new resources for DRRF.
All other transfers (excluding DRRF), which reflect the remaining
transfers from the General Fund to other funds, are estimated to total $385
million in 1999-2000, a decline of $84 million from 1998-99, primarily because
of certain non-recurring transfers that occurred last year.
NON-RECURRING RESOURCES
The DOB estimates that the 1999-2000 State Financial Plan contains actions
that provide non-recurring resources or savings totaling approximately $500
million, or 1.3% of General Fund resources, the largest of which is the first
phase of the privatization of MMIA. To the greatest extent possible, one-time
resources are expected to be utilized to finance one-time costs, including Year
2000 compliance costs and certain capital spending.
OUTYEAR PROJECTIONS OF RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS
State law requires the Governor to propose a balanced budget each year.
Preliminary analysis by DOB indicates that the State will have a 2000-01 budget
gap of approximately $1.9 billion, or about $300 million above the 1999-2000
Executive Budget estimate (after adjusting for the projected costs of collective
bargaining). This estimate includes an assumption for the projected costs of new
collective bargaining agreements, $500 million in assumed operating
efficiencies, as well as the planned application of approximately $615 million
of the $1.82 billion tax reduction reserve. In recent years, the State has
closed projected budget gaps which DOB estimates at $5.0 billion (1995-96), $3.9
billion (1996-97), $2.3 billion (1997-98), and less than $1 billion (1998-99).
DOB will formally update its projections of receipts and disbursements for
future years as part of the Governor's 2000-01 Executive Budget submission. The
revised expectations for these years will reflect the cumulative impact of tax
reductions and spending commitments enacted over the last several years as well
as new 2000-01 Executive Budget recommendations.
The State and the United University Professionals (UUP) union have reached
a tentative agreement on a new four-year labor contract. The State is continuing
negotiations with other unions representing State employees, the largest of
which is the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA). CSEA previously failed
to ratify a tentative agreement on a new four-year contract earlier in 1999. The
1999-2000 Financial Plan has reserved $100 million for possible collective
bargaining agreements, and reserves are contained in the preliminary outyear
projection for 2000-01 to cover the recurring costs of any new agreements. To
the extent these reserves are inadequate to finance such agreements, the costs
of new labor contracts could increase the size of future budget gaps.
Sustained growth in the State's economy could contribute to closing
projected budget gaps over the next several years, both in terms of
higher-than-projected tax receipts and in lower-than-expected entitlement
spending. The State assumes that the 2000-01 Financial Plan will achieve $500
million in savings from initiatives by State agencies to deliver services more
efficiently, workforce management efforts, maximization of federal and
non-General Fund spending offsets, and other actions necessary to help bring
projected disbursements and receipts into balance. The projections do not assume
any gap-closing benefit from the potential settlement of State claims against
the tobacco industry.
OTHER GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS
In addition to the General Fund, the State Financial Plan includes Special
Revenue Funds, Capital Projects Funds and Debt Service Funds which are discussed
below. Amounts below do not include other sources and uses of funds transferred
to or from other fund types.
Special Revenue Funds
Total disbursements for programs supported by Special Revenue Funds are
projected at $30.94 billion, an increase of $1.29 billion or 4.35% over the
prior year. Special Revenue Funds include federal grants and State special
revenue funds.
Federal grants are projected to comprise 72% of all Special Revenue Funds
spending in 1999-2000, comparable to prior years. Disbursements from federal
funds are estimated at $22.17 billion, an increase of $741 million or 3.46%.
Medicaid is the largest program within federal funds, accounting for 56% of
total spending in this category. In 1999-2000, Medicaid spending is projected at
$14.32 billion, an increase of $711 million over 1998-99. The remaining growth
in federal funds is primarily for the Child Health Plus program, which is
estimated at $117 million in 1999-2000. This growth is offset by decreased
spending in certain social services programs resulting from more recent spending
reestimates.
State special revenue spending is projected to be $8.77 billion, an
increase of $550 million or 6.69% from the last fiscal year. The spending growth
is primarily due to $661 million for the next phase of the STAR program and $250
million in additional general State charges funded by proceeds from the MMIA
transaction, offset by a decrease of $185 million in projected educational
spending as a result of lower projected Lottery proceeds and a decline of $112
million in transportation disbursements. The remainder reflects the net impact
of spending reestimates.
Capital Projects Funds
Spending from Capital Projects Funds in 1999-2000 is projected at $4.18
billion, an increase of $114 million or 2.80% from last fiscal year.
Transportation, environmental, education and mental hygiene programs are the
major sources of year-to-year spending growth in this category.
Debt Service Funds
Spending from Debt Service Funds are estimated at $3.64 billion in
1999-2000, up $370 million or 11.31% from 1998-99. Transportation purposes,
including debt service on bonds issued for State and local highway and bridge
programs financed through the New York State Thruway Authority and supported by
the Dedicated Highway and Bridge Trust Fund, account for $124 million of the
year-to-year growth. Debt service for educational purposes, including State and
City University programs financed through the Dormitory Authority, will increase
by $80 million. The remaining growth is for a variety of programs in mental
health and corrections, and for general obligation financings.
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS
GENERAL
Many complex political, social and economic forces influence the State's
economy and finances, which may in turn affect the State's Financial Plan. These
forces may affect the State unpredictably from fiscal year to fiscal year and
are influenced by governments, institutions, and events that are not subject to
the State's control. The Financial Plan also is necessarily based upon forecasts
of national and State economic activity. Economic forecasts have frequently
failed to predict accurately the timing and magnitude of changes in the national
and State economies.
The State Financial Plan is based upon forecasts of national and State
economic activity developed through both internal analysis and review of
national and State economic forecasts prepared by commercial forecasting
services and other public and private forecasters. Economic forecasts have
frequently failed to predict accurately the timing and magnitude of changes in
the national and State economies. Many uncertainties exist in forecasts of both
the national and State economies, including consumer attitudes toward spending,
the extent of corporate and governmental restructuring, the condition of the
financial sector, federal, fiscal and monetary policies, the level of interest
rates, and the condition of the world economy, which could have an adverse
effect on the State. There can be no assurance that the State economy will not
experience results in the current fiscal year that are worse than predicted,
with corresponding material and adverse effects on the State's projections of
receipts and disbursements.
Projections of total State receipts in the Financial Plan are based on the
State tax structure in effect during the fiscal year and on assumptions relating
to basic economic factors and their historical relationships to State tax
receipts. In preparing projections of State receipts, economic forecasts
relating to personal income, wages, consumption, profits and employment have
been particularly important. The projection of receipts from most tax or revenue
sources is generally made by estimating the change in yield of such tax or
revenue source caused by economic and other factors, rather than by estimating
the total yield of such tax or revenue source from its estimated tax base. The
forecasting methodology, however, ensures that State fiscal year collection
estimates for taxes that are based on a computation of annual liability, such as
the business and personal income taxes, are consistent with estimates of total
liability under such taxes.
Projections of total State disbursements are based on assumptions relating
to economic and demographic factors, potential collective bargaining agreements,
levels of disbursements for various services provided by local governments
(where the cost is partially reimbursed by the State), and the results of
various administrative and statutory mechanisms in controlling disbursements for
State operations. Factors that may affect the level of disbursements in the
fiscal year include uncertainties relating to the economy of the nation and the
State, the policies of the federal government, collective bargaining
negotiations and changes in the demand for and use of State services.
An additional risk to the State Financial Plan arises from the potential
impact of certain litigation and of federal disallowances now pending against
the State, which could adversely affect the State's projections of receipts and
disbursements. The State Financial Plan assumes no significant litigation or
federal disallowance or other federal actions that could affect State finances,
but has significant reserves in the event of such an action.
Additional risks to the Financial Plan arise out of potential actions at
the federal level. Potential changes to federal tax law currently under
discussion as part of the federal government's efforts to enact a multi-year tax
reduction package could alter the federal definitions of income on which certain
State taxes rely. Certain proposals, if enacted, could have a significant impact
on State revenues in the future.
The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of
1996 created a new Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program (TANF)
partially funded with a fixed federal block grant to states. This law also
imposes (with certain exceptions) a five-year durational limit on TANF
recipients, requires that virtually all recipients be engaged in work or
community service activities within two years of receiving benefits, and limits
assistance provided to certain immigrants and other classes of individuals.
States are required to meet work activity participation targets for their TANF
caseload and conform with certain other federal standards or face potential
sanctions in the form of a reduced federal block grant and increased State/local
funding requirements. Any future reduction could have an adverse impact on the
State's Financial Plan. However, the State has been able to demonstrate
compliance with TANF work requirements to date and does not now expect to be
subject to associated federal fiscal penalties.
The Division of the Budget believes that its projections of receipts and
disbursements relating to the current State Financial Plan, and the assumptions
on which they are based, are reasonable. Actual results, however, could differ
materially and adversely from projections. In the past, the State has taken
management actions to address potential Financial Plan shortfalls, and may take
similar actions should adverse variances occur in its projections for the
current fiscal year.
Despite recent budgetary surpluses recorded by the State, actions
affecting the level of receipts and disbursements, the relative strength of the
State and regional economy, and actions by the federal government could impact
projected budget gaps for the State. These gaps would result from a disparity
between recurring revenues and the costs of increasing the level of support for
State programs. For example, the fiscal effects of tax reductions adopted in the
last several fiscal years are projected to grow more substantially in the
forecast period, continuing to restrain receipts levels and placing pressure on
future spending levels. To address a potential imbalance in any given fiscal
year, the State would be required to take actions to increase receipts and/or
reduce disbursements as it enacts the budget for that year, and, under the State
Constitution, the Governor is required to propose a balanced budget each year.
There can be no assurance, however, that the Legislature will enact the
Governor's proposals or that the State's actions will be sufficient to preserve
budgetary balance in a given fiscal year or to align recurring receipts and
disbursements in future fiscal years.
To help guard against these risks, the State has projected reserves of
$2.4 billion in 1999-2000.
CASH-BASIS RESULTS FOR PRIOR FISCAL YEARS
GENERAL FUND 1996-97 THROUGH 1998-99
New York State's financial operations have improved during recent fiscal
years. During its last seven fiscal years, the State has recorded balanced
budgets on a cash basis, with positive year-end fund balances.
A description of cash-basis results in the General Fund for the prior
three fiscal years is presented below.
1998-99 Fiscal Year
The State ended its 1998-99 fiscal year on March 31, 1999 in balance on a
cash basis, with a General Fund cash surplus as reported by the DOB of $1.82
billion. The cash surplus was derived primarily from higher-than-projected tax
collections as a result of continued economic growth, particularly in the
financial markets and the securities industries.
The State reported a General Fund closing cash balance of $892 million, an
increase of $254 million from the prior fiscal year. The balance is held in
three accounts within the General Fund: the Tax Stabilization Reserve Fund
(TSRF), the Contingency Reserve Fund (CRF) and the Community Projects Fund
(CPF). The TSRF closing balance was $473 million, following an additional
deposit of $73 million in 1998-99. The CRF closing balance was $107 million,
following a deposit of $39 million in 1998-99. The CPF, which finances
legislative initiatives, closed the fiscal year with a balance of $312 million.
The closing fund balance excludes $2.31 billion that the State deposited
into the tax refund reserve account at the close of 1998-99 to pay for tax
refunds in 1999-2000 of which $521 million was made available as a result of the
Local Government Assistance Corporation (LGAC) financing program and was
required to be on deposit as of March 31, 1999. The tax refund reserve account
transaction has the effect of decreasing reported personal income tax receipts
in 1998-99, while increasing reported receipts in 1999-2000.
General Fund receipts and transfers from other funds (net of tax refund
reserve account activity) for the 1998-99 fiscal year totaled $36.74 billion, an
increase of 6.34% from 1997-98 levels. General Fund disbursements and transfers
to other funds totaled $36.49 billion for the 1998-99 fiscal year, an increase
of 6.23% from 1997-98 levels.
1997-98 Fiscal Year
The State ended its 1997-98 fiscal year in balance on a cash basis, with a
General Fund cash surplus as reported by DOB of approximately $2.04 billion. The
cash surplus was derived primarily from higher-than-anticipated receipts and
lower spending on welfare, Medicaid, and other entitlement programs.
The General Fund had a closing balance of $638 million, an increase of
$205 million from the prior fiscal year. The TSRF closing balance was $400
million, following a required deposit of $15 million (repaying a transfer made
in 1991-92) and an additional deposit of $68 million made from the 1997-98
surplus. The CRF closing balance was $68 million, following a $27 million
deposit from the surplus. The CPF closed the fiscal year with a balance of $170
million. The General Fund closing balance did not include $2.39 billion in the
tax refund reserve account, of which $521 million was made available as a result
of the LGAC financing program and was required to be on deposit on March 31,
1998.
General Fund receipts and transfers from other funds (net of tax refund
reserve account activity) for the 1997-98 fiscal year totaled $34.55 billion, an
annual increase of 4.57% over 1996-97. General Fund disbursements and transfers
to other funds were $34.35 billion, an annual increase of 4.41%.
1996-97 Fiscal Year
The State ended its 1996-97 fiscal year on March 31, 1997 in balance on a
cash basis, with a General Fund cash surplus as reported by DOB of approximately
$1.42 billion. The cash surplus was derived primarily from higher-than-expected
receipts and lower-than-expected spending for social services programs.
The General Fund closing balance was $433 million, an increase of $146
million from the 1995-96 fiscal year. The balance included $317 million in the
TSRF, after a required deposit of $15 million (repaying a transfer made in
1991-92) and an additional deposit of $65 million in 1996-97. In addition, $41
million remained on deposit in the CRF. The remaining $75 million reflected
amounts then on deposit in the CPF. The General Fund closing balance did not
include $1.86 billion in the tax refund reserve account, of which $521 million
was made available as a result of the LGAC financing program and was required to
be on deposit as of March 31, 1997.
General Fund receipts and transfers from other funds (net of tax refund
reserve account activity) for the 1996-97 fiscal year totaled $33.04 billion, an
increase of 0.7% from the previous fiscal year. General Fund disbursements and
transfers to other funds totaled $32.90 billion for the 1996-97 fiscal year, an
increase of 0.7% from the 1995-96 fiscal year.
OTHER GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS (1996-97 THROUGH 1998-99)
Activity in the three other governmental funds has remained relatively
stable over the last three fiscal years, with federally-funded programs
comprising approximately two-thirds of these funds. The most significant change
in the structure of these funds has been the redirection of a portion of
transportation-related revenues from the General Fund to two dedicated funds in
the Special Revenue and Capital Projects fund types. These revenues are used to
support the capital programs of the Department of Transportation, the
Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and other transit entities.
In the Special Revenue Funds, disbursements increased from $26.02 billion
to $29.65 billion over the last three years, primarily as a result of increased
costs for the federal share of Medicaid and the initial costs of the STAR
program. Other activity reflected dedication of taxes for mass transportation
purposes, new lottery games, and new fees for criminal justice programs.
Disbursements in the Capital Projects Funds increased over the three-year
period from $3.54 billion to $4.06 billion, primarily for education,
environment, public protection and transportation programs. The composition of
this fund type's receipts also has changed as dedicated taxes, federal grants
and reimbursements from public authority bonds increased, while general
obligation bond proceeds declined.
Activity in the Debt Service Funds reflected increased use of bonds during
the three-year period for improvements to the State's capital facilities and the
ongoing costs of the LGAC fiscal reform program. The increases were moderated by
the refunding savings achieved by the State over the last several years using
strict present value savings criteria. Disbursements in this fund type increased
from $2.53 billion to $3.27 billion over the three-year period.
The State Financial Plan is based upon a June 1999 projection by DOB of
national and State economic activity. The information in this section summarizes
the national and State economic situation and outlook upon which projections of
receipts and certain disbursements were made for the 1999-2000 Financial Plan.
The national economy has maintained a robust rate of growth during the
past six quarters as the expansion, which is well into its ninth year,
continues. The national expansion, if it continues through February 2000, will
be the longest on record. Since early 1992, approximately 19 million jobs have
been added nationally. Output growth has averaged 3.2% over this period,
essentially the same as the 3.3% average annual growth during the post-World War
II period. The State economy also has continued to expand, with over 600,000
jobs added since late 1992. Employment growth has been slower than in the nation
during this period, although the State's relative performance has improved in
the last two years. Growth in average wages in New York has generally
outperformed the nation, while growth in personal income per capita has kept
pace with the nation.
DOB expects that national economic growth will be quite robust throughout
calendar year 1999. Growth in real Gross Domestic Product for 1999 is projected
to be 4.0%, with a decline in net exports overwhelmed by continued strong
consumer spending. The projected overall growth rate of the national economy for
calendar year 1999 is nearly identical to the consensus forecast of a widely
followed survey of national economic forecasters. Inflation, as measured by the
Consumer Price Index, is projected to be about 2.1%, a modest increase despite
strong economic growth. Personal income and wages are projected to increase by
5.1% and 6.3% respectively.
