Just in time for Friday’s shopping rush, Comptroller Tom DiNapoli has an advisory for people about the ever-popular gift cards. Some have expiration dates, and fees for using them after a period of time and fees to check the remaining balance.
What got my interest though, was the [...]
Doris Kearns Goodwin was a young woman in her twenties when she became an aide to President Lyndon B. Johnson. Forty years later, her interest in the Oval Office hasn’t waned. She has written on the most famous men to occupy the White House: FDR, JFK, Lincoln and–her newest subject–Teddy [...]
Good morning, folks. Here’s the news…
Gov. David Paterson introduces a deficit reduction bill, as well as a constitutionally controversial request of unilateral budget-cutting power. (TU/ Newsday/ DN)
That proposal landed with a “predictable thud.” (NYT)
“He’s Governor Paterson. He’s not king David Paterson,” Senate Minority Leader Dean Skelos [...]
There may not be a three-way agreement over the DRP, but Gov. David Paterson has amended his original DRP proposal to accommodate legislative leaders’ (particularly the Senate’s) concerns about mid-year school aid cuts and cuts to health care that would endanger federal matches to Medicaid. These changes reflect weeks of [...]
Former Acting State Police Superintendent Preston Felton, one of two cases remaining from the Spitzer-Bruno battle over helicopter flights and accusations of political espionage, has settled with the state on Commission on Public Integrity.
He admits to violating public officers law in the affair, in which he gave in to [...]
Judy Enck, one of Albany’s environmentalist stalwarts, made a goodbye visit to the Capitol press rooms a few minutes ago. It’s the last day for Enck as the governor’s deputy secretary for the environment, as she departs for New York City where she will serve as President [...]
It’s been nearly six months since the Senate coup, and Gov. David Paterson has done something that no other politician has managed: He has brought the Democratic and Republican Senate together. The only problem They are lined up against the governor and his proposal to turn over [...]
The Senate Committee of Inquiry into the misdemeanor assault conviction of Hiram Monserrate held its second meeting Monday night. The two-and-a-half-hour session looked at the courtroom arguments in the case as laid out by prosecution and defense. The non-jury trial before Judge William Erlbaum culminated five weeks ago with Monserrate’s [...]
Rick Lazio, still the only declared Republican candidate for the 2010 gubernatorial race, thinks the governor’s proposal of an “Executive Option” that would grant him broad powers to make midyear cuts sounds, well, a little familiar: Lazio raised a very similar proposal in an op-ed last week in the [...]
Here are the program bills the governor will be sending to the Legislature:
Gpb #211 Governor’s Payment Reduction Memo
Gpb #211 Governor’s Payment Reduction Bill
[...]Gov. David Paterson just announced via Webcast that he’ll send his deficit-cutting proposal to the Legislature, but asked that it be given an up-or-down vote.
” … I understand that many legislators are afraid of the political consequences they will face if they approve this proposal,” Paterson said in an 11 [...]
Good morning! The question for the day, and maybe the next few days: Which comes first, the Bruno verdict or the deficit-reduction agreement?
The Bruno trial wraps up with closing arguments that the former senator was a schoolyard bully or a devoted public servant. (TU)
Analysis of some of the [...]
There were two leaders’ meeting this afternoon — a three-way meeting between Gov. David Paterson, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Senate Democratic Leader John Sampson at the governor’s mansion, followed by a five-way leaders’ meeting on the 2nd floor of the Capitol.
On his way into the governor’s office, Silver ruled [...]
As predicted, today’s Senate session clocked in at a coup-worthy 10 minutes, most of it taken up by an extremely comprehensive invocation from a visiting pastor from Rome.
On the floor, Democratic Conference Leader John Sampson delivered a brief report on DRP negotiations that emphasized that progress was, in fact, being [...]
Progress report on today’s “special” session: No progress. Legislators will gavel in, gavel out.
And if your in need of a laugh amid the summer coup flashbacks, above you’ll find a video tribute, in the form of Toni Tony Tone’s “Anniversary”. This one goes out to our state leaders, celebrating the [...]
