| New York is still the gateway to business in the | | | | issuing of home mortgages. The task force is |
| United States. It is home of New York City, the | | | | looking to directly solicit input from community |
| nation's largest city and financial center, with a | | | | and advocacy groups and industry |
| population of over 8 million, out of a state-wide | | | | representatives as it designs initiatives to combat |
| population of over 18.5 million. Some people just | | | | predatory lending and mortgage fraud. They also |
| can't avoid getting their New York Incorporation, if | | | | want to help people purchasing their first home, |
| only to show they have an address in the Big | | | | and to keep the homes that they have |
| Apple. | | | | purchased. This includes home refinancing |
| However, there is a lot more to the state. New | | | | programs. |
| York's agricultural production is significant in dairy | | | | In New York City, in the borough of Queens, you |
| products, apples and other fruits and vegetables. | | | | can still find the world's biggest globe, from the |
| The south shore of Lake Ontario is known for its | | | | 1964-65 New York World's Fair. Its diameter is |
| fruit orchards including apple, cherry, plum, pear | | | | 120 feet. Twelve stories tall, weighing 700,000 |
| and peach orchards. Apples are also grown in the | | | | pounds, it is known as the Unisphere, and is made |
| Hudson Valley and near Lake Champlain. The | | | | of stainless steel. |
| south shore of Lake Erie and the southern Finger | | | | Buffalo, at the western end of the state, is the |
| Lakes hillsides have many vineyards. New York's | | | | second largest city, with a population of almost |
| wine and grape industry is a major industry and a | | | | 300,000, and 1.1 million including its metropolitan |
| producer of wines known throughout the world, | | | | area. Although the old steel plants have closed, |
| especially its signature Concord grapes and wines. | | | | there are still some smaller steel mills. Some car |
| The state produces about 200 million bottles of | | | | manufacturers still maintain facilities in Buffalo and |
| wine a year, second to California. | | | | nearby Tonawanda. In the 21st century, Buffalo |
| There is still industry including, printing, machinery | | | | has become a center for biological and human |
| and chemical products. The state also has a large | | | | genome research, including work by researchers |
| manufacturing sector that includes printing and the | | | | at the University at Buffalo and the Roswell Park |
| production of garments. Upstate, the Rochester | | | | Cancer Institute. Buffalo is the headquarters of |
| area is important in photographic equipment and | | | | M&T Bank, and HSBC Bank USA also has major |
| imaging. New York City is the leading center of | | | | operations in Buffalo from the time it merged |
| banking, finance and communication in the United | | | | with the former Marine Midland Bank. |
| States and is the location of the New York Stock | | | | And of course, there is a lot of tourism, both to |
| Exchange, the largest stock exchange in the | | | | New York City and upstate. In fact, at the |
| world by dollar volume. | | | | western end of New York State is the famous |
| Being a leading financial center can lead to special | | | | Niagara Falls, one of the wonders of the world, |
| problems as well. The Governor has recently set | | | | between the Great Lakes. |
| up a special task force looking into the fraudulent | | | | |