The forecast of the State's economy shows continued expansion during the
1999 calendar year, with employment growth gradually slowing as the year
progresses. The financial and business service sectors are expected to continue
to do well, while employment in the manufacturing sector is expected to post a
modest decline. On an average annual basis, the employment growth rate in the
State is expected to be somewhat lower than in 1998 and the unemployment rate is
expected to drop further to 5.1%. Personal income is expected to record moderate
gains in 1999. Wage growth in 1999 is expected to be slower than in the previous
year as the recent robust growth in bonus payments moderates.
The forecast for continued growth, and any resultant impact on the State's
1999-2000 Financial Plan, contains some uncertainties. Stronger-than-expected
gains in employment and wages or in stock market prices could lead to
unanticipated strong growth in consumer spending. Inventory investment due to
Y2K may be significantly stronger than expected towards the end of this year
possibly followed by significant weakness early next year. Also, improvements in
foreign economies may be weaker than expected and therefore, may have
unanticipated effects on the domestic economy. The inflation rate may differ
significantly from expectations due to the conflicting impacts of a tight labor
market and improved productivity growth as well as to the future direction and
magnitude of fluctuations of oil prices. In addition, the State economic
forecast could over- or underestimate the level of future bonus payments,
financial sector profits or inflation growth, resulting in unexpected economic
impacts. Similarly, the State forecast could fail to correctly estimate the
amount of employment change in the banking, financial and other business service
sectors as well as the direction of employment change that is likely to
accompany telecommunications and energy deregulation.
THE NEW YORK ECONOMY
New York is the third most populous state in the nation and has a
relatively high level of personal wealth. The State's economy is diverse, with a
comparatively large share of the nation's finance, insurance, transportation,
communications and services employment, and a very small share of the nation's
farming and mining activity. The State's location and its excellent air
transport facilities and natural harbors have made it an important link in
international commerce. Travel and tourism constitute an important part of the
economy. Like the rest of the nation, New York has a declining proportion of its
workforce engaged in manufacturing, and an increasing proportion engaged in
service industries.
Services: The services sector, which includes entertainment, personal
services, such as health care and auto repairs, and business-related services,
such as information processing, law and accounting, is the State's leading
economic sector. The services sector accounts for more than three of every 10
nonagricultural jobs in New York and has a noticeably higher proportion of total
jobs than does the rest of the nation.
Manufacturing: Manufacturing employment continues to decline in importance
in New York, as in most other states, and New York's economy is less reliant on
this sector than is the nation. The principal manufacturing industries in recent
years produced printing and publishing materials, instruments and related
products, machinery, apparel and finished fabric products, electronic and other
electric equipment, food and related products, chemicals and allied products,
and fabricated metal products.
Trade: Wholesale and retail trade is the second largest sector in terms of
nonagricultural jobs in New York but is considerably smaller when measured by
income share. Trade consists of wholesale businesses and retail businesses, such
as department stores and eating and drinking establishments.
Finance, Insurance and Real Estate: New York City is the nation's leading
center of banking and finance and, as a result, this is a far more important
sector in the State than in the nation as a whole. Although this sector accounts
for under one-tenth of all nonagricultural jobs in the State, it contributes
about one-fifth of all nonfarm labor and proprietors' income.
Agriculture: Farming is an important part of the economy of large regions
of the State, although it constitutes a very minor part of total State output.
Principal agricultural products of the State include milk and dairy products,
greenhouse and nursery products, apples and other fruits, and fresh vegetables.
New York ranks among the nation's leaders in the production of these
commodities.
Government: Federal, State and local government together are the third
largest sector in terms of nonagricultural jobs, with the bulk of the employment
accounted for by local governments. Public education is the source of nearly
one-half of total State and local government employment.
ECONOMIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS
In the calendar years 1987 through 1998, the State's rate of economic
growth was somewhat slower than that of the nation. In particular, during the
1990-91 recession and post-recession period, the economy of the State, and that
of the rest of the Northeast, was more heavily damaged than that of the nation
as a whole and has been slower to recover. The total employment growth rate in
the State has been below the national average since 1987. The unemployment rate
in the State dipped below the national rate in the second half of 1981 and
remained lower until 1991; since then, it has been higher. According to data
published by the US Bureau of Economic Analysis, personal income in the State
has risen more slowly since 1988 than personal income for the nation as a whole,
although preliminary data suggests that, in 1998, the State personal income rose
more rapidly. Total State nonagricultural employment has declined as a share of
national nonagricultural employment.
State per capita personal income has historically been significantly
higher than the national average, although the ratio has varied substantially.
Because New York City is a regional employment center for a multi-state region,
State personal income measured on a residence basis understates the relative
importance of the State to the national economy and the size of the base to
which State taxation applies.
PUBLIC AUTHORITIES
The fiscal stability of the State is related in part to the fiscal
stability of its public authorities. For the purposes of this summary, public
authorities refer to public benefit corporations, created pursuant to State law,
other than local authorities. Public authorities are not subject to the
constitutional restrictions on the incurrence of debt that apply to the State
itself and may issue bonds and notes within the amounts and restrictions set
forth in legislative authorization. The State's access to the public credit
markets could be impaired and the market price of its outstanding debt may be
materially and adversely affected if any of its public authorities were to
default on their respective obligations. As of December 31, 1998, there were 17
public authorities that had outstanding debt of $100 million or more, and the
aggregate outstanding debt, including refunding bonds, of these State public
authorities was $94 billion, only a portion of which constitutes State-supported
or State-related debt.
The State has numerous public authorities with various responsibilities,
including those which finance, construct and/or operate revenue-producing public
facilities. Public authorities generally pay their operating expenses and debt
service costs from revenues generated by the projects they finance or operate,
such as tolls charged for the use of highways, bridges or tunnels, charges for
public power, electric and gas utility services, rentals charged for housing
units, and charges for occupancy at medical care facilities. In addition, State
legislation authorizes several financing techniques for public authorities.
Also, there are statutory arrangements providing for State local assistance
payments otherwise payable to localities to be made under certain circumstances
to public authorities. Although the State has no obligation to provide
additional assistance to localities whose local assistance payments have been
paid to public authorities under these arrangements, the affected localities may
seek additional State assistance if local assistance payments are diverted. Some
authorities also receive moneys from State appropriations to pay for the
operating costs of certain of their programs. As described below, the MTA
receives the bulk of this money in order to provide transit and commuter
services.
Beginning in 1998, the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) assumed
responsibility for the provision of electric utility services previously
provided by Long Island Lighting Company for Nassau, Suffolk and a portion of
Queen Counties, as part of an estimated $7 billion financing plan. As of the
date of this AIS, LIPA has issued over $5 billion in bonds secured solely by
ratepayer charges. LIPA's debt is not considered either State-supported or
State-related debt.
METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY
The MTA oversees the operation of subway and bus lines in New York City by
its affiliates, the New York City Transit Authority and the Manhattan and Bronx
Surface Transit Operating Authority (collectively, the TA). The MTA operates
certain commuter rail and bus services in the New York metropolitan area through
the MTA's subsidiaries, the Long Island Rail Road Company, the Metro-North
Commuter Railroad Company, and the Metropolitan Suburban Bus Authority. In
addition, the Staten Island Rapid Transit Operating Authority, an MTA
subsidiary, operates a rapid transit line on Staten Island. Through its
affiliated agency, the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority (TBTA), the MTA
operates certain intrastate toll bridges and tunnels. Because fare revenues are
not sufficient to finance the mass transit portion of these operations, the MTA
has depended on, and will continue to depend on, operating support from the
State, local governments and TBTA, including loans, grants and subsidies. If
current revenue projections are not realized and/or operating expenses exceed
current projections, the TA or commuter railroads may be required to seek
additional State assistance, raise fares or take other actions.
Since 1980, the State has enacted several taxes--including a surcharge on
the profits of banks, insurance corporations and general business corporations
doing business in the 12-county Metropolitan Transportation Region served by the
MTA and a special one-quarter of 1% regional sales and use tax--that provide
revenues for mass transit purposes, including assistance to the MTA. Since 1987,
State law also has required that the proceeds of a one-quarter of 1% mortgage
recording tax paid on certain mortgages in the Metropolitan Transportation
Region be deposited in a special MTA fund for operating or capital expenses. In
1993, the State dedicated a portion of certain additional State petroleum
business tax receipts to fund operating or capital assistance to the MTA. The
1999-2000 enacted budget provides State assistance to the MTA totaling
approximately $1.4 billion, an increase of $55 million over the 1998-99 fiscal
year.
State legislation accompanying the 1996-97 adopted State budget authorized
the MTA, TBTA and TA to issue an aggregate of $6.5 billion in bonds to finance a
portion of the $12.17 billion MTA capital plan for the 1995 through 1999
calendar years (the 1995-99 Capital Program). In July 1997, the Capital Program
Review Board (CPRB) approved the 1995-99 Capital Program and subsequently
amended it in August 1997 and in March 1999. The MTA plan now totals $12.55
billion. The 1995-99 Capital Program was the fourth capital plan since the
Legislature authorized procedures for the adoption, approval and amendment of
MTA capital programs and is designed to upgrade the performance of the MTA's
transportation systems by investing in new rolling stock, maintaining
replacement schedules for existing assets and bringing the MTA system into a
state of good repair. The 1995-99 Capital Program assumed the issuance of an
estimated $5.2 billion in bonds under this $6.5 billion aggregate bonding
authority. The remainder of the plan was projected to be financed with
assistance from the federal government, the State, the City of New York, and
from various other revenues generated from actions taken by the MTA.
There can be no assurance that the MTA's capital plan for 2000 through
2004 will be adequate to finance the MTA's capital needs over the plan period,
or that funding sources identified in the approved plan will not be reduced or
eliminated.
There can be no assurance that all the necessary governmental actions for
future capital programs will be taken, that funding sources currently identified
will not be decreased or eliminated, or that the 2000-04 Capital Program or
parts thereof will not be delayed or reduced. Should funding levels fall below
current projections, the MTA would have to revise its 2000-04 Capital Program
accordingly. If the 2000-04 Capital Program is delayed or reduced, ridership and
fare revenues may decline, which could, among other things, impair the MTA's
ability to meet its operating expenses without additional assistance.
THE CITY OF NEW YORK
The fiscal health of the State also may be affected by the fiscal health
of New York City, which continues to receive significant financial assistance
from the State. State aid contributes to the City's ability to balance its
budget and meet its cash requirements. The State also may be affected by the
ability of the City and certain entities issuing debt for the benefit of the
City to market their securities successfully in the public credit markets.
FISCAL OVERSIGHT
In response to the City's fiscal crisis in 1975, the State took action to
assist the City in returning to fiscal stability. Among those actions, the State
established the Municipal Assistance Corporation for the City of New York (NYC
MAC) to provide financing assistance to the City; the New York State Financial
Control Board (the Control Board) to oversee the City's financial affairs; and
the Office of the State Deputy Comptroller for the City of New York (OSDC) to
assist the Control Board in exercising its powers and responsibilities. A
"control period" existed from 1975 to 1986, during which the City was subject to
certain statutorily-prescribed fiscal controls. The Control Board terminated the
control period 1986 when certain statutory conditions were met. State law
requires the Control Board to reimpose a control period upon the occurrence, or
"substantial likelihood and imminence" of the occurrence, of certain events,
including (but not limited to) a City operating budget deficit of more than $100
million or impaired access to the public credit markets.
Currently, the City and its Covered Organizations (i.e., those
organizations which receive or may receive moneys from the City directly,
indirectly or contingently) operate under the City's Financial Plan. The City's
Financial Plan summarizes its capital, revenue and expense projections and
outlines proposed gap-closing programs for years with projected budget gaps. The
City's projections set forth in its Financial Plan are based on various
assumptions and contingencies, some of which are uncertain and may not
materialize. Unforeseen developments and changes in major assumptions could
significantly affect the City's ability to balance its budget as required by
State law and to meet its annual cash flow and financing requirements.
To successfully implement its Financial Plan, the City and certain
entities issuing debt for the benefit of the City must market their securities
successfully. The City issues securities to finance, refinance and rehabilitate
infrastructure and other capital needs, as well as for seasonal financing needs.
In City fiscal year 1997-98, the State constitutional debt limit would have
prevented the City from entering into new capital contracts. Therefore, in 1997,
the State created the New York City Transitional Finance Authority (TFA) in
order to finance a portion of the City's capital program. Despite this
additional financing mechanism, the City currently projects that, if no further
action is taken, it will reach its debt limit in City's current fiscal year
1999-2000. To continue its capital plan without interruption, the City is
proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to change the methodology used
to calculate the debt limit. Since an amendment to the Constitution to raise the
debt limit could not take effect until City fiscal year 2001-02 at the earliest,
the City has decided to securitize a portion of its share of the proceeds from
the settlement with the nation's tobacco companies. However, a number of
potential developments may affect both the availability and level of funding
that the City will receive from the tobacco settlement. City officials have
indicated that, should their efforts to securitize a portion of City tobacco
settlement proceeds fail or not be accomplished in a timely manner, the City
will request that the State increase the borrowing authority of the TFA.
MONITORING AGENCIES
The staffs of the Control Board, OSDC and the City Comptroller issue
periodic reports on the City's Financial Plans. The reports analyze the City's
forecasts of revenues and expenditures, cash flow, and debt service
requirements, as well as evaluate compliance by the City and its Covered
Organizations with its Financial Plan. According to staff reports, while
economic growth in New York City has been slower than in other regions of the
country, a surge in Wall Street profitability resulted in increased tax revenues
and produced a substantial surplus for the City in City fiscal year 1997-98.
Recent staff reports also indicate that the City projects a surplus for City
fiscal year 1998-99. Although several sectors of the City's economy have
expanded over the last several years, especially tourism and business and
professional services, City tax revenues remain heavily dependent on the
continued profitability of the securities industries and the performance of the
national economy. In addition, the size of recent tax reductions has increased
to over $2 billion in City fiscal year 1999-2000 through the expiration of a
personal income tax surcharge, the repeal of the non-resident earnings tax and
the elimination of the sales tax on clothing items costing less than $110. Staff
reports have indicated that recent City budgets have been balanced in part
through the use of nonrecurring resources and that the City's Financial Plan
relies in part on actions outside its direct control. These reports also have
indicated that the City has not yet brought its long-term expenditure growth in
line with recurring revenue growth and that the City is likely to continue to
face substantial gaps between forecast revenues and expenditures in future years
that must be closed with reduced expenditures and/or increased revenues. In
addition to these monitoring agencies, the Independent Budget Office (IBO) has
been established pursuant to the City Charter to provide analysis to elected
officials and the public on relevant fiscal and budgetary issues affecting the
City.
OTHER LOCALITIES
Certain localities outside New York City have experienced financial
problems and have requested and received additional State assistance during the
last several State fiscal years. The potential impact on the State of any future
requests by localities for additional oversight or financial assistance is not
included in the projections of the State's receipts and disbursements for the
State's 1999-2000 fiscal year.
The State has provided extraordinary financial assistance to select
municipalities, primarily cities, since the 1996-97 fiscal year. Funding has
essentially been continued or increased in each subsequent fiscal year. Such
funding in 1999-2000 totals $113.9 million. In 1997-98, the State increased
General Purpose State Aid for local governments by $27 million to $550 million,
and has continued funding at this new level since that date.
While the distribution of General Purpose State Aid for local governments
was originally based on a statutory formula, in recent years both the total
amount appropriated and the shares appropriated to specific localities have been
determined by the Legislature. A State commission established to study the
distribution and amounts of general purpose local government aid failed to agree
on any recommendations for a new formula.
Counties, cities, towns, villages and school districts have engaged in
substantial short-term and long-term borrowings. In 1997, the total indebtedness
of all localities in the State, other than New York City, was approximately
$21.0 billion. A small portion (approximately $80 million) of that indebtedness
represented borrowing to finance budgetary deficits and was issued pursuant to
enabling State legislation. State law requires the Comptroller to review and
make recommendations concerning the budgets of those local government units
(other than New York City) authorized by State law to issue debt to finance
deficits during the period that such deficit financing is outstanding.
Twenty-two localities had outstanding indebtedness for deficit financing at the
close of their fiscal year ending in 1997.
Like the State, local governments must respond to changing political,
economic and financial influences over which they have little or no control.
Such changes may adversely affect the financial condition of certain local
governments. For example, the federal government may reduce (or in some cases
eliminate) federal funding of some local programs which, in turn, may require
local governments to fund these expenditures from their own resources. It is
also possible that the State, New York City, or any of their respective public
authorities may suffer serious financial difficulties that could jeopardize
local access to the public credit markets, which may adversely affect the
marketability of notes and bonds issued by localities within the State.