Last week’s episode features a look at the damage done to the local economies around the Champlain Bridge; a newsmaker interview with Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava; and a reporters roundtable with Kyle Hughes of NYSNYS and James Madore of Newsday.
[...]Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr. will be spending the day in the Bronx, and has no plans to journey to Albany either for a Democratic conference meeting or the 2 p.m. session. Instead, he’ll be taking part in a protest against gun violence in his district.
“If something happens, I can be [...]
More fallout from the “man cave” case:
Inspector General Joseph Fisch has recommended disciplinary action against three Office of General Services managers for providing poor oversight over staff and for failing to address “repeated complaints” against man cave dweller Louis Marciano, who “discriminated against African-American employees and [...]
The Schenectady School District has no documentation that former facilities supervisor Steven Raucci worked the hours for which he was paid more than $50,000 in overtime in 2007-2008, according to an audit released by state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli this morning. Raucci is awaiting trial on charges that he terrorized several [...]
Former Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno never let anyone know of his potential conflicts with bidders seeking the rights to the lucrative contract to run racing in New York in 2006.
Facts emerging from Bruno’s federal corruption trial revealed Bruno had a secretive co-ownership of thoroughbred [...]
Good morning, everyone! I hope everyone had a nice weekend! Here’s the news…
Summations are scheduled to begin today in the Bruno trial. (TU)
Sen. George D. Maziarz denies that he was a “go-between” linking a corrupt labor union to former Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno, as was alleged [...]
Sunday night’s all right for dueling press release/open letters between deficit-minded politicians. Here’s the latest, from Senate Democratic Conference Leader John Sampson:
Dear Governor Paterson:
In our negotiations to date, Senate Democrats have agreed to more than $1 billion in cuts to your agencies and in local assistance reductions. We have advocated [...]
Gov. Paterson zapped this to legislators slated to return to Albany tomorrow. It reiterates points Paterson has been making throughout the week, and suggests that there’s still plenty of daylight between him and legislative leaders.
Dear Legislators:
One month ago, I presented a responsible $3.2 billion Deficit Reduction Plan that contained [...]
Here’s Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos’ response to the governor’s statements this morning:
I agree with Governor Paterson’s statement today that the Legislature should be acting on a deficit reduction plan today, instead of waiting until Monday. The only problem is he has not submitted a bill we can act on, [...]
Speaking to reporters after speaking to Americorps volunteers, Gov. David Paterson said that legislative leaders still failed to grasp the consequences of failing to address the deficit now.
Paterson said Moody’s Investors Service has released a report noting that the state is in peril of seeing its current Aa3 credit [...]
Go to it — but let’s start with a question: What realistic ideas haven’t yet been seriously floated to trim the state budget?
Be nice!
[...]Good morning. Sorry for the delay, but here’s the news:
The Legislature has left the building — although work on the deficit package continues. (TU)
Maybe things will be better on Monday.(DN)
The state has extended the deadline for the state worker buyout package. (TU)
Jared Abruzzesse, businessman and horseman, [...]
The Watertown Daily Times says so.
Doug Hoffman will have to re-concede, or un-un-concede — unless he decides to challenge the voting machines.
[...]This week’s episode of “New York Now” features a newsmaker interview with Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava that discusses the race in the 23rd Congressional District and her re-entry into the Assembly’s Republican fold. Matt Ryan visits the business and individuals affected by the closure of the Crown Point Bridge; and journalists [...]
Lawmakers are still stuck, according to the latest post-leaders meeting series of press gaggles.
“I would compromise — but right now I’m compromising against zero,” Gov. David Paterson said.
The big sticking point is school cuts, a subject on which the perspectives, or at least the statements, are as [...]
Saying “we should not be going home,” Assembly Republican Leader Brian Kolb was joined at a brief press conference in which he called on Speaker Sheldon Silver and the leadership of the Senate to call their members back to Albany to vote on a deficit reduction package, and echoed the [...]