Localities also may face unanticipated problems resulting from certain pending
litigation, judicial decisions and long-range economic trends. Other large-scale
potential problems, such as declining urban populations, increasing
expenditures, and the loss of skilled manufacturing jobs, also may adversely
affect localities and necessitate State assistance.
LITIGATION
GENERAL
The legal proceedings listed below involve State finances and programs and
miscellaneous civil rights, real property, contract and other tort claims in
which the State is a defendant and the potential monetary claims against the
State are substantial, generally in excess of $100 million. These proceedings
could adversely affect the financial condition of the State in the 1999-2000
fiscal year or thereafter.
As of August 24, 1999, except as described below, no current litigation
involves the State's authority, as a matter of law, to contract indebtedness,
issue its obligations, or pay such indebtedness when due, or affects the State's
power or ability, as a matter of law, to impose or collect significant amounts
of taxes and revenues.
The State is party to other claims and litigation which its legal counsel
has advised are not probable of adverse court decisions or are not deemed
adverse and material. Although the amounts of potential losses resulting from
this litigation, if any, are not presently determinable, it is the State's
opinion that its ultimate liability in these cases is not expected to have a
material and adverse effect on the State's financial position in the 1999-2000
fiscal year or thereafter.
The General Purpose Financial Statements for the 1998-99 fiscal year
report estimated probable awarded and anticipated unfavorable judgments of $895
million, of which $132 million is expected to be paid during the 1999-2000
fiscal year.
Adverse developments in the proceedings described below, other proceedings
for which there are unanticipated, unfavorable and material judgments, or the
initiation of new proceedings could affect the ability of the State to maintain
a balanced 1999-2000 Financial Plan. The State believes that the 1999-2000
Financial Plan includes sufficient reserves to offset the costs associated with
the payment of judgments that may be required during the 1999-2000 fiscal year.
These reserves include (but are not limited to) amounts appropriated for court
of claims payments and projected fund balances in the General Fund. In addition,
any amounts ultimately required to be paid by the State may be subject to
settlement or may be paid over a multi-year period. There can be no assurance,
however, that adverse decisions in legal proceedings against the State would not
exceed the amount of all potential 1999-2000 Financial Plan resources available
for the payment of judgments, and could therefore affect the ability of the
State to maintain a balanced 1999-2000 Financial Plan.
TAX LAW
In New York Association of Convenience Stores, et al. v. Urbach, et al.,
petitioners, New York Association of Convenience Stores, National Association of
Convenience Stores, M.W.S. Enterprises, Inc. and Sugarcreek Stores, Inc. are
seeking to compel respondents, the Commissioner of Taxation and Finance and the
Department of Taxation and Finance, to enforce sales and excise taxes imposed,
pursuant to Tax Law Articles 12-A, 20 and 28, on tobacco products and motor fuel
sold to non-Indian consumers on Indian reservations. In orders dated August 13,
1996 and August 24, 1996, the Supreme Court, Albany County, ordered, inter alia,
that there be equal implementation and enforcement of said taxes for sales to
non-Indian consumers on and off Indian reservations, and further ordered that,
if respondents failed to comply within 120 days, no tobacco products or motor
fuel could be introduced onto Indian reservations other than for Indian
consumption or, alternately, the collection and enforcement of such taxes would
be suspended statewide. Respondents appealed to the Appellate Division, Third
Department, and invoked CPLR 5519(a)(1), which provides that the taking of the
appeal stayed all proceedings to enforce the orders pending the appeal.
Petitioners' motion to vacate the stay was denied. In a decision entered May 8,
1997, the Third Department modified the orders by deleting the portion thereof
that provided for the statewide suspension of the enforcement and collection of
the sales and excise taxes on motor fuel and tobacco products. The Third
Department held, inter alia, that petitioners had not sought such relief in
their petition and that it was an error for the Supreme Court to have awarded
such undemanded relief without adequate notice of its intent to do so. On May
22, 1997, respondents appealed to the Court of Appeals on other grounds, and
again invoked the statutory stay. On October 23, 1997, the Court of Appeals
granted petitioners' motion for leave to cross appeal from the portion of the
Third Department's decision that deleted the statewide suspension of the
enforcement and collection of the sales and excise taxes on motor fuel and
tobacco. On July 9, 1998, the New York Court of Appeals reversed the order of
the Appellate Division, Third Department, and remanded the matter to the Supreme
Court, Albany County, for further proceedings. The Court held that the
petitioners had standing to assert an equal protection claim, but that their
claim did not implicate racial discrimination. The Court remanded the case to
Supreme Court, Albany County, for resolution of the question of whether there
was a rational basis for the Tax Department's policy of non-enforcement of the
sales and excise taxes on reservation sales of cigarettes and motor fuel to
non-Indians. In a footnote, the Court stated that, in view of its disposition of
the case, petitioners' cross-appeal regarding the statewide suspension of the
taxes is "academic." By decision and judgment dated July 9, 1999, the Supreme
Court, Albany County, granted judgment dismissing the petition. The time in
which to appeal the July 9, 1999 decision and judgment has not yet expired.
LINE ITEM VETO
In an action commenced in June 1998 by the Speaker of the Assembly of the
State of New York against the Governor of the State of New York (Silver v.
Pataki, Supreme Court, New York County), the Speaker challenges the Governor's
application of his constitutional line item veto authority to certain portions
of budget bills adopted by the State Legislature contained in Chapters 56, 57
and 58 of the Laws of 1998. On July 10, 1998, the State filed a motion to
dismiss this action. By order entered January 7, 1999, the Court denied the
State's motion to dismiss. On January 27, 1999, the State appealed that order.
On April 27, 1999, the Appellate Division, First Department, held that the
State's automatic stay of litigation pending the resolution of the appeal would
be vacated unless the State perfected its appeal for the Court's September 1999
appellate term. The State perfected its appeal on July 12, 1999.
MEDICAID
Several cases challenge provisions of Chapter 81 of the Laws of 1995 which
alter the nursing home Medicaid reimbursement methodology on and after April 1,
1995. Included are New York State Health Facilities Association, et al. v.
DeBuono, et al., St. Luke's Nursing Center, et al. v. DeBuono, et al., New York
Association of Homes and Services for the Aging v. DeBuono et al. (three cases),
Healthcare Association of New York State v. DeBuono and Bayberry Nursing Home et
al. v. Pataki, et al. Plaintiffs allege that the changes in methodology have
been adopted in violation of procedural and substantive requirements of State
and federal law.
In a consolidated action commenced in 1992, Medicaid recipients and home
health care providers and organizations challenge promulgation by the State
Department of Social Services (DSS) in June 1992 of a home assessment resource
review instrument (HARRI), which is to be used by DSS to determine eligibility
for and the nature of home care services for Medicaid recipients, and challenge
the policy of DSS of limiting reimbursable hours of service until a patient is
assessed using the HARRI (Dowd, et al. v. Bane, Supreme Court, New York County).
In a related case, Rodriguez v. DeBuono, on April 19, 1999, the United States
District Court for the Southern District of New York enjoined the State's use of
task based assessment, which is similar to the HARRI, unless the State assesses
safety monitoring as a separate task based assessment, on the grounds that its
use without such additional assessment violated federal Medicaid law and the
Americans with Disabilities Act. The State appealed from the April 19, 1999
order and on July 12, 1999 argued the appeal before the Second Circuit.
In several cases, plaintiffs seek retroactive claims for reimbursement
forservices provided to Medicaid recipients who were also eligible for Medicare
during the period January 1, 1987 to June 2, 1992. Included are Matter of New
York State Radiological Society v. Wing, Appel v. Wing, E.F.S. Medical Supplies
v. Dowling, Kellogg v. Wing, Lifshitz v. Wing, New York State Podiatric Medical
Association v. Wing and New York State Psychiatric Association v. Wing. These
cases were commenced after the State's reimbursement methodology was held
invalid in New York City Health and Hospital Corp. v. Perales. The State
contends that these claims are time-barred. In a judgment dated September 5,
1996, the Supreme Court, Albany County, dismissed Matter of New York State
Radiological Society v. Wing as time-barred. By order dated November 26, 1997,
the Appellate Division, Third Department, affirmed that judgment. By decision
dated June 9, 1998, the Court of Appeals denied leave to appeal. In a decision
entered December 15, 1998, the Appellate Division, First Department, dismissed
the remaining cases in accordance with the result in Matter of New York State
Radiological Society v. Wing. By decision dated July 8, 1999, the Court of
Appeals denied leave to appeal.
Several cases, including Port Jefferson Health Care Facility, et al. v.
Wing (Supreme Court, Suffolk County), challenge the constitutionality of Public
Health Law ss.2807-d, which imposes a tax on the gross receipts hospitals and
residential health care facilities receive from all patient care services.
Plaintiffs allege that the tax assessments were not uniformly applied, in
violation of federal regulations. In a decision dated June 30, 1997, the Court
held that the 1.2% and 3.8% assessments on gross receipts imposed pursuant to
Public Health Law ss.ss. 2807-d(2)(b)(ii) and 2807-d(2)(b)(iii), respectively,
are unconstitutional. An order entered August 27, 1997 enforced the terms of the
decision. The State appealed that order. By decision and order dated August 31,
1998, the Appellate Division, Second Department, affirmed that order. On
September 30, 1998, the State moved for re-argument or, in the alternative, for
a certified question for the Court of Appeals to review. By order dated January
7, 1999, the motion was denied. A final order was entered in Supreme Court on
January 26, 1999. On February 23, 1999, the State appealed that order to the
Court of Appeals. The case is scheduled to be argued on October 20, 1999.
In Dental Society, et al. v. Pataki, et al. (United States District Court,
Northern District of New York, commenced February 2, 1999), plaintiffs challenge
the State's reimbursement rates for dental care provided under the State's
dental Medicaid program. Plaintiffs claim that the State's Medicaid fee schedule
violates Title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. ss. 1396a et seq.) and
the federal and State Constitutions. On June 25, 1999, the State filed its
answer.
SHELTER ALLOWANCE
In an action commenced in March 1987 against State and New York City
officials (Jiggetts, et al. v. Bane, et al., Supreme Court, New York County),
plaintiffs allege that the shelter allowance granted to recipients of public
assistance is not adequate for proper housing. In a decision dated April 16,
1997, the Court held that the shelter allowance promulgated by the Legislature
and enforced through the State Department of Social Services regulations is not
reasonably related to the cost of rental housing in New York City and results in
homelessness to families in New York City. A judgment was entered on July 25,
1997, directing, inter alia, that the State (i) submit a proposed schedule of
shelter allowances (for the Aid to Dependent Children program and any successor
program) that bears a reasonable relation to the cost of housing in New York
City; and (ii) compel the New York City Department of Social Services to pay
plaintiffs a monthly shelter allowance in the full amount of their contract
rents, provided they continue to meet the eligibility requirements for public
assistance, until such time as a lawful shelter allowance is implemented, and
provide interim relief to other eligible recipients of Aid to Dependent Children
under the interim relief system established in this case. The State appealed to
the Appellate Division, First Department from each and every provision of this
judgment except that portion directing the continued provision of interim
relief. By decision and order dated May 6, 1999, the Appellate Division, First
Department, affirmed the July 25, 1997 judgment. By order dated July 8, 1999,
the Appellate Division denied the State's motion for leave to appeal to the
Court of Appeals from the May 6, 1999 decision and order. The State's motion for
leave to appeal to the Court of Appeals is pending in that court.
REAL PROPERTY CLAIMS
On March 4, 1985 in Oneida Indian Nation of New York, et al. v. County of
Oneida, the United States Supreme Court affirmed a judgment of the United States
Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit holding that the Oneida Indians have a
common-law right of action against Madison and Oneida Counties for wrongful
possession of 872 acres of land illegally sold to the State in 1795. At the same
time, however, the Court reversed the Second Circuit by holding that a
third-party claim by the counties against the State for indemnification was not
properly before the federal courts. The case was remanded to the District Court
for an assessment of damages, which action is still pending. The counties may
still seek indemnification in the State courts.
In 1998, the United States filed a complaint in intervention in Oneida
Indian Nation of New York. In December 1998, both the United States and the
tribal plaintiffs moved for leave to amend their complaints to assert claims for
250,000 acres, to add the State as a defendant, and to certify a class made up
of all individuals who currently purport to hold title within said 250,000 acre
area. These motions were argued March 29, 1999 and are still awaiting
determination. The District Court has not yet rendered a decision. By order
dated February 24, 1999, the District Court appointed a federal settlement
master. A conference scheduled by the District Court for May 26, 1999 to address
the administration of this case has been adjourned indefinitely.
Several other actions involving Indian claims to land in upstate New York
are also pending. Included are Cayuga Indian Nation of New York v. Cuomo, et
al., and Canadian St. Regis Band of Mohawk Indians, et al. v. State of New York,
et al., both in the United States District Court for the Northern District of
New York. The Supreme Court's holding in Oneida Indian Nation of New York may
impair or eliminate certain of the State's defenses to these actions, but may
enhance others. In the Cayuga Indian Nation of New York case, by order dated
March 29, 1999, the United States District Court for the Northern District of
New York appointed a federal settlement master. In June 1999, the federal
government moved to have the State held jointly and severally liable for any
damages owed to the plaintiffs. This motion was argued before the District Court
on July 8, 1999. The damages phase of the trial of this case is scheduled to
begin on December 1, 1999. In the Canadian St. Regis Band of Mohawk Indians
case, the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York has
directed the parties to rebrief outstanding motions to dismiss brought by the
defendants. The State filed its brief on July 1, 1999. The motions are scheduled
for argument on September 21, 1999.
CIVIL RIGHTS CLAIMS
In an action commenced in 1980 (United States, et al. v. Yonkers Board of
Education, et al.), the United States District Court for the Southern District
of New York found, in 1985, that Yonkers and its public schools were
intentionally segregated. In 1986, the District Court ordered Yonkers to develop
and comply with a remedial educational improvement plan (EIP I). On January 19,
1989, the District Court granted motions by Yonkers and the NAACP to add the
State Education Department, the Yonkers Board of Education, and the State Urban
Development Corporation as defendants, based on allegations that they had
participated in the perpetuation of the segregated school system. On August 30,
1993, the District Court found that vestiges of a dual school system continued
to exist in Yonkers. On March 27, 1995, the District Court made factual findings
regarding the role of the State and the other State defendants (the State) in
connection with the creation and maintenance of the dual school system, but
found no legal basis for imposing liability. On September 3, 1996, the United
States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, based on the District Court's
factual findings, held the State defendants liable under 42 USC ss.1983 and the
Equal Educational Opportunity Act, 20 USC ss.ss.1701, et seq., for the unlawful
dual school system, because the State, inter alia, had taken no action to force
the school district to desegregate despite its actual or constructive knowledge
of de jure segregation. By order dated October 8, 1997, the District Court held
that vestiges of the prior segregated school system continued to exist and that,
based on the State's conduct in creating and maintaining that system, the State
is liable for eliminating segregation and its vestiges in Yonkers and must fund
a remedy to accomplish that goal. Yonkers presented a proposed educational
improvement plan (EIP II) to eradicate these vestiges of segregation. The
October 8, 1997 order of the District Court ordered that EIP II be implemented
and directed that, within 10 days of the entry of the order, the State make
available to Yonkers $450,000 to support planning activities to prepare the EIP
II budget for 1998-99 and the accompanying capital facilities plan. A final
judgment to implement EIP II was entered on October 14, 1997. On November 7,
1997, the State appealed that judgment to the Second Circuit. The appeal is
pending. Additionally, the Court adopted a requirement that the State pay to
Yonkers approximately $9.85 million as its pro rata share of the funding of EIP
I for the 1996-97 school year. The requirement for State funding of EIP I was
reduced to an order on December 2, 1997 and reduced to a judgment on February
10, 1998. The State appealed that order to the Second Circuit on December 31,
1997 and amended the notice of appeal after entry of the judgment. By decision
dated June 22, 1999, as discussed below, the Second Circuit affirmed the
District Court's order requiring the State to pay one-half of the cost of EIP I
for the 1996-97 school year and remanded the case to the District Court for
further proceedings consistent with its decision.
On June 15, 1998, the District Court issued an opinion setting forth the
formula for the allocation of the costs of EIP I and EIP II between the State
and the City for the school years 1997-98 through 2005-06. That opinion was
reduced to an order on July 27, 1998. The order directed the State to pay $37.5
million by August 1, 1998 for estimated EIP costs for the 1997-98 school year.
The State made this payment, as directed. On August 24, 1998, the State appealed
that order to the Second Circuit. The city of Yonkers and the Yonkers Board of
Education cross appealed to the Second Circuit from that order. By stipulation
of the parties approved by the Second Circuit on November 19, 1998, the appeals
from the July 27, 1998 order were withdrawn without prejudice to reinstatement
upon determination of the State's appeal of the October 14, 1997 judgment
discussed above.
On April 15, 1999, the District Court issued two additional orders. The
first order directed the State to pay to Yonkers an additional $11.3 million by
May 1, 1999, as the State's remaining share of EIP costs for the 1997-98 school
year. The second order directed the State to pay to Yonkers $69.1 million as its
share of the estimated EIP costs for the 1998-99 school year. The State made
both payments on April 30, 1999.
In a decision dated June 22, 1999, the Second Circuit found no basis for
the District Court's findings that vestiges of a dual system continued to exist
in Yonkers and reversed the order directing the implementation of EIP II. The
Second Circuit also affirmed the District Court's order requiring the State to
pay one-half of the cost of EIP I for the 1996-97 school year and remanded the
case to the District Court for further proceedings consistent with its decision.
On July 2, 1999 the NAACP filed a petition for rehearing of the June 22, 1999
decision before the Second Circuit, en banc. The State has joined in the City of
Yonker's motion to stay further implementation of EIP II pending the decision on
the petition for rehearing. By order dated August 5, 1999, the Second Circuit
granted the motion staying further implementation of EIP II pending appeal.
On July 27, 1999, the City of Yonkers moved in the District Court to
modify the July 27, 1998 order to require the State to make payments for EIP
expenses each month from July 1999 through April 2000 of $9.22 million per month
instead of paying $92.2 million by May 1, 2000. By memorandum and order dated
July 29, 1999, the District Court denied this motion.
<PAGE>
APPENDIX B
Description of S&P, Moody's and Fitch ratings:
S&P
Municipal Bond Ratings
An S&P municipal bond rating is a current assessment of the
creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific obligation.
The ratings are based on current information furnished by the issuer or
obtained by S&P from other sources it considers reliable, and will include: (1)
likelihood of default-capacity and willingness of the obligor as to the timely
payment of interest and repayment of principal in accordance with the terms of
the obligation; (2) nature and provisions of the obligation; and (3) protection
afforded by, and relative position of, the obligation in the event of
bankruptcy, reorganization or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and
other laws affecting creditors' rights.
AAA
Debt rated AAA has the highest rating assigned by S&P. Capacity to pay
interest and repay principal is extremely strong.
AA
Debt rated AA has a very strong capacity to pay interest and repay
principal and differs from the highest rated issues only in a small degree.
A
Principal and interest payments on bonds in this category are regarded as
safe. This rating describes the third strongest capacity for payment of debt
service. It differs from the two higher ratings because:
General Obligation Bonds -- There is some weakness in the local economic
base, in debt burden, in the balance between revenues and expenditures, or in
quality of management. Under certain adverse circumstances, any one such
weakness might impair the ability of the issuer to meet debt obligations at some
future date.
Revenue Bonds -- Debt service coverage is good, but not exceptional.
Stability of the pledged revenues could show some variations because of
increased competition or economic influences on revenues. Basic security
provisions, while satisfactory, are less stringent. Management performance
appears adequate.
BBB
Of the investment grade, this is the lowest.
General Obligation Bonds -- Under certain adverse conditions, several of
the above factors could contribute to a lesser capacity for payment of debt
service. The difference between "A" and "BBB" rating is that the latter shows
more than one fundamental weakness, or one very substantial fundamental
weakness, whereas the former shows only one deficiency among the factors
considered.
Revenue Bonds -- Debt coverage is only fair. Stability of the pledged
revenues could show substantial variations with the revenue flow possibly being
subject to erosion over time. Basic security provisions are no more than
adequate. Management performance could be stronger.
BB, B, CCC, CC, C
Debt rated BB, B, CCC, CC or C is regarded as having predominantly
speculative characteristics with respect to capacity to pay interest and repay
principal. BB indicates the least degree of speculation and C the highest degree
of speculation. While such debt will likely have some quality and protective
characteristics, these are outweighed by large uncertainties or major risk
exposures to adverse conditions.
BB
Debt rated BB has less near-term vulnerability to default than other
speculative grade debt. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or
exposure to adverse business, financial or economic conditions which could lead
to inadequate capacity to meet timely interest and principal payments.
B
Debt rated B has a greater vulnerability to default but presently has the
capacity to meet interest payments and principal repayments. Adverse business,
financial or economic conditions would likely impair capacity or willingness to
pay interest and repay principal.
CCC
Debt rated CCC has a current identifiable vulnerability to default, and is
dependent upon favorable business, financial and economic conditions to meet
timely payments of principal. In the event of adverse business, financial or
economic conditions, it is not likely to have the capacity to pay interest and
repay principal.
CC
The rating CC is typically applied to debt subordinated to senior debt
which is assigned an actual or implied CCC rating.
C
The rating C is typically applied to debt subordinated to senior debt
which is assigned an actual or implied CCC- debt rating.
D
Bonds rated D are in default, and payment of interest and/or repayment of
principal is in arrears.
Plus (+) or minus (-): The ratings from AA to CCC may be modified by the
addition of a plus or minus sign to show relative standing within the major
ratings categories.
Municipal Note Ratings
SP-1
The issuers of these municipal notes exhibit very strong or strong
capacity to pay principal and interest. Those issues determined to possess
overwhelming safety characteristics are given a plus (+) designation.
SP-2
The issuers of these municipal notes exhibit satisfactory capacity to pay
principal and interest.
Commercial Paper Ratings
The designation A-1 by S&P indicates that the degree of safety regarding
timely payment is either overwhelming or very strong. Those issues determined to
possess overwhelming safety characteristics are denoted with a plus sign (+)
designation. Capacity for timely payment on issues with an A-2 designation is
strong. However, the relative degree of safety is not as high as for issues
designated A-1.
Moody's
Municipal Bond Ratings
Aaa
Bonds rated Aaa are judged to be of the best quality. They carry the
smallest degree of investment risk and are generally referred to as "gilt edge."
Interest payments are protected by a large or by an exceptionally stable margin
and principal is secure. While the various protective elements are likely to
change, such changes as can be visualized are most unlikely to impair the
fundamentally strong position of such issues.
Aa
Bonds rated Aa are judged to be of high quality by all standards. Together
with the Aaa group they comprise what generally are known as high-grade bonds.
They are rated lower than the best bonds because margins of protection may not
be as large as in Aaa securities or fluctuation of protective elements may be of
greater amplitude or there may be other elements present which make the
long-term risks appear somewhat larger than in Aaa securities.
A
Bonds rated A possess many favorable investment attributes and are to be
considered as upper medium-grade obligations. Factors giving security to
principal and interest are considered adequate, but elements may be present
which suggest a susceptibility to impairment some time in the future.
Baa
Bonds rated Baa are considered as medium grade obligations, i.e., they are
neither highly protected nor poorly secured. Interest payments and principal
security appear adequate for the present but certain protective elements may be
lacking or may be characteristically unreliable over any great length of time.
Such bonds lack outstanding investment characteristics and in fact have
speculative characteristics as well.
Ba
Bonds rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements; their future
cannot be considered as well assured. Often the protection of interest and
principal payments may be very moderate, and therefore not well safeguarded
during both good and bad times over the future. Uncertainty of position
characterizes bonds in this class.
B
Bonds rated B generally lack characteristics of the desirable investment.
Assurance of interest and principal payments or of maintenance of other terms of
the contract over any long period of time may be small.
Caa
Bonds rated Caa are of poor standing. Such issues may be in default or
there may be present elements of danger with respect to principal or interest.
Ca
Bonds rated Ca present obligations which are speculative in a high degree.
Such issues are often in default or have other marked shortcomings.
C
Bonds rated C are the lowest rated class of bonds, and issues so rated can
be regarded as having extremely poor prospects of ever attaining any real
investment standing.
Generally, Moody's provides either a generic rating or a rating with a
numerical modifier of 1 for bonds in each of the generic rating categories Aa,
A, Baa, and B. Moody's also provides numerical modifiers of 2 and 3 in each of
these categories for bond issues in the health care, higher education and other
not-for-profit sectors; the modifier 1 indicates that the issue ranks in the
higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates that the
issue is in the mid-range of the generic category; and the modifier 3 indicates
that the issue is in the low end of the generic category.
Municipal Note Ratings
Moody's ratings for state municipal notes and other short-term loans are
designated Moody's Investment Grade (MIG). Such ratings recognize the
differences between short-term credit risk and long-term risk. Factors affecting
the liquidity of the borrower and short-term cyclical elements are critical in
short-term ratings, while other factors of major importance in bond risk,
long-term secular trends for example, may be less important over the short run.
A short-term rating may also be assigned on an issue having a demand
feature. Such ratings will be designated as VMIG or, if the demand feature is
not rated, as NR. Short-term ratings on issues with demand features are
differentiated by the use of the VMIG symbol to reflect such characteristics as
payment upon periodic demand rather than fixed maturity dates and payment
relying on external liquidity. Additionally, investors should be alert to the
fact that the source of payment may be limited to the external liquidity with no
or limited legal recourse to the issuer in the event the demand is not met.
Moody's short-term ratings are designated Moody's Investment Grade as MIG
1 or VMIG 1 through MIG 4 or VMIG 4. As the name implies, when Moody's assigns a
MIG or VMIG rating, all categories define an investment grade situation.
MIG 1/VMIG 1
This designation denotes best quality. There is present strong protection
by established cash flows, superior liquidity support or demonstrated
broad-based access to the market for refinancing.
MIG 2/VMIG 2
This designation denotes high quality. Margins of protection are ample
although not so large as in the preceding group.
Commercial Paper Rating
The rating Prime-1 (P-1) is the highest commercial paper rating assigned
by Moody's. Issuers of P-1 paper must have a superior capacity for repayment of
short-term promissory obligations, and ordinarily will be evidenced by leading
market positions in well established industries, high rates of return on funds
employed, conservative capitalization structures with moderate reliance on debt
and ample asset protection, broad margins in earnings coverage of fixed
financial charges and high internal cash generation, and well established access
to a wide range of financial markets and assured sources of alternative
liquidity.
Issuers (or related supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 (P-2) have a
strong capacity for repayment of short-term promissory obligations. This
ordinarily will be evidenced by many of the characteristics cited above but to a
lesser degree. Earnings trends and coverage ratios, while sound, will be more
subject to variation. Capitalization characteristics, while still appropriate,
may be more affected by external conditions. Ample alternate liquidity is
maintained.
Fitch
Municipal Bond Ratings
The ratings represent Fitch's assessment of the issuer's ability to meet
the obligations of a specific debt issue or class of debt. The ratings take into
consideration special features of the issue, its relationship to other
obligations of the issuer, the current financial condition and operative
performance of the issuer and of any guarantor, as well as the political and
economic environment that might affect the issuer's future financial strength
and credit quality.
AAA
Bonds rated AAA are considered to be investment grade and of the highest
credit quality. The obligor has an exceptionally strong ability to pay interest
and repay principal, which is unlikely to be affected by reasonably foreseeable
events.
AA
Bonds rated AA are considered to be investment grade and of very high
credit quality. The obligor's ability to pay interest and repay principal is
very strong, although not quite as strong as bonds rated AAA. Because bonds
rated in the AAA and AA categories are not significantly vulnerable to
foreseeable future developments, short-term debt of these issuers is generally
rated F-1+.
A
Bonds rated A are considered to be investment grade and of high credit
quality. The obligor's ability to pay interest and repay principal is considered
to be strong, but may be more vulnerable to adverse changes in economic
conditions and circumstances than bonds with higher ratings.
BBB
Bonds rated BBB are considered to be investment grade and of satisfactory
credit quality. The obligor's ability to pay interest and repay principal is
considered to be adequate. Adverse changes in economic conditions and
circumstances, however, are more likely to have adverse impact on these bonds
and, therefore, impair timely payment. The likelihood that the ratings of these
bonds will fall below investment grade is higher than for bonds with higher
ratings.
BB
Bonds rated BB are considered speculative. The obligor's ability to pay
interest and repay principal may be affected over time by adverse economic
changes. However, business and financial alternatives can be identified which
could assist the obligor in satisfying its debt service requirements.
B
Bonds rated B are considered highly speculative. While bonds in this class
are currently meeting debt service requirements, the probability of continued
timely payment of principal and interest reflects the obligor's limited margin
of safety and the need for reasonable business and economic activity throughout
the life of the issue.
CCC
Bonds rated CCC have certain identifiable characteristics, which, if not
remedied, may lead to default. The ability to meet obligations requires an
advantageous business and economic environment.
CC
Bonds rated CC are minimally protected. Default in payment of interest
and/or principal seems probable over time.
C
Bonds rated C are in imminent default in payment of interest or principal.
DDD, DD and D
Bonds rated DDD, DD and D are in actual or imminent default of interest
and/or principal payments. Such bonds are extremely speculative and should be
valued on the basis of their ultimate recovery value in liquidation or
reorganization of the obligor. DDD represents the highest potential for recovery
on these bonds and D represents the lowest potential for recovery.
Plus (+) and minus (-) signs are used with a rating symbol to indicate the
relative position of a credit within the rating category. Plus and minus signs,
however, are not used in the AAA category covering 12-36 months or the DDD, DD
or D categories.
Short-Term Ratings
Fitch's short-term ratings apply to debt obligations that are payable on
demand or have original maturities of up to three years, including commercial
paper, certificates of deposit, medium-term notes, and municipal and investment
notes.
Although the credit analysis is similar to Fitch's bond rating analysis,
the short-term rating places greater emphasis than bond ratings on the existence
of liquidity necessary to meet the issuer's obligations in a timely manner.
F-1+
Exceptionally Strong Credit Quality. Issues assigned this rating are
regarded as having the strongest degree of assurance for timely payment.
F-1
Very Strong Credit Quality. Issues assigned this rating reflect an
assurance of timely payment only slightly less in degree than issues rated F-1+.
F-2
Good Credit Quality. Issues carrying this rating have a satisfactory
degree of assurance for timely payments, but the margin of safety is not as
great as the F-1+ and F-1 categories.
GENERAL NEW YORK MUNICIPAL BOND FUND, INC.
PART C. OTHER INFORMATION
-------------------------
Item 23. Exhibits.
- ------- ------------
(a)(1) Registrant's Articles of Incorporation and Articles of Amendment are
incorporated by reference to Exhibit (1) of Post-Effective Amendment
No. 19 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on February
26, 1996.
(a)(2) Articles of Amendment.
(b) Registrant's By-Laws, as amended.
(d) Management Agreement is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (5) of
Post-Effective Amendment No. 17 to the Registration Statement on
Form N-1A, filed on December 30, 1994.
(e) Distribution Agreement, as amended. Forms of Service Agreements are
incorporated by reference to Exhibit (6)(b) of Post-Effective
Amendment No. 17 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed
on December 30, 1994.
(g) Amended and Restated Custody Agreement is incorporated by reference
to Exhibit 8(a) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 16 to the
Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on January 18, 1994.
Sub-Custodian Agreements are incorporated by reference to Exhibit
8(b) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 16 to the Registration
Statement on Form N-1A, filed on January 18, 1994.
(i) Opinion and consent of Registrant's counsel is incorporated by
reference to Exhibit (10) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 17 to the
Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on December 30, 1994.
(j) Consent of Independent Auditors.
(m) Service Plan is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (15) of Post-
Effective Amendment No. 17 to the Registration Statement on Form
N-1A, filed on December 30, 1994.
Item 23. Exhibits. (continued)
- ------- -------------------
Other Exhibits
--------------
(a) Powers of Attorney.
(b) Certificate of Secretary.
Item 24. Persons Controlled by or under Common Control with Registrant.
- ------- --------------------------------------------------------------
Not Applicable
Item 25. Indemnification
- ------- ---------------
Reference is made to Article SEVENTH of the Registrant's Articles of
Incorporation which are incorporated by reference to Exhibit (1) of
Post-Effective Amendment No. 19 to the Fund's Registration Statement
on Form N-1A, filed on February 26, 1996 and to Section 2-418 of the
Maryland General Corporation Law. The application of these provisions
is limited by Article VIII of the Registrant's By-Laws filed as
Exhibit (b) hereto and by the following undertaking set forth in the
rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission:
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers
and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the
foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been
advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange
Commission such indemnification is against public policy as
expressed in such Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the
event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities
(other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred
or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the
registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling
person in connection with the securities being registered, the
registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of
appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in
such Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such
issue.
Reference is also made to the Distribution Agreement, as amended.
Item 26. Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser.
- ------- ----------------------------------------------------
The Dreyfus Corporation ("Dreyfus") and subsidiary companies
comprise a financial service organization whose business consists
primarily of providing investment management services as the
investment adviser and manager for sponsored investment companies
registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and as an
investment adviser to institutional and individual accounts.