Work will continue on the deficit reduction package, but legislators are clearing out of Albany for the weekend. Today’s scheduled 4 p.m. session is off, rescheduled to begin at 10 a.m. Monday “in anticipation of an agreement,” according to a memo to all senators from Temporary President Malcolm Smith.
Republicans took [...]
The last time we checked, fewer than a quarter of the 4,500 people targeted for state worker buyouts had been awarded the $20,000 severance package.
So this shouldn’t come as a surprise: The Paterson Administration is urging agency commissioners to look again, harder, to find more people who want to [...]
Good morning. Have an extra place at the table this Thanksgiving? Would you be interested in hosting a homesick member of the state Legislature? It might not come to that, but we should start planning now. But first the news:
It’s starting to look like a parallel universe around here — one in which lawmakers are stuck in neutral over balancing the state’s $3.2 billion deficit, and another in which they are working feverishly to pass substantive major bills.
Earlier today, Leandra’s Law was signed, marking an astonishingly rapid turnaround from [...]
Well, Malcolm Smith did say “this is Albany.” Despite his sense that Leandra’s Law would be the last thing the chamber passes before the deficit is addressed, the members will return at 6 p.m. to vote on authorities reform, which is wending its way through the Assembly this afternoon.
Gov. David [...]
Aren’t these the people who want the state to refinance Tobacco Bonds?
Not quite sure what to make of this, but this comes from the July 15 Board of Elections filing for the NYS Democratic Senate Campaign Committee. It’s a $10,000 donation from JP Morgan [...]
Deer hunters who donate their bounty to food banks could score a new tax deduction under a proposal that Sen. Charles E. Schumer began advancing Wednesday.
The legislation would allow hunters to deduct the cost of processing venison and other game as long as they donate the meat. A similar tax [...]
The state Senate passed a measure that stiffens penalties for drunk drivers who operate their vehicle with a child as a passenger, and expands the use of interlock devices for anyone convicted of a DWI.
The bill, which was passed by the Assembly last night, hit the Senate floor despite [...]
Sen. Carl Kruger, accosted by the press on his way from an interview with Susan Arbetter to a conference meeting, laid the failure to reach a deficit agreement at the feet of Senate Republicans.
Kruger said the Republican’s failure to “negotiate in good faith” was hindering the process, saying the Republicans [...]
Here’s video, courtesy Kyle Hughes of NYSNYS, from the press gaggle that followed last night’s leaders meeting, which was different from the gaggle that followed the afternoon leaders meeting in one significant way: It was dark when this meeting ended.
First up: Leaders Skelos, Kolb, Sampson and Silver suggest that things [...]
Good morning! These extraordinary sessions are starting to seem more ordinary — have we used that joke before? Sorry, it’s just that the days are starting to run together. And now the news:
The Bruno trial continues with confirmation that Capitol politicians were advised not to use the mail to [...]
The parties in five-way deficit reduction talks may be making some real headway. The reason we say this is that some lawmakers have supposedly asked to see the school runs that would come with any education cuts included in the Deficit Reduction Plan.
School runs are those lengthy spreadsheets that show [...]
Actually, he’s left the whole city: Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr. is en route back to the Bronx, making good on last night’s threat not to return to the Senate floor until a budget deal has been accomplished.
Reached in his car, Diaz reiterated some of the same points he made [...]
Gov. David Paterson just held a press gaggle that suggested that a budget agreement is not immediately pending. Check out video above from Kyle Hughes of NYSNYS. The highlights:
Is progress being made? “I never know what progress is around here, but what I would say is that on some of [...]
This will likely get some pushback from groups that advocate for the blind, although it’s unclear how the Legislature could respond.
On the Gawker website, there’s a clip of media mogul and NY Post publisher Rupert Murdoch giving New York lawmakers as well as Gov. David Paterson a thorough trashing.
Speaking [...]