Dreyfus also serves as sub-investment adviser to and/or
administrator of other investment companies. Dreyfus Service
Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dreyfus, serves
primarily as a registered broker-dealer of shares of investment
companies sponsored by Dreyfus and of other investment companies
for which Dreyfus acts as investment adviser, sub-investment
adviser or administrator. Dreyfus Investment Advisors, Inc.,
another wholly-owned subsidiary, provides investment management
services to various pension plans, institutions and individuals.
<TABLE>
ITEM 26. Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser (continued)
- ------- ---------------------------------------------------------------
Officers and Directors of Investment Adviser
--------------------------------------------
Name and Position
With Dreyfus Other Businesses Position Held Dates
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Christopher M. Condron Franklin Portfolio Associates, LLC* Director 1/97 - Present
Chairman of the Board and
Chief Executive Officer TBCAM Holdings, Inc.* Director 10/97 - Present
President 10/97 - 6/98
Chairman 10/97 - 6/98
The Boston Company Director 1/98 - Present
Asset Management, LLC* Chairman 1/98 - 6/98
President 1/98 - 6/98
The Boston Company President 9/95 - 1/98
Asset Management, Inc.* Chairman 4/95 - 1/98
Director 4/95 - 1/98
Franklin Portfolio Holdings, Inc.* Director 1/97 - Present
Certus Asset Advisors Corp.** Director 6/95 -Present
Mellon Capital Management Director 5/95 -Present
Corporation***
Mellon Bond Associates, LLP+ Executive Committee 1/98 - Present
Member
Mellon Bond Associates+ Trustee 5/95 -1/98
Mellon Equity Associates, LLP+ Executive Committee 1/98 - Present
Member
Mellon Equity Associates+ Trustee 5/95 - 1/98
Boston Safe Advisors, Inc. * Director 5/95 - Present
President 5/95 - Present
Mellon Bank, N.A. + Director 1/99 - Present
Chief Operating Officer 3/98 - Present
President 3/98 - Present
Vice Chairman 11/94 - 3/98
Mellon Financial Corporation+ Chief Operating Officer 1/99 - Present
President 1/99 - Present
Director 1/98 - Present
Vice Chairman 11/94 - 1/99
Christopher M. Condron The Boston Company, Inc.* Vice Chairman 1/94 - Present
Chairman and Chief Executive Director 5/93 - Present
Officer
(Continued) Laurel Capital Advisors, LLP+ Exec. Committee 1/98 - 8/98
Member
Laurel Capital Advisors+ Trustee 10/93 - 1/98
Boston Safe Deposit and Trust Director 5/93 -Present
Company*
The Boston Company Financial President 6/89 - Present
Strategies, Inc. * Director 6/89 - Present
Mandell L. Berman Self-Employed Real Estate Consultant, 11/74 - Present
Director 29100 Northwestern Highway Residential Builder and
Suite 370 Private Investor
Southfield, MI 48034
Burton C. Borgelt DeVlieg Bullard, Inc. Director 1/93 - Present
Director 1 Gorham Island
Westport, CT 06880
Mellon Financial Corporation+ Director 6/91 - Present
Mellon Bank, N.A. + Director 6/91 - Present
Dentsply International, Inc. Director 2/81 - Present
570 West College Avenue
York, PA
Quill Corporation Director 3/93 - Present
Lincolnshire, IL
Stephen R. Byers Gruntal & Co., LLC Executive Vice President 5/97 - 1/00
New York, NY Partner 5/97 - 1/00
Executive Committee 5/97 - 1/00
Member
Board of Directors 5/97 - 1/00
Member
Treasurers 5/97 - 1/00
Chief Financial Officer 5/97 - 6/99
Stephen E. Canter Dreyfus Investment Chairman of the Board 1/97 - Present
President, Chief Operating Advisors, Inc.++ Director 5/95 - Present
Officer, Chief Investment President 5/95 - Present
Officer, and Director
Newton Management Limited Director 2/99 - Present
London, England
Mellon Bond Associates, LLP+ Executive Committee 1/99 - Present
Member
Mellon Equity Associates, LLP+ Executive Committee 1/99 - Present
Member
Franklin Portfolio Associates, LLC* Director 2/99 - Present
Franklin Portfolio Holdings, Inc.* Director 2/99 - Present
The Boston Company Asset Director 2/99 - Present
Management, LLC*
Stephen E. Canter TBCAM Holdings, Inc.* Director 2/99 - Present
President, Chief Operating
Officer, Chief Investment Mellon Capital Management Director 1/99 - Present
Officer, and Director Corporation***
(Continued)
Founders Asset Management, LLC**** Member, Board of 12/97 - Present
Managers
Acting Chief Executive 7/98 - 12/98
Officer
The Dreyfus Trust Company+++ Director 6/95 - Present
Chairman 1/99 - Present
President 1/99 - Present
Chief Executive Officer 1/99 - Present
Thomas F. Eggers Dreyfus Service Corporation++ Executive Vice President 4/96 - Present
Vice Chairman - Institutional Director 9/96 - Present
and Director
Founders Asset Management, LLC**** Member, Board of Managers 2/99 - Present
Dreyfus Investment Advisors, Inc. Director 1/00 - Present
Dreyfus Service Organization++ Director 3/99 - Present
Dreyfus Insurance Agency of Director 3/99 - Present
Massachusetts, Inc. +++
Dreyfus Brokerage Services, Inc. Director 11/97 - 6/98
401 North Maple Avenue
Beverly Hills, CA.
Steven G. Elliott Mellon Financial Corporation+ Senior Vice Chairman 1/99 - Present
Director Chief Financial Officer 1/90 - Present
Vice Chairman 6/92 - 1/99
Treasurer 1/90 - 5/98
Mellon Bank, N.A.+ Senior Vice Chairman 3/98 - Present
Vice Chairman 6/92 - 3/98
Chief Financial Officer 1/90 - Present
Mellon EFT Services Corporation Director 10/98 - Present
Mellon Bank Center, 8th Floor
1735 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Mellon Financial Services Director 1/96 - Present
Corporation #1 Vice President 1/96 - Present
Mellon Bank Center, 8th Floor
1735 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Boston Group Holdings, Inc.* Vice President 5/93 - Present
APT Holdings Corporation Treasurer 12/87 - Present
Pike Creek Operations Center
4500 New Linden Hill Road
Wilmington, DE 19808
Allomon Corporation Director 12/87 - Present
Two Mellon Bank Center
Pittsburgh, PA 15259
Steven G. Elliott Collection Services Corporation Controller 10/90 - 2/99
Director (Continued) 500 Grant Street Director 9/88 - 2/99
Pittsburgh, PA 15258 Vice President 9/88 - 2/99
Treasurer 9/88 - 2/99
Mellon Financial Company+ Principal Exec. Officer 1/88 - Present
Chief Executive Officer 8/87 - Present
Director 8/87 - Present
President 8/87 - Present
Mellon Overseas Investments Director 4/88 - Present
Corporation+
Mellon Financial Services Treasurer 12/87 - Present
Corporation +
Mellon Financial Markets, Inc.+ Director 1/99 - Present
Mellon Financial Services Director 1/99 - Present
Corporation #17
Fort Lee, NJ
Mellon Mortgage Company Director 1/99 - Present
Houston, TX
Mellon Ventures, Inc. + Director 1/99 - Present
Lawrence S. Kash Dreyfus Investment Director 4/97 - 12/99
Vice Chairman Advisors, Inc.++
Dreyfus Brokerage Services, Inc. Chairman 11/97 - 2/99
401 North Maple Ave. Chief Executive Officer 11/97 - 2/98
Beverly Hills, CA
Dreyfus Service Corporation++ Director 1/95 - 2/99
President 9/96 - 3/99
Dreyfus Precious Metals, Inc.+++ Director 3/96 - 12/98
President 10/96 - 12/98
Dreyfus Service Director 12/94 - 3/99
Organization, Inc.++ President 1/97 - 3/99
Seven Six Seven Agency, Inc. ++ Director 1/97 - 4/99
Dreyfus Insurance Agency of Chairman 5/97 - 3/99
Massachusetts, Inc.++++ President 5/97 - 3/99
Director 5/97 - 3/99
The Dreyfus Trust Company+++ Chairman 1/97 - 1/99
President 2/97 - 1/99
Chief Executive Officer 2/97 - 1/99
Director 12/94 - Present
The Dreyfus Consumer Credit Chairman 5/97 - 6/99
Corporation++ President 5/97 - 6/99
Director 12/94 - 6/99
Lawrence S. Kash Founders Asset Management, LLC**** Member, Board of Managers 12/97 - Present
Vice Chairman (Continued)
The Boston Company Advisors, Chairman 12/95 - 1/99
Inc. Chief Executive Officer 12/95 - 1/99
Wilmington, DE President 12/95 - 1/99
The Boston Company, Inc.* Director 5/93 - Present
President 5/93 -Present
Mellon Bank, N.A.+ Executive Vice President 6/92 - Present
Laurel Capital Advisors, LLP+ Chairman 1/98 - 8/98
Executive Committee 1/98 - 8/98
Member
Chief Executive Officer 1/98 - 8/98
President 1/98 - 8/98
Laurel Capital Advisors, Inc. + Trustee 12/91 - 1/98
Chairman 9/93 - 1/98
President and CEO 12/91 - 1/98
Boston Group Holdings, Inc.* Director 5/93 - Present
President 5/93 - Present
Martin G. McGuinn Mellon Financial Corporation+ Chairman 1/99 - Present
Director Chief Executive Officer 1/99 - Present
Director 1/98 - Present
Vice Chairman 1/90 - 1/99
Mellon Bank, N. A. + Chairman 3/98 - Present
Chief Executive Officer 3/98 - Present
Director 1/98 - Present
Vice Chairman 1/90 - 3/98
Mellon Leasing Corporation+ Vice Chairman 12/96 - Present
Mellon Bank (DE) National Director 4/89 - 12/98
Association
Wilmington, DE
Mellon Bank (MD) National Director 1/96 - 4/98
Association
Rockville, Maryland
J. David Officer Dreyfus Service Corporation++ Executive Vice President 5/98 - Present
Vice Chairman Director 3/99 - Present
And Director
Dreyfus Service Organization, Inc.++ Director 3/99 - Present
Dreyfus Insurance Agency of Director 5/98 - Present
Massachusetts, Inc.++++
Dreyfus Brokerage Services, Inc. Chairman 3/99 - Present
401 North Maple Avenue
Beverly Hills, CA
Seven Six Seven Agency, Inc.++ Director 10/98 - Present
Mellon Residential Funding Corp. + Director 4/97 - Present
Mellon Trust of Florida, N.A. Director 8/97 - Present
2875 Northeast 191st Street
J. David Officer North Miami Beach, FL 33180
Vice Chairman and
Director (Continued) Mellon Bank, NA+ Executive Vice President 7/96 - Present
The Boston Company, Inc.* Vice Chairman 1/97 - Present
Director 7/96 - Present
Mellon Preferred Capital Director 11/96 - Present
Corporation*
RECO, Inc.* President 11/96 - Present
Director 11/96 - Present
The Boston Company Financial President 8/96 - Present
Services, Inc.* Director 8/96 - Present
Boston Safe Deposit and Trust Director 7/96 - Present
Company* President 7/96 - 1/99
Mellon Trust of New York Director 6/96 - Present
1301 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10019
Mellon Trust of California Director 6/96 - Present
400 South Hope Street
Suite 400
Los Angeles, CA 90071
Mellon United National Bank Director 3/98 - Present
1399 SW 1st Ave., Suite 400
Miami, Florida
Boston Group Holdings, Inc.* Director 12/97 - Present
Dreyfus Financial Services Corp. + Director 9/96 - Present
Dreyfus Investment Services Director 4/96 - Present
Corporation+
Richard W. Sabo Founders Asset Management LLC**** President 12/98 - Present
Director Chief Executive Officer 12/98 - Present
Prudential Securities
New York, NY Senior Vice President 07/91 - 11/98
Regional Director 07/91 - 11/98
Richard F. Syron Thermo Electron President 6/99 - Present
Director 81 Wyman Street Chief Executive Officer 6/99 - Present
Waltham, MA 02454-9046
American Stock Exchange Chairman 4/94 -6/99
86 Trinity Place Chief Executive Officer 4/94 - 6/99
New York, NY 10006
Ronald P. O'Hanley Franklin Portfolio Holdings, Inc.* Director 3/97 - Present
Vice Chairman
TBCAM Holdings, Inc.* Chairman 6/98 - Present
Director 10/97 - Present
The Boston Company Asset Chairman 6/98 - Present
Management, LLC* Director 1/98 - 6/98
Boston Safe Advisors, Inc. * Chairman 6/97 - Present
Director 2/97 - Present
Ronald P. O'Hanley Pareto Partners Partner Representative 5/97 - Present
Vice Chairman 271 Regent Street
Continued London, England W1R 8PP
Mellon Capital Management Director 5/97 -Present
Corporation***
Certus Asset Advisors Corp.** Director 2/97 - Present
Mellon Bond Associates+ Trustee 2/97 - Present
Chairman 2/97 - Present
Mellon Equity Associates+ Trustee 2/97 - Present
Chairman 2/97 - Present
Mellon-France Corporation+ Director 3/97 - Present
Laurel Capital Advisors+ Trustee 3/97 - Present
Mark N. Jacobs Dreyfus Investment Director 4/97 - Present
General Counsel, Advisors, Inc.++ Secretary 10/77 - 7/98
Vice President, and
Secretary The Dreyfus Trust Company+++ Director 3/96 - Present
The TruePenny Corporation++ President 10/98 - Present
Director 3/96 - Present
Dreyfus Service Director 3/97 - 3/99
Organization, Inc.++
William H. Maresca The Dreyfus Trust Company+++ Chief Financial Officer 3/99 - Present
Controller Treasurer 9/98 - Present
Director 3/97 - Present
Dreyfus Service Corporation++ Chief Financial Officer 12/98 - Present
Dreyfus Consumer Credit Corp. ++ Treasurer 10/98 -Present
Dreyfus Investment Treasurer 10/98 - Present
Advisors, Inc. ++
Dreyfus-Lincoln, Inc. Vice President 10/98 - Present
4500 New Linden Hill Road
Wilmington, DE 19808
The TruePenny Corporation++ Vice President 10/98 - Present
Dreyfus Precious Metals, Inc. +++ Treasurer 10/98 - 12/98
The Trotwood Corporation++ Vice President 10/98 - Present
Trotwood Hunters Corporation++ Vice President 10/98 - Present
Trotwood Hunters Site A Corp. ++ Vice President 10/98 - Present
Dreyfus Transfer, Inc. Chief Financial Officer 5/98 - Present
One American Express Plaza,
Providence, RI 02903
Dreyfus Service Treasurer 3/99 - Present
Organization, Inc.++ Assistant Treasurer 3/93 - 3/99
William H. Maresca Dreyfus Insurance Agency of
Controller (Continued) Massachusetts, Inc.++++ Assistant Treasurer 5/98 - Present
William T. Sandalls, Jr. Dreyfus Transfer, Inc. Chairman 2/97 - Present
Executive Vice President One American Express Plaza,
Providence, RI 02903
Dreyfus Service Corporation++ Director 1/96 - Present
Executive Vice President 2/97 - Present
Chief Financial Officer 2/97-12/98
Dreyfus Investment Director 1/96 - Present
Advisors, Inc.++ Treasurer 1/96 - 10/98
Dreyfus-Lincoln, Inc. Director 12/96 - Present
4500 New Linden Hill Road President 1/97 - Present
Wilmington, DE 19808
Seven Six Seven Agency, Inc.++ Director 1/96 - 10/98
Treasurer 10/96 - 10/98
The Dreyfus Consumer Director 1/96 - Present
Credit Corp.++ Vice President 1/96 - Present
Treasurer 1/97 - 10/98
The Dreyfus Trust Company +++ Director 1/96 - Present
Dreyfus Service Organization, Treasurer 10/96- 3/99
Inc.++
Dreyfus Insurance Agency of Director 5/97 - 3/99
Massachusetts, Inc.++++ Treasurer 5/97- 3/99
Executive Vice President 5/97 - 3/99
Diane P. Durnin Dreyfus Service Corporation++ Senior Vice President - 5/95 - 3/99
Vice President - Product Marketing and
Development Advertising Division
Patrice M. Kozlowski None
Vice President - Corporate
Communications
Mary Beth Leibig None
Vice President -
Human Resources
Theodore A. Schachar Dreyfus Service Corporation++ Vice President -Tax 10/96 - Present
Vice President - Tax
The Dreyfus Consumer Credit Chairman 6/99 - Present
Corporation ++ President 6/99 - Present
Dreyfus Investment Advisors, Inc.++ Vice President - Tax 10/96 - Present
Dreyfus Precious Metals, Inc. +++ Vice President - Tax 10/96 - 12/98
Dreyfus Service Organization, Inc.++ Vice President - Tax 10/96 - Present
Wendy Strutt None
Vice President
Richard Terres None
Vice President
Raymond J. Van Cott Mellon Financial Corporation+ Vice President 1/95 - Present
Vice-President -
Information Systems Computer Sciences Corporation+ Vice President 1/96 - 7/98
El Segundo, CA
James Bitetto The TruePenny Corporation++ Secretary 9/98 - Present
Assistant Secretary
Dreyfus Service Corporation++ Assistant Secretary 8/98 - Present
Dreyfus Investment Assistant Secretary 7/98 - Present
Advisors, Inc.++
Dreyfus Service Assistant Secretary 7/98 - Present
Organization, Inc.++
Steven F. Newman Dreyfus Transfer, Inc. Vice President 2/97 - Present
Assistant Secretary One American Express Plaza Director 2/97 - Present
Providence, RI 02903 Secretary 2/97 - Present
Dreyfus Service Secretary 7/98 - Present
Organization, Inc.++ Assistant Secretary 5/98 - 7/98
- ------------------------------------
* The address of the business so indicated is One Boston Place, Boston, Massachusetts, 02108.