Sens. Charles Fuschillo, Malcolm Smith, Craig Johnson, Martin Dilan and Eric Schneiderman just paid a visit to the LCA accompanied by Lenny Rosado, the father of the 11-year-old whose death was the most recent outrage to prompt the crafting of Leandra’s Law, to announce that the measure will go [...]
The Assembly is scheduled to go into session at 1 p.m., but the Senate’s schedule is a bit more, um, fluid.
The members are “on call” as negotiations continue. Senate sources speaking on background say that while budget talks are moving forward at a good pace, it’s unlikely that anything definitive [...]
Assembly Republican Leader Brian Kolb and about two dozen members of his conference brought three charts this morning’s press conference to lay out their proposals to cut the budget deficit. In addition to slamming the 2009-201o budget, Kolb reiterated his distress at what he described as Gov. David Paterson’s snubbing [...]
Good government-types from NYPIRG, League of Women Voters, Common Cause and the Citizens Union (CU Executive Director Dick Dadey is pictured here) are renewing their call for lawmakers to take up and pass a comprehensive ethics reform bill that would provide more transparency, independent oversight and increased [...]
Good morning. A new day, a new extraordinary session. The news:
As a deficit reduction package is worked out, the Legislature keeps busy with measures to extend COBRA, allow municipalities to provided energy-efficiency grants, reform foreclosure rules and regulate “life settlements.” (TU)
Speaking on the floor of the Senate, Ruben Diaz Sr. vented his frustration over the absence of a DRP agreement, essentially echoing the rhetoric coming from Senate Republicans, who are arguing against the acceptance of the Rules Committee report that would allow the chamber to move ahead with the passage [...]
Here’s video of Sens. Carl Kruger and Ruben Diaz Sr. making their call for the state to immediately begin collecting cigarette taxes on Native reservations. Below, you’ll find Paterson spokesman Morgan Hook’s response. Both videos courtesy Kyle Hughes of NYSNYS.
[...]Here’s last week’s episode of WMHT’s “New York New,” featuring a reporter’s roundtable with Daily News columnist Bill Hammond, the TU’s Rick Karlin and New York Public Radio’s Karen DeWitt; a newsmaker interview with Sen. Eric Schneiderman; and Irene Jay Liu analyzing the complex politics behind the state’s gay marriage [...]
The shadows grow long, and not much has happened yet — in the open, at least.
Although a DRP deal remains elusive, there are still several items on Gov. David Paterson’s to-do list from the proclamation calling last week’s extraordinary session. Here’s the inventory, boiled down from the proclamation, with handicapping [...]
Gov. David Paterson has been butting heads with fellow state Democratic senators lately over the state’s budget deficit, and last night, he voiced his disagreement with national Democrats on the upcoming trial of 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in New York City.
For the most part Democrats have defended holding the [...]
Lake Placid businessman Doug Hoffman, who lost narrowly to Democrat Bill Owens in the heated contest in the 23rd CD two weeks ago, is paying a visit to the Capitol today in the company of Rev. Jason McGuire, legislative director of the conservative pastoral group New Yorkers for Constitutional [...]
… and adding some more taxes on HMOs, while we’re at it.
In what might be a sign that budget talks are really stalled and lawmakers are starting to — depending on who you talk to — flail about desperately or think outside the box, Senate Finance Chair Carl Kruger walked [...]
Created by gubernatorial proclamation in June as a response to the shooting death of Officer Omar Edwards, the Police-on-Police Shootings Task Force held its first meeting this morning in the Blue Room of the Capitol.
The nine-member panel has been charged with looking into so-called “friendly fire” shootings that result [...]
If it’s a new Siena poll, it’s probably more bad news for Gov. David Paterson. The first poll conducted with less than a year to go before voters head to the polls (the real ones) finds the governor trailing Attorney General Andrew Cuomo by nearly 60 points in
a potential [...]
Sen. Joseph L. Bruno and his aides risked larceny charges by conducting his private business affairs from Senate quarters, according to penal law spelled out in legislative ethics rules.
According to testimony from the first two weeks of his criminal trial, the former Senate majority leader clearly [...]
Good morning! Hope you made the most of yesterday’s balmy weather. The news:
Ding-dong, the plan to sell you new license plates is dead, leaving the state with another $120 million gap in the budget. (TU)
More here. (NYT)
From Sunday: What happens when the state runs out of cash? [...]
In addition to joining Assembly Democratic Majority Speaker Sheldon Silver in pledging to reverse the new license plate plan, Republican Minority Leader Brian Kolb had this to say:
“Today’s news that the state government license plate mandate will not go forward is a huge victory for motorists and an important step [...]
This just came in from Senate Republican Minority Leader Dean Skelos, on the license plates. It’s pretty obvious that the GOP won’t be resting in its criticism and they will doubtlessly find plenty of other tax hikes and fees to be speaking about in coming months:
“Now that the Governor and [...]
Here’s the letter from Senate Democrats who last week asked Paterson to ditch his plan for new $25 license plate:.
11/10/09
NEW YORK STATE SENATE
ALBANY, NEW YORK 12247
The Honorable David Paterson
Governor, State of New York
Executive Chamber
Albany, New York 12247
Dear Governor Paterson:
We are writing to respectfully request that [...]
(AP)
(This is what the new plate would have looked like)
Reversing the controversial and seemingly dead plan to force New Yorkers to buy new $25 license plates starting in April shouldn’t have any trouble getting through the Assembly.
Here’s a joint statement that Assembly Democratic Majority Speaker [...]
Gov. David Paterson just said he’ll try to eliminate the new $25 license plate fee that was part of the budget by next year — if the Legislature works with him on broader budget cuts and if county clerks — a largely Republican group — provides him with some ideas [...]
While it is unclear when exactly state leaders will close on a deficit reduction plan, the Assembly will return to special session on Monday at 4 p.m., according to Assembly spokesman Dan Weiller.
The Senate is expected to return on Monday as well.
There will not be a proclamation issued for Monday’s [...]
This is the notice coming out from Senate Finance. Staffers from the Legislature and governor’s budget office plan to work through much of the weekend, in hopes of pulling a deal together by late Saturday or Sunday. Stay tuned.
[...]State Labor Commissioner Patricia Smith was nominated earlier this year as the Obama Administration’s labor solicitor. She’s had a hearing and while her confirmation appears to have been slowed by some partisan wrangling on Capitol Hill, there’s little doubt that she should eventually get the federal job.
If that happens, [...]
Times Union/ Philip Kamrass
In the ongoing will-they, won’t-they drama over putting gay marriage on the floor for a vote, much focus has been made on marginal Senate Democrats’ electoral concerns for voting on such a hot-button issue, particularly if it doesn’t have the votes [...]
Good morning, everyone! Happy Friday! Here’s the news:
Former Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno takes a bruising from the judge presiding over his corruption trial. (TU)
“For once in your life you don’t control something – I do,” Sharpe told Bruno. “If you ever do what you just did in [...]
Here’s evidence video from the notorious “Mancave” case, in which two state workers took plea deals Thursday morning.
First up is “Sharing a Smoke”; please note that print journalism is still appreciated in many quarters:
Up next is “Nap Time”:
And finally, the short but sweet “Counting Cash”:
[...]Senate Minority Leader Dean Skelos has released a statement following this morning’s lively, if not wholly productive, conference call with Gov. David Paterson and legislative leaders.
During the press conference earlier this morning, Skelos challenged Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver to name specific cuts Silver is willing to support.
“What cuts in [...]
In case you missed it, above you’ll find the video of last week’s episode of New York Now. Lots about the [...]
Photos by Philip Kamrass, Times Union
The powerful health care workers union SEIU 1199 brought an estimated crowd of around 2,000 to Albany today to rally against the proposed health care cuts contained in Gov. David Paterson’s deficit reduction package. Carrying thundersticks bearing the message [...]