** The address of the business so indicated is One Bush Street, Suite 450, San Francisco, California 94104.
*** The address of the business so indicated is 595 Market Street, Suite 3000, San Francisco, California 94105.
**** The address of the business so indicated is 2930 East Third Avenue,Denver, Colorado 80206.
+ The address of the business so indicated is One Mellon Bank Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15258.
++ The address of the business so indicated is 200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166.
+++ The address of the business so indicated is 144 Glenn Curtiss Boulevard, Uniondale, New York 11556-0144.
++++ The address of the business so indicated is 53 State Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02109
**** The address of the business so indicated is 2930 East Third Avenue,Denver, Colorado 80206.
</TABLE>
Item 27. Principal Underwriters
- -------- ----------------------
(a) Other investment companies for which Registrant's principal
underwriter (exclusive distributor) acts as principal underwriter or exclusive
distributor:
1) Comstock Partners Funds, Inc.
2) Dreyfus A Bonds Plus, Inc.
3) Dreyfus Appreciation Fund, Inc.
4) Dreyfus Asset Allocation Fund, Inc.
5) Dreyfus Balanced Fund, Inc.
6) Dreyfus BASIC GNMA Fund
7) Dreyfus BASIC Money Market Fund, Inc.
8) Dreyfus BASIC Municipal Fund, Inc.
9) Dreyfus BASIC U.S. Government Money Market Fund
10) Dreyfus California Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
11) Dreyfus California Tax Exempt Bond Fund, Inc.
12) Dreyfus California Tax Exempt Money Market Fund
13) Dreyfus Cash Management
14) Dreyfus Cash Management Plus, Inc.
15) Dreyfus Connecticut Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
16) Dreyfus Connecticut Municipal Money Market Fund, Inc.
17) Dreyfus Florida Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
18) Dreyfus Florida Municipal Money Market Fund
19) The Dreyfus Fund Incorporated
20) Dreyfus Global Bond Fund, Inc.
21) Dreyfus Global Growth Fund
22) Dreyfus GNMA Fund, Inc.
23) Dreyfus Government Cash Management Funds
24) Dreyfus Growth and Income Fund, Inc.
25) Dreyfus Growth and Value Funds, Inc.
26) Dreyfus Growth Opportunity Fund, Inc.
27) Dreyfus Debt and Equity Funds
28) Dreyfus Index Funds, Inc.
29) Dreyfus Institutional Money Market Fund
30) Dreyfus Institutional Preferred Money Market Fund
31) Dreyfus Institutional Short Term Treasury Fund
32) Dreyfus Insured Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
33) Dreyfus Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
34) Dreyfus International Funds, Inc.
35) Dreyfus Investment Grade Bond Funds, Inc.
36) Dreyfus Investment Portfolios
37) The Dreyfus/Laurel Funds, Inc.
38) The Dreyfus/Laurel Funds Trust
39) The Dreyfus/Laurel Tax-Free Municipal Funds
40) Dreyfus LifeTime Portfolios, Inc.
41) Dreyfus Liquid Assets, Inc.
42) Dreyfus Massachusetts Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
43) Dreyfus Massachusetts Municipal Money Market Fund
44) Dreyfus Massachusetts Tax Exempt Bond Fund
45) Dreyfus MidCap Index Fund
46) Dreyfus Money Market Instruments, Inc.
47) Dreyfus Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
48) Dreyfus Municipal Cash Management Plus
49) Dreyfus Municipal Money Market Fund, Inc.
50) Dreyfus New Jersey Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
51) Dreyfus New Jersey Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
52) Dreyfus New Jersey Municipal Money Market Fund, Inc.
53) Dreyfus New Leaders Fund, Inc.
54) Dreyfus New York Insured Tax Exempt Bond Fund
55) Dreyfus New York Municipal Cash Management
56) Dreyfus New York Tax Exempt Bond Fund, Inc.
57) Dreyfus New York Tax Exempt Intermediate Bond Fund
58) Dreyfus New York Tax Exempt Money Market Fund
59) Dreyfus U.S. Treasury Intermediate Term Fund
60) Dreyfus U.S. Treasury Long Term Fund
61) Dreyfus 100% U.S. Treasury Money Market Fund
62) Dreyfus U.S. Treasury Short Term Fund
63) Dreyfus Pennsylvania Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
64) Dreyfus Pennsylvania Municipal Money Market Fund
65) Dreyfus Premier California Municipal Bond Fund
66) Dreyfus Premier Equity Funds, Inc.
67) Dreyfus Premier International Funds, Inc.
68) Dreyfus Premier GNMA Fund
69) Dreyfus Premier Worldwide Growth Fund, Inc.
70) Dreyfus Premier Municipal Bond Fund
71) Dreyfus Premier New York Municipal Bond Fund
72) Dreyfus Premier State Municipal Bond Fund
73) Dreyfus Premier Value Equity Funds
74) Dreyfus Short-Intermediate Government Fund
75) Dreyfus Short-Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
76) The Dreyfus Socially Responsible Growth Fund, Inc.
77) Dreyfus Stock Index Fund
78) Dreyfus Tax Exempt Cash Management
79) The Dreyfus Premier Third Century Fund, Inc.
80) Dreyfus Treasury Cash Management
81) Dreyfus Treasury Prime Cash Management
82) Dreyfus Variable Investment Fund
83) Dreyfus Worldwide Dollar Money Market Fund, Inc.
84) Founders Funds, Inc.
85) General California Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
86) General California Municipal Money Market Fund
87) General Government Securities Money Market Funds, Inc.
88) General Money Market Fund, Inc.
89) General Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
90) General Municipal Money Market Funds, Inc.
91) General New York Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
92) General New York Municipal Money Market Fund
(b)
Positions and
Name and principal Positions and offices with offices with
business address the Distributor Registrant
- ------------------ --------------------------- -------------
Marie E. Connolly+ Director, President, Chief President and
Executive Officer and Chief Treasurer
Compliance Officer
Joseph F. Tower, III+ Director, Senior Vice President, Vice President
Treasurer and Chief Financial and Assistant
Officer Treasurer
Mary A. Nelson+ Vice President Vice President
and Assistant
Treasurer
Jean M. O'Leary+ Assistant Vice President, None
Assistant Secretary and
Assistant Clerk
William J. Nutt+ Chairman of the Board None
Stephanie D. Pierce++ Vice President Vice President,
Assistant Secretary
and Assistant
Treasurer
Patrick W. McKeon+ Vice President None
Joseph A. Vignone+ Vice President None
- --------------------------------
+ Principal business address is 60 State Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02109.
++ Principal business address is 200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166.
Item 28. Location of Accounts and Records
- ------- --------------------------------
1. The Bank of New York
100 Church Street
New York, New York 10286
2. Dreyfus Transfer, Inc.
P.O. Box 9671
Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9671
3. The Dreyfus Corporation
200 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10166
Item 29. Management Services
- ------- -------------------
Not Applicable
Item 30. Undertakings
- ------- ------------
None
SIGNATURES
----------
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and to the
Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant certifies that it meets all of
the requirements for effectiveness of this registration statement under Rule
485(b) under the Securities Act of 1933 and has duly caused this Amendment to
the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned,
thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New York, and State of New York on the
25th day of February, 2000.
GENERAL NEW YORK MUNICIPAL BOND FUND, INC.
BY: /s/Marie E. Connolly*
---------------------
MARIE E. CONNOLLY, PRESIDENT
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Amendment to
the Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the
capacities and on the date indicated.
Signatures Title Date
- -------------------------- -------------------------- ----------
/s/Marie E. Connolly * President and Treasurer 02/25/00
____________________________ (Principal Executive Officer)
Marie E. Connolly
/s/Joseph F. Tower, III* Assistant Treasurer 02/25/00
____________________________ (Principal Accounting and
Joseph F. Tower, III Financial Officer)
/s/Clifford L. Alexander, Jr.* Director 02/25/00
- ----------------------------
Clifford L. Alexander, Jr.
/s/ Peggy C. Davis* Director 02/25/00
- ----------------------------
Peggy C. Davis
/s/Joseph S. DiMartino* Chairman of the Board 02/25/00
____________________________ of Directors
Joseph S. DiMartino
/s/Ernest Kafka* Director 02/25/00
- ----------------------------
Ernest Kafka
/s/Nathan Leventhal* Director 02/25/00
- ----------------------------
Nathan Leventhal
*BY: /s/ Stephanie Pierce
----------------------
Stephanie Pierce,
Attorney-in-Fact
GENERAL NEW YORK MUNICIPAL BOND FUND, INC.
INDEX OF EXHIBITS
(a)(2) Articles of Amendment.
(b) By-Laws.
(e) Distribution Agreement.
(j) Consent of Independent Auditors.
Other Exhibits
(a) Power of Attorney.
.
(b) Certificate of Assistant Secretary.
ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT
General New York Municipal Bond Fund, Inc., a Maryland corporation
having its principal office in the State of Maryland in Baltimore, Maryland
(hereinafter called the "Corporation"), hereby certifies to the State Department
of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland that:
FIRST: The charter of the Corporation is hereby amended by reducing
the par value of each share of Common Stock of the Corporation as set forth in
Article FIFTH of the Articles of Incorporation (or elsewhere in the charter) to
a par value of one tenth of one cent ($.001) each and reducing the aggregate par
value of the Common Stock of the Corporation to $100,000.
SECOND: These Articles of Amendment were approved by at least a
majority of the entire Board of Directors of the Corporation and are limited to
changes expressly authorized by Section 2-605 of Title 2 of the Maryland General
Corporation Law to be made without action by the stockholders of the
Corporation.
The undersigned Vice President of the Corporation acknowledges these
Articles of Amendment to be the corporate act of the Corporation and states
that, to the best of such officer's knowledge, information and belief, the
matters and facts set forth in these Articles with respect to the authorization
and approval of the amendment of the Corporation's charter are true in all
material respects, and that this statement is made under the penalties of
perjury.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, General New York Municipal Bond Fund, Inc. has caused
this instrument to be signed in its name and on its behalf by its Vice
President, and witnessed by its Assistant Secretary, on the 10th day of
December, 1999.
GENERAL NEW YORK MUNICIPAL BOND FUND, INC.
By:/s/ Stephanie D. Pierce
__________________________
Stephanie D. Pierce,
Vice President
WITNESS:
/s/Elba Vasquez
- -----------------------------
Elba Vasquez,
Assistant Secretary
BY-LAWS
OF
GENERAL NEW YORK MUNICIPAL BOND FUND, INC.
(A Maryland Corporation)
-----------
ARTICLE I
STOCKHOLDERS
1. CERTIFICATES REPRESENTING STOCK. Certificates representing shares
of stock shall set forth thereon the statements prescribed by Section 2-211 of
the Maryland General Corporation Law ("General Corporation Law") and by any
other applicable provision of law and shall be signed by the Chairman of the
Board or the President or a Vice President and countersigned by the Secretary or
an Assistant Secretary or the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer and may be
sealed with the corporate seal. The signatures of any such officers may be
either manual or facsimile signatures and the corporate seal may be either
facsimile or any other form of seal. In case any such officer who has signed
manually or by facsimile any such certificate ceases to be such officer before
the certificate is issued, it nevertheless may be issued by the corporation with
the same effect as if the officer had not ceased to be such officer as of the
date of its issue.
No certificate representing shares of stock shall be issued for any
share of stock until such share is fully paid, except as otherwise authorized in
Section 2-206 of the General Corporation Law.
The corporation may issue a new certificate of stock in place of any
certificate theretofore issued by it, alleged to have been lost, stolen or
destroyed, and the Board of Directors may require, in its discretion, the owner
of any such certificate or the owner's legal representative to give bond, with
sufficient surety, to the corporation to indemnify it against any loss or claim
that may arise by reason of the issuance of a new certificate.
The Board of Directors at any time may discontinue the issuance of
certificates representing shares of stock and by written notice to each
stockholder, may require the surrender of certificates of stock to the
corporation for cancellation. Such surrender and cancellation shall not affect
the ownership of stock in the corporation.
2. SHARE TRANSFERS. Upon compliance with provisions restricting the
transferability of shares of stock, if any, transfers of shares of stock of the
corporation shall be made only on the stock transfer books of the corporation by
the record holder thereof or by his attorney thereunto authorized by power of
attorney duly executed and filed with the Secretary of the corporation or with a
transfer agent or a registrar, if any, and on surrender of the certificate or
certificates, if any, for such shares of stock properly endorsed and the payment
of all taxes due thereon.
3. RECORD DATE FOR STOCKHOLDERS. The Board of Directors may fix, in
advance, a date as the record date for the purpose of determining stockholders
entitled to notice of, or to vote at, any meeting of stockholders, or
stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or the allotment of any
rights or in order to make a determination of stockholders for any other proper
purpose. Such date, in any case, shall be not more than 90 days, and in case of
a meeting of stockholders not less than 10 days, prior to the date on which the
meeting or particular action requiring such determination of stockholders is to
be held or taken. In lieu of fixing a record date, the Board of Directors may
provide that the stock transfer books shall be closed for a stated period but
not to exceed 20 days. If the stock transfer books are closed for the purpose of
determining stockholders entitled to notice of, or to vote at, a meeting of
stockholders, such books shall be closed for at least 10 days immediately
preceding such meeting. If no record date is fixed and the stock transfer books
are not closed for the determination of stockholders: (1) The record date for
the determination of stockholders entitled to notice of, or to vote at, a
meeting of stockholders shall be at the close of business on the day on which
the notice of meeting is mailed or the day 30 days before the meeting, whichever
is the closer date to the meeting; and (2) The record date for the determination
of stockholders entitled to receive payment of a dividend or an allotment of any
rights shall be at the close of business on the day on which the resolution of
the Board of Directors declaring the dividend or allotment of rights is adopted,
provided that the payment or allotment date shall not be more than 60 days after
the date on which the resolution is adopted.
4. MEANING OF CERTAIN TERMS. As used herein in respect of the right
to notice of a meeting of stockholders or a waiver thereof or to participate or
vote thereat or to consent or dissent in writing in lieu of a meeting, as the
case may be, the term "share of stock" or "shares of stock" or "stockholder" or
"stockholders" refers to an outstanding share or shares of stock and to a holder
or holders of record of outstanding shares of stock when the corporation is
authorized to issue only one class of shares of stock and said reference also is
intended to include any outstanding share or shares of stock and any holder or
holders of record of outstanding shares of stock of any class or series upon
which or upon whom the Charter confers such rights where there are two or more
classes or series of shares or upon which or upon whom the General Corporation
Law confers such rights notwithstanding that the Charter may provide for more
than one class or series of shares of stock, one or more of which are limited or
denied such rights thereunder.
5. STOCKHOLDER MEETINGS.
ANNUAL MEETINGS. If a meeting of the stockholders of the
corporation is required by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, to
elect the directors, then there shall be submitted to the stockholders at such
meeting the question of the election of directors, and a meeting called for that
purpose shall be designated the annual meeting of stockholders for that year. In
other years in which no action by stockholders is required for the aforesaid
election of directors, no annual meeting need be held.
SPECIAL MEETINGS. Special stockholder meetings for any purpose
may be called by the Board of Directors or the President and shall be called by
the Secretary for the purpose of removing a Director whenever the holders of
shares entitled to at least ten percent of all the votes entitled to be cast at
such meeting shall make a duly authorized request that such meeting be called.
The Secretary shall call a special meeting of stockholders for all other
purposes whenever the holders of shares entitled to at least a majority of all
the votes entitled to be cast at such meeting shall make a duly authorized
request that such meeting be called. Such request shall state the purpose of
such meeting and the matters proposed to be acted on thereat, and no other
business shall be transacted at any such special meeting. The Secretary shall
inform such stockholders of the reasonably estimated costs of preparing and
mailing the notice of the meeting, and upon payment to the corporation of such
costs, the Secretary shall give notice in the manner provided for below.