Leaders’ exchange audio file courtesy NYSNYS
Q&A audio file courtesy NYSNYS
Gov. David Paterson and the four legislative leaders just finished a conference call on efforts to cut $3.2 billion in spending. Paterson said they are “three-quarters of the way there,” but didn’t offer specifics on which areas of agreement, if any, [...]
Gary Pivoda, a janitor with the state Office of General Services, and his supervisor, Louis Marciano, both pleaded guilty today in Albany County Court to low-level felonies, admitting they slept on the job, watched television and took drugs on the state’s dime. Read Rob Gavin’s story here.
[...]Good morning. We wish you all the sweet sensation of someday living through an extraordinary session followed by a holiday — the Capitol never looks so beautiful as when it is empty. The news:
Sen. Joe Bruno called in to Fred Dicker’s radio show yesterday to talk smack about the [...]
Sen Carl Kruger, who has been one of the Democratic majority’s point men on the push-back against David Paterson’s call for $3.2 billion in cuts, is pointing to a study from The Pew Center on the States, suggesting that New York has a ways to go before it reaches the [...]
Here’s a clip from Friday’s episode of WMHT’s “New York Now,” featuring a newsmaker interview with Sen. Eric Schneiderman, D-Manhattan/Bronx, the chair of the Senate’s newly convened committee of inquiry charged with weighing possible sanction against Sen. Hiram Monserrate. Asked about his own political future, Schneiderman gives an answer you [...]
From the governor’s office:
“Today, we honor those who have stood up to protect us, giving pause to thank the more than one million men and women who have committed themselves to protecting our country by serving in the armed forces. We salute the more than 85,000 New Yorkers who have [...]
While Tuesday’s legislative session is receiving a lot of poor grades due to lawmakers’ lack of budget action, the state Association of Counties has a different view — they believe a package of “mandate relief” that pass will help them financially.
One of the highlights is a measure to prevent injured [...]
Good morning! Happy Veteran’s Day! Here’s the news…
The legislature convened for a special session yesterday, but had little to show for it. (TU)
“I can’t explain the dynamic of the Senate because nobody can,” Paterson told reporters. “I wish they would start thinking about the people of New York [...]
Also, “totally irresponsible”! The Assembly Minority Leader’s response to today’s legislative action:
“Today’s Extraordinary Session of the Legislature was a complete and utter failure to the people who count the most, the residents of New York State. We traveled to Albany with the intent of righting the wrongs enacted in this [...]
Gov. David Paterson just announced in a Red Room news conference that an agreement has been reached that assures that the gay marriage bill will be debated and voted on in the Senate “at a date not certain between now and the end of the year.”
Paterson was joined at the [...]
Senate Democratic leaders are meeting right now with gay marriage advocates to tell them that they are going to stick with their long-held plan to bring gay marriage to the floor for a vote when there are 32 votes secured to pass the legislation.
The consensus coming out of the meeting [...]
OK, we’re paraphrasing (and almost certainly projecting), but that’s the takeaway from this statement from Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos:
The taxpayers of New York delivered a strong message last Tuesday that they are sick and tired of out of control government spending and the high taxes and fees that pay [...]
The Assembly and the Senate just closed out today’s legislative business within about a minute of each other. The difference between the two houses: The Assembly actually managed to pass legislation today. Correction: The Senate passed the same bills — very quickly.
Mandate relief bill. (Governor’s Program Bill #95/S66002) Eliminating a [...]In a rare feel-good moment, the Senate just honored Sandy the Elevator Operator, who is celebrating her final day in state service.
Sandy Raus, 62, operated the Senate elevator for years and was an institution among members of the LCA. She was transferred to the cleaning crew when the elevators became [...]
Gov. David Paterson will not call a special session for tomorrow, Veteran’s Day.
In a Q&A with reporters just now, Paterson said that negotiations are moving ahead and that he will not keep legislators in town tomorrow, which is a federal holiday. (All state buildings will be closed).
Instead, Paterson said he [...]
Rick Karlin, Irene Jay Liu, Casey Seiler, Mike Goodwin, Jennifer A. Dlouhy, James M. Odato