PLACE AND TIME. Stockholder meetings shall be held at such
place, either within the State of Maryland or at such other place within the
United States, and at such date or dates as the directors from time to time may
fix.
NOTICE OR ACTUAL OR CONSTRUCTIVE WAIVER OF NOTICE. Written or
printed notice of all meetings shall be given by the Secretary and shall state
the time and place of the meeting. The notice of a special meeting shall state
in all instances the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called.
Written or printed notice of any meeting shall be given to each stockholder
either by mail or by presenting it to the stockholder personally or by leaving
it at his or her residence or usual place of business not less than 10 days and
not more than 90 days before the date of the meeting, unless any provisions of
the General Corporation Law shall prescribe a different elapsed period of time,
to each stockholder at his or her address appearing on the books of the
corporation or the address supplied by the stockholder for the purpose of
notice. If mailed, notice shall be deemed to be given when deposited in the
United States mail addressed to the stockholder at his or her post office
address as it appears on the records of the corporation with postage thereon
prepaid. Whenever any notice of the time, place or purpose of any meeting of
stockholders is required to be given under the provisions of these by-laws or of
the General Corporation Law, a waiver thereof in writing, signed by the
stockholder and filed with the records of the meeting, whether before or after
the holding thereof, or actual attendance or representation at the meeting shall
be deemed equivalent to the giving of such notice to such stockholder. The
foregoing requirements of notice also shall apply, whenever the corporation
shall have any class of stock which is not entitled to vote, to holders of stock
who are not entitled to vote at the meeting, but who are entitled to notice
thereof and to dissent from any action taken thereat.
QUORUM. At any meeting of stockholders, the presence in person
or by proxy of stockholders entitled to cast one-third of the votes thereat
shall constitute a quorum. In the absence of a quorum, the stockholders present
in person or by proxy, by majority vote and without notice other than by
announcement, may adjourn the meeting from time to time, but not for a period
exceeding 120 days after the original record date until a quorum shall attend.
ADJOURNED MEETINGS. A meeting of stockholders convened on the
date for which it was called (including one adjourned to achieve a quorum as
provided in the paragraph above) may be adjourned from time to time without
further notice to a date not more than 120 days after the original record date,
and any business may be transacted at any adjourned meeting which could have
been transacted at the meeting as originally called.
CONDUCT OF MEETING. Meetings of the stockholders shall be
presided over by one of the following officers in the order of seniority and if
present and acting: the President, a Vice President or, if none of the foregoing
is in office and present and acting, by a chairman to be chosen by the
stockholders. The Secretary of the corporation or, in his or her absence, an
Assistant Secretary, shall act as secretary of every meeting, but if neither the
Secretary nor an Assistant Secretary is present the chairman of the meeting
shall appoint a secretary of the meeting.
PROXY REPRESENTATION. Every stockholder may authorize another
person or persons to act for him by proxy in all matters in which a stockholder
is entitled to participate, whether for the purposes of determining the
stockholder's presence at a meeting, or whether by waiving notice of any
meeting, voting or participating at a meeting, expressing consent or dissent
without a meeting or otherwise. Every proxy shall be executed in writing by the
stockholder or by his or her duly authorized attorney-in-fact or be in such
other form as may be permitted by the General Corporation Law, including
documents conveyed by electronic transmission and filed with the Secretary of
the corporation. A copy, facsimile transmission or other reproduction of the
writing or transmission may be substituted for the original writing or
transmission for any purpose for which the original transmission could be used.
No unrevoked proxy shall be valid after 11 months from the date of its
execution, unless a longer time is expressly provided therein. The placing of a
stockholder's name on a proxy pursuant to telephonic or electronically
transmitted instructions obtained pursuant to procedures reasonably designed to
verify that such instructions have been authorized by such stockholder shall
constitute execution of such proxy by or on behalf of such stockholder.
INSPECTORS OF ELECTION. The directors, in advance of any
meeting, may, but need not, appoint one or more inspectors to act at the meeting
or any adjournment thereof. If an inspector or inspectors are not appointed, the
person presiding at the meeting may, but need not, appoint one or more
inspectors. In case any person who may be appointed as an inspector fails to
appear or act, the vacancy may be filled by appointment made by the directors in
advance of the meeting or at the meeting by the person presiding thereat. Each
inspector, if any, before entering upon the discharge of his duties, shall take
and sign an oath to execute faithfully the duties of inspector at such meeting
with strict impartiality and according to the best of his ability. The
inspectors, if any, shall determine the number of shares outstanding and the
voting power of each, the shares represented at the meeting, the existence of a
quorum and the validity and effect of proxies, and shall receive votes, ballots
or consents, hear and determine all challenges and questions arising in
connection with the right to vote, count and tabulate all votes, ballots or
consents, determine the result and do such acts as are proper to conduct the
election or vote with fairness to all stockholders. On request of the person
presiding at the meeting or any stockholder, the inspector or inspectors, if
any, shall make a report in writing of any challenge, question or matter
determined by him or them and execute a certificate of any fact found by him or
them.
VOTING. Each share of stock shall entitle the holder thereof
to one vote, except in the election of directors, at which each said vote may be
cast for as many persons as there are directors to be elected. Except for
election of directors, a majority of the votes cast at a meeting of
stockholders, duly called and at which a quorum is present, shall be sufficient
to take or authorize action upon any matter which may come before a meeting,
unless more than a majority of votes cast is required by the corporation's
Articles of Incorporation. A plurality of all the votes cast at a meeting at
which a quorum is present shall be sufficient to elect a director.
6. INFORMAL ACTION. Any action required or permitted to be taken at
a meeting of stockholders may be taken without a meeting if a consent in
writing, setting forth such action, is signed by all the stockholders entitled
to vote on the subject matter thereof and any other stockholders entitled to
notice of a meeting of stockholders (but not to vote thereat) have waived in
writing any rights which they may have to dissent from such action and such
consent and waiver are filed with the records of the corporation.
ARTICLE II
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
1. FUNCTIONS AND DEFINITION. The business and affairs of
the corporation shall be managed under the direction of a Board of
Directors. The use of the phrase "entire board" herein refers to the total
number of directors which the corporation would have if there were no
vacancies.
2. QUALIFICATIONS AND NUMBER. Each director shall be a natural
person of full age. A director need not be a stockholder, a citizen of the
United States or a resident of the State of Maryland. The initial Board of
Directors shall consist of one person. Thereafter, the number of directors
constituting the entire board shall never be less than three or the number of
stockholders, whichever is less. At any regular meeting or at any special
meeting called for that purpose, a majority of the entire Board of Directors may
increase or decrease the number of directors, provided that the number thereof
shall never be less than three or the number of stockholders, whichever is less,
nor more than twelve and further provided that the tenure of office of a
director shall not be affected by any decrease in the number of directors.
3. ELECTION AND TERM. The first Board of Directors shall consist of
the director named in the Articles of Incorporation and shall hold office until
the first meeting of stockholders or until his or her successor has been elected
and qualified. Thereafter, directors who are elected at a meeting of
stockholders, and directors who are elected in the interim to fill vacancies and
newly created directorships, shall hold office until their successors have been
elected and qualified. Newly created directorships and any vacancies in the
Board of Directors, other than vacancies resulting from the removal of directors
by the stockholders, may be filled by the Board of Directors, subject to the
provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. Newly created
directorships filled by the Board of Directors shall be by action of a majority
of the entire Board of Directors then in office. All vacancies to be filled by
the Board of Directors may be filled by a majority of the remaining members of
the Board of Directors, although such majority is less than a quorum thereof.
4. MEETINGS.
TIME. Meetings shall be held at such time as the Board of
Directors shall fix, except that the first meeting of a newly elected Board of
Directors shall be held as soon after its election as the directors conveniently
may assemble.
PLACE. Meetings shall be held at such place within or
without the State of Maryland as shall be fixed by the Board.
CALL. No call shall be required for regular meetings for
which the time and place have been fixed. Special meetings may be called
by or at the direction of the President or of a majority of the directors
in office.
NOTICE OR ACTUAL OR CONSTRUCTIVE WAIVER. Whenever any notice
of the time, place or purpose of any meeting of directors or any committee
thereof is required to be given under the provisions of the General Corporation
Law or of these by-laws, a waiver thereof in writing, signed by the director or
committee member entitled to such notice and filed with the records of the
meeting, whether before or after the holding thereof, or actual attendance at
the meeting shall be deemed equivalent to the giving of such notice to such
director or such committee member.
QUORUM AND ACTION. A majority of the entire Board of Directors
shall constitute a quorum except when a vacancy or vacancies prevents such
majority, whereupon a majority of the directors in office shall constitute a
quorum, provided such majority shall constitute at least one-third of the entire
Board and, in no event, less than two directors. A majority of the directors
present, whether or not a quorum is present, may adjourn a meeting to another
time and place. Except as otherwise specifically provided by the Articles of
Incorporation, the General Corporation Law or these by-laws, the action of a
majority of the directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present
shall be the action of the Board of Directors.
CHAIRMAN OF THE MEETING. The Chairman of the Board, if
any and if present and acting, or the President or any other director
chosen by the Board, shall preside at all meetings.
5. REMOVAL OF DIRECTORS. Any or all of the directors may be
removed for cause or without cause by the stockholders, who may elect a
successor or successors to fill any resulting vacancy or vacancies for the
unexpired term of the removed director or directors.
6. COMMITTEES. The Board of Directors may appoint from among its
members an Executive Committee and other committees composed of one or more
directors and may delegate to such committee or committees, in the intervals
between meetings of the Board of Directors, any or all of the powers of the
Board of Directors in the management of the business and affairs of the
corporation to the extent permitted by law. In the absence of any member of any
such committee, the members thereof present at any meeting, whether or not they
constitute a quorum, may appoint a member of the Board of Directors to act in
the place of such absent member.
7. INFORMAL ACTION. Any action required or permitted to be taken at
any meeting of the Board of Directors or of any committee thereof may be taken
without a meeting, if a written consent to such action is signed by all members
of the Board of Directors or any such committee, as the case may be, and such
written consent is filed with the minutes of the proceedings of the Board or any
such committee.
Members of the Board of Directors or any committee designated
thereby may participate in a meeting of such Board or committee by means of a
conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which all
persons participating in the meeting can hear each other at the same time.
Participation by such means shall constitute presence in person at a meeting.
<PAGE>
ARTICLE III
OFFICERS
The corporation may have a Chairman of the Board and shall have a
President, a Secretary and a Treasurer, who shall be elected by the Board of
Directors, and may have such other officers, assistant officers and agents as
the Board of Directors shall authorize from time to time. Any two or more
offices, except those of President and Vice President, may be held by the same
person, but no person shall execute, acknowledge or verify any instrument in
more than one capacity, if such instrument is required by law to be executed,
acknowledged or verified by two or more officers.
Any officer or agent may be removed by the Board of Directors
whenever, in its judgment, the best interests of the corporation will be served
thereby.
ARTICLE IV
PRINCIPAL OFFICE - RESIDENT AGENT - STOCK LEDGER
The address of the principal office of the corporation in the State
of Maryland prescribed by the General Corporation Law is 300 East Lombard
Street, c/o The Corporation Trust Incorporated, Baltimore, Maryland 21202. The
name and address of the resident agent in the State of Maryland prescribed by
the General Corporation Law are: The Corporation Trust Incorporated, 300 East
Lombard Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202.
The corporation shall maintain, at its principal office in the State
of Maryland prescribed by the General Corporation Law or at the business office
or an agency of the corporation, an original or duplicate stock ledger
containing the names and addresses of all stockholders and the number of shares
of each class held by each stockholder. Such stock ledger may be in written form
or any other form capable of being converted into written form within a
reasonable time for visual inspection.
ARTICLE V
CORPORATE SEAL
The corporate seal shall have inscribed thereon the name of the
corporation and shall be in such form and contain such other words and/or
figures as the Board of Directors shall determine or the law require.
ARTICLE VI
FISCAL YEAR
The fiscal year of the corporation or any series thereof shall be
fixed, and shall be subject to change, by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE VII
CONTROL OVER BY-LAWS
The power to make, alter, amend and repeal the by-laws is vested
exclusively in the Board of Directors of the corporation.
ARTICLE VIII
INDEMNIFICATION
1. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS. The corporation shall
indemnify its directors to the fullest extent that indemnification of directors
is permitted by the law. The corporation shall indemnify its officers to the
same extent as its directors and to such further extent as is consistent with
law. The corporation shall indemnify its directors and officers who while
serving as directors or officers also serve at the request of the corporation as
a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee, agent or fiduciary of another
corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, other enterprise or employee
benefit plan to the same extent as its directors and, in the case of officers,
to such further extent as is consistent with law. The indemnification and other
rights provided by this Article shall continue as to a person who has ceased to
be a director or officer and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors
and administrators of such a person. This Article shall not protect any such
person against any liability to the corporation or any stockholder thereof to
which such person would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance,
bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the
conduct of his office ("disabling conduct").
2. ADVANCES. Any current or former director or officer of the
corporation seeking indemnification within the scope of this Article shall be
entitled to advances from the corporation for payment of the reasonable expenses
incurred by him in connection with the matter as to which he is seeking
indemnification in the manner and to the fullest extent permissible under the
General Corporation Law. The person seeking indemnification shall provide to the
corporation a written affirmation of his good faith belief that the standard of
conduct necessary for indemnification by the corporation has been met and a
written undertaking to repay any such advance if it should ultimately be
determined that the standard of conduct has not been met. In addition, at least
one of the following additional conditions shall be met: (a) the person seeking
indemnification shall provide a security in form and amount acceptable to the
corporation for his or her undertaking; (b) the corporation is insured against
losses arising by reason of the advance; or (c) a majority of a quorum of
directors of the corporation who are neither "interested persons" as defined in
Section 2(a)(19) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, nor parties
to the proceeding ("disinterested non-party directors"), or independent legal
counsel, in a written opinion, shall have determined, based on a review of facts
readily available to the corporation at the time the advance is proposed to be
made, that there is reason to believe that the person seeking indemnification
will ultimately be found to be entitled to indemnification.
3. PROCEDURE. At the request of any person claiming indemnification
under this Article, the Board of Directors shall determine, or cause to be
determined, in a manner consistent with the General Corporation Law, whether the
standards required by this Article have been met. Indemnification shall be made
only following: (a) a final decision on the merits by a court or other body
before whom the proceeding was brought that the person to be indemnified was not
liable by reason of disabling conduct or (b) in the absence of such a decision,
a reasonable determination, based upon a review of the facts, that the person to
be indemnified was not liable by reason of disabling conduct by (i) the vote of
a majority of a quorum of disinterested non-party directors or (ii) an
independent legal counsel in a written opinion.
4. INDEMNIFICATION OF EMPLOYEES AND AGENTS. Employees and agents who
are not officers or directors of the corporation may be indemnified, and
reasonable expenses may be advanced to such employees or agents, as may be
provided by action of the Board of Directors or by contract, subject to any
limitations imposed by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
5. OTHER RIGHTS. The Board of Directors may make further provision
consistent with law for indemnification and advance of expenses to directors,
officers, employees and agents by resolution, agreement or otherwise. The
indemnification provided by this Article shall not be deemed exclusive of any
other right, with respect to indemnification or otherwise, to which those
seeking indemnification may be entitled under any insurance or other agreement
or resolution of stockholders or disinterested non-party directors or otherwise.
6. AMENDMENTS. References in this Article are to the General
Corporation Law and to the Investment Company Act of 1940 as from time to time
amended. No amendment of the by-laws shall affect any right of any person under
this Article based on any event, omission or proceeding prior to the amendment.
Dated: November 19, 1984
Amended: December 31, 1999
DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
GENERAL NEW YORK MUNICIPAL BOND FUND, INC.
200 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10166
August 24, 1994
As Amended September 15, 1999
Premier Mutual Fund Services, Inc.
60 State Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02109
Dear Sirs:
This is to confirm that, in consideration of the agreements
hereinafter contained, the above-named investment company (the "Fund") has
agreed that you shall be, for the period of this agreement, the distributor of
(a) shares of each Series of the Fund set forth on Exhibit A hereto, as such
Exhibit may be revised from time to time (each, a "Series") or (b) if no Series
are set forth on such Exhibit, shares of the Fund. For purposes of this
agreement the term "Shares" shall mean the authorized shares of the relevant
Series, if any, and otherwise shall mean the Fund's authorized shares.
1. Services as Distributor
1.1 You will act as agent for the distribution of Shares covered by,
and in accordance with, the registration statement and prospectus then in effect
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and will transmit promptly any
orders received by you for purchase or redemption of Shares to the Transfer and
Dividend Disbursing Agent for the Fund of which the Fund has notified you in
writing.
1.2 You agree to use your best efforts to solicit orders for the
sale of Shares. It is contemplated that you will enter into sales or servicing
agreements with securities dealers, financial institutions and other industry
professionals, such as investment advisers, accountants and estate planning
firms, and in so doing you will act only on your own behalf as principal.
1.3 You shall act as distributor of Shares in compliance with all
applicable laws, rules and regulations, including, without limitation, all rules
and regulations made or adopted pursuant to the Investment Company Act of 1940,
as amended, by the Securities and Exchange Commission or any securities
association registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
1.4 Whenever in their judgment such action is warranted by market,
economic or political conditions, or by abnormal circumstances of any kind, the
Fund's officers may decline to accept any orders for, or make any sales of, any
Shares until such time as they deem it advisable to accept such orders and to
make such sales and the Fund shall advise you promptly of such determination.
1.5 The Fund agrees to pay all costs and expenses in connection with
the registration of Shares under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and all
expenses in connection with maintaining facilities for the issue and transfer of
Shares and for supplying information, prices and other data to be furnished by
the Fund hereunder, and all expenses in connection with the preparation and
printing of the Fund's prospectuses and statements of additional information for
regulatory purposes and for distribution to shareholders; provided, however,
that nothing contained herein shall be deemed to require the Fund to pay any of
the costs of advertising the sale of Shares.
1.6 The Fund agrees to execute any and all documents and to furnish
any and all information and otherwise to take all actions which may be
reasonably necessary in the discretion of the Fund's officers in connection with
the qualification of Shares for sale in such states as you may designate to the
Fund and the Fund may approve, and the Fund agrees to pay all expenses which may
be incurred in connection with such qualification. You shall pay all expenses
connected with your own qualification as a dealer under state or Federal laws
and, except as otherwise specifically provided in this agreement, all other
expenses incurred by you in connection with the sale of Shares as contemplated
in this agreement.
1.7 The Fund shall furnish you from time to time, for use in
connection with the sale of Shares, such information with respect to the Fund or
any relevant Series and the Shares as you may reasonably request, all of which
shall be signed by one or more of the Fund's duly authorized officers; and the
Fund warrants that the statements contained in any such information, when so
signed by the Fund's officers, shall be true and correct. The Fund also shall
furnish you upon request with: (a) semi-annual reports and annual audited
reports of the Fund's books and accounts made by independent public accountants
regularly retained by the Fund, (b) quarterly earnings statements prepared by
the Fund, (c) a monthly itemized list of the securities in the Fund's or, if
applicable, each Series' portfolio, (d) monthly balance sheets as soon as
practicable after the end of each month, and (e) from time to time such
additional information regarding the Fund's financial condition as you may
reasonably request.
1.8 The Fund represents to you that all registration statements and
prospectuses filed by the Fund with the Securities and Exchange Commission under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and under the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended, with respect to the Shares have been carefully prepared in
conformity with the requirements of said Acts and rules and regulations of the
Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder. As used in this agreement the
terms "registration statement" and "prospectus" shall mean any registration
statement and prospectus, including the statement of additional information
incorporated by reference therein, filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission and any amendments and supplements thereto which at any time shall
have been filed with said Commission. The Fund represents and warrants to you
that any registration statement and prospectus, when such registration statement
becomes effective, will contain all statements required to be stated therein in
conformity with said Acts and the rules and regulations of said Commission; that
all statements of fact contained in any such registration statement and
prospectus will be true and correct when such registration statement becomes
effective; and that neither any registration statement nor any prospectus when
such registration statement becomes effective will include an untrue statement
of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. The Fund may
but shall not be obligated to propose from time to time such amendment or
amendments to any registration statement and such supplement or supplements to
any prospectus as, in the light of future developments, may, in the opinion of
the Fund's counsel, be necessary or advisable. If the Fund shall not propose
such amendment or amendments and/or supplement or supplements within fifteen
days after receipt by the Fund of a written request from you to do so, you may,
at your option, terminate this agreement or decline to make offers of the Fund's
securities until such amendments are made. The Fund shall not file any amendment
to any registration statement or supplement to any prospectus without giving you
reasonable notice thereof in advance; provided, however, that nothing contained
in this agreement shall in any way limit the Fund's right to file at any time
such amendments to any registration statement and/or supplements to any
prospectus, of whatever character, as the Fund may deem advisable, such right
being in all respects absolute and unconditional.
1.9 The Fund authorizes you to use any prospectus in the form
furnished to you from time to time, in connection with the sale of Shares. The
Fund agrees to indemnify, defend and hold you, your several officers and
directors, and any person who controls you within the meaning of Section 15 of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, free and harmless from and against any
and all claims, demands, liabilities and expenses (including the cost of
investigating or defending such claims, demands or liabilities and any counsel
fees incurred in connection therewith) which you, your officers and directors,
or any such controlling person, may incur under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, or under common law or otherwise, arising out of or based upon any
untrue statement, or alleged untrue statement, of a material fact contained in
any registration statement or any prospectus or arising out of or based upon any
omission, or alleged omission, to state a material fact required to be stated in
either any registration statement or any prospectus or necessary to make the
statements in either thereof not misleading; provided, however, that the Fund's
agreement to indemnify you, your officers or directors, and any such controlling
person shall not be deemed to cover any claims, demands, liabilities or expenses
arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or
alleged omission made in any registration statement or prospectus in reliance
upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Fund by you
specifically for use in the preparation thereof. The Fund's agreement to
indemnify you, your officers and directors, and any such controlling person, as
aforesaid, is expressly conditioned upon the Fund's being notified of any action
brought against you, your officers or directors, or any such controlling person,
such notification to be given by letter or by telegram addressed to the Fund at
its address set forth above within ten days after the summons or other first
legal process shall have been served. The failure so to notify the Fund of any
such action shall not relieve the Fund from any liability which the Fund may
have to the person against whom such action is brought by reason of any such
untrue, or alleged untrue, statement or omission, or alleged omission, otherwise
than on account of the Fund's indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph
1.9. The Fund will be entitled to assume the defense of any suit brought to
enforce any such claim, demand or liability, but, in such case, such defense
shall be conducted by counsel of good standing chosen by the Fund and approved
by you. In the event the Fund elects to assume the defense of any such suit and
retain counsel of good standing approved by you, the defendant or defendants in
such suit shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by
any of them; but in case the Fund does not elect to assume the defense of any
such suit, or in case you do not approve of counsel chosen by the Fund, the Fund
will reimburse you, your officers and directors, or the controlling person or
persons named as defendant or defendants in such suit, for the fees and expenses
of any counsel retained by you or them. The Fund's indemnification agreement
contained in this paragraph 1.9 and the Fund's representations and warranties in
this agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of
any investigation made by or on behalf of you, your officers and directors, or
any controlling person, and shall survive the delivery of any Shares. This
agreement of indemnity will inure exclusively to your benefit, to the benefit of
your several officers and directors, and their respective estates, and to the
benefit of any controlling persons and their successors. The Fund agrees
promptly to notify you of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings
against the Fund or any of its officers or Board members in connection with the
issue and sale of Shares.
1.10 You agree to indemnify, defend and hold the Fund, its several
officers and Board members, and any person who controls the Fund within the
meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, free and
harmless from and against any and all claims, demands, liabilities and expenses
(including the cost of investigating or defending such claims, demands or
liabilities and any counsel fees incurred in connection therewith) which the
Fund, its officers or Board members, or any such controlling person, may incur
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or under common law or otherwise,
but only to the extent that such liability or expense incurred by the Fund, its
officers or Board members, or such controlling person resulting from such claims
or demands, shall arise out of or be based upon any untrue, or alleged untrue,
statement of a material fact contained in information furnished in writing by
you to the Fund specifically for use in the Fund's registration statement and
used in the answers to any of the items of the registration statement or in the
corresponding statements made in the prospectus, or shall arise out of or be
based upon any omission, or alleged omission, to state a material fact in
connection with such information furnished in writing by you to the Fund and
required to be stated in such answers or necessary to make such information not
misleading. Your agreement to indemnify the Fund, its officers and Board
members, and any such controlling person, as aforesaid, is expressly conditioned
upon your being notified of any action brought against the Fund, its officers or
Board members, or any such controlling person, such notification to be given by
letter or telegram addressed to you at your address set forth above within ten
days after the summons or other first legal process shall have been served. You
shall have the right to control the defense of such action, with counsel of your
own choosing, satisfactory to the Fund, if such action is based solely upon such
alleged misstatement or omission on your part, and in any other event the Fund,
its officers or Board members, or such controlling person shall each have the
right to participate in the defense or preparation of the defense of any such
action. The failure so to notify you of any such action shall not relieve you
from any liability which you may have to the Fund, its officers or Board
members, or to such controlling person by reason of any such untrue, or alleged
untrue, statement or omission, or alleged omission, otherwise than on account of
your indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph 1.10. This agreement of
indemnity will inure exclusively to the Fund's benefit, to the benefit of the
Fund's officers and Board members, and their respective estates, and to the
benefit of any controlling persons and their successors.
You agree promptly to notify the Fund of the commencement of any litigation or
proceedings against you or any of your officers or directors in connection with
the issue and sale of Shares.
1.11 No Shares shall be offered by either you or the Fund under any
of the provisions of this agreement and no orders for the purchase or sale of
such Shares hereunder shall be accepted by the Fund if and so long as the
effectiveness of the registration statement then in effect or any necessary
amendments thereto shall be suspended under any of the provisions of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or if and so long as a current prospectus as
required by Section 10 of said Act, as amended, is not on file with the
Securities and Exchange Commission; provided, however, that nothing contained in
this paragraph 1.11 shall in any way restrict or have an application to or
bearing upon the Fund's obligation to repurchase any Shares from any shareholder
in accordance with the provisions of the Fund's prospectus or charter documents.
1.12 The Fund agrees to advise you immediately in writing:
(a) of any request by the Securities and Exchange
Commission for amendments to the registration statement or
prospectus then in effect or for additional information;
(b) in the event of the issuance by the Securities and
Exchange Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness
of the registration statement or prospectus then in effect or the
initiation of any proceeding for that purpose;
(c) of the happening of any event which makes untrue any
statement of a material fact made in the registration statement or
prospectus then in effect or which requires the making of a change
in such registration statement or prospectus in order to make the
statements therein not misleading; and
(d) of all actions of the Securities and Exchange
Commission with respect to any amendments to any registration
statement or prospectus which may from time to time be filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission.
2. Offering Price
Shares of any class of the Fund offered for sale by you shall be
offered for sale at a price per share (the "offering price") approximately equal
to (a) their net asset value (determined in the manner set forth in the Fund's
charter documents) plus (b) a sales charge, if any and except to those persons
set forth in the then-current prospectus, which shall be the percentage of the
offering price of such Shares as set forth in the Fund's then-current
prospectus. The offering price, if not an exact multiple of one cent, shall be
adjusted to the nearest cent. In addition, Shares of any class of the Fund
offered for sale by you may be subject to a contingent deferred sales charge as
set forth in the Fund's then-current prospectus. You shall be entitled to
receive any sales charge or contingent deferred sales charge in respect of the
Shares. Any payments to dealers shall be governed by a separate agreement
between you and such dealer and the Fund's then-current prospectus.
3. Term
This agreement shall continue until the date (the "Reapproval Date")
set forth on Exhibit A hereto (and, if the Fund has Series, a separate
Reapproval Date shall be specified on Exhibit A for each Series), and thereafter
shall continue automatically for successive annual periods ending on the day
(the "Reapproval Day") of each year set forth on Exhibit A hereto, provided such
continuance is specifically approved at least annually by (i) the Fund's Board
or (ii) vote of a majority (as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940) of
the Shares of the Fund or the relevant Series, as the case may be, provided that
in either event its continuance also is approved by a majority of the Board
members who are not "interested persons" (as defined in said Act) of any party
to this agreement, by vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of
voting on such approval. This agreement is terminable without penalty, on 60
days' notice, by vote of holders of a majority of the Fund's or, as to any
relevant Series, such Series' outstanding voting securities or by the Fund's
Board as to the Fund or the relevant Series, as the case may be. This agreement
is terminable by you, upon 270 days' notice, effective on or after the fifth
anniversary of the date hereof. This agreement also will terminate
automatically, as to the Fund or relevant Series, as the case may be, in the
event of its assignment (as defined in said Act).
4. Exclusivity
So long as you act as the distributor of Shares, you shall not
perform any services for any entity other than a "Mellon Entity," such term
being defined as any entity that is advised or administered by a direct or
indirect subsidiary of the Mellon Bank Corporation. The Fund acknowledges that
the persons employed by you to assist in the performance of your duties under
this agreement may not devote their full time to such service and, subject to
the preceding sentence, nothing contained in this agreement shall be deemed to
limit or restrict your or any of your affiliates right to engage in and devote
time and attention to other businesses or to render services of whatever kind or
nature.
Please confirm that the foregoing is in accordance with your
understanding and indicate your acceptance hereof by signing below, whereupon it
shall become a binding agreement between us.
Very truly yours,
GENERAL NEW YORK MUNICIPAL BOND
FUND, INC.
By: /s/Stephanie D. Pierce
_______________________
Accepted:
PREMIER MUTUAL FUND SERVICES, INC.
By:/s/ Joseph F. Tower
_______________________________
EXHIBIT A
Reapproval Date Reapproval Day
October 4, 2000 October 4th
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
We consent to the reference to our firm under the captions "Financial
Highlights" and "Counsel and Independent Auditors" and to the use of our
report dated December 7, 1999, which is incorporated by reference, in this
Registration Statement (Form N-1A No. 2-92285) of General New York Municipal
Bond Fund, Inc.
[ERNST & YOUNG LLP SIGNATURE LOGO]
New York, New York
February 23, 2000
Item 24.(b)
Other Exhibits (a)
POWER OF ATTORNEY
The undersigned hereby constitute and appoint Margaret W. Chambers, Marie
E. Connolly, Douglas C. Conroy, Frederick C. Dey, Christopher J. Kelley,
Kathleen K. Morrisey, Stephanie Pierce, Elba Vasquez and Karen Jacoppo-Wood and
each of them, with full power to act without the other, his or her true and
lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with name, place and stead, in any and all
capacities (until revoked in writing) to sign any and all amendments to the
Registration Statement of General New York Municipal Bond Fund, Inc. (including
post-effective amendments and amendments thereto), and to file the same, with
all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and
agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and
every act and thing ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and
agents or any of them, or their or his or her substitute or substitutes, may
lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
/s/Clifford L. Alexander, Jr. June 1, 1999
- --------------------------------
Clifford L. Alexander, Jr.
/s/Peggy C. Davis June 1, 1999
- --------------------------------
Peggy C. Davis
/s/Joseph S. DiMartino June 1, 1999
- --------------------------------
Joseph S. DiMartino
/s/Ernst Kafka June 1, 1999
- --------------------------------
Ernst Kafka
/s/Saul B. Klaman June 1, 1999
- --------------------------------
Saul B. Klaman
/s/Nathan Leventhal June 1, 1999
- --------------------------------
Nathan Leventhal
ITEM 24.(b)
OTHER EXHIBIT (b)
GENERAL NEW YORK MUNICIPAL BOND FUND, INC.
Certificate of Assistant Secretary
The undersigned, Stephanie Pierce, Vice President, Assistant Treasurer and
Assistant Secretary of General New York Municipal Bond Fund, Inc. (the "Fund"),
hereby certifies that set forth below is a copy of the resolution adopted by the
Fund's Board authorizing the signing by Margaret W. Chambers, Marie E. Connolly,
Douglas C. Conroy, Frederick C. Dey, Christopher J. Kelley, Kathleen K.
Morrisey, Stephanie Pierce, Elba Vasquez and Karen Jacoppo-Wood on behalf of the
proper officers of the Fund pursuant to a power of attorney:
RESOLVED, that the Registration Statement and any and all
amendments and supplements thereto, may be signed by any one of
Margaret W. Chambers, Marie E. Connolly, Douglas C. Conroy,
Frederick C. Dey, Christopher J. Kelley, Kathleen K. Morrisey,
Stephanie Pierce, Elba Vasquez and Karen Jacoppo-Wood as the
attorney-in-fact for the proper officers of the Fund, with full
power of substitution and resubstitution; and that the appointment
of each of such persons as such attorney-in-fact, hereby is
authorized and approved; and that such attorneys-in-fact; and each
of them, shall have full power and authority to do and perform
each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in
connection with such Registration Statement and any and all
amendments and supplements thereto, as fully to all intents and
purposes as the officer, for whom he or she is acting as
attorney-in-fact, might or could do in person.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto signed my name and affixed the
seal of the Fund on February 25, 2000.
/s/ Stephanie Pierce
-----------------------
Stephanie Pierce,
Vice President, Assistant
Treasurer and Assistant
Secretary
