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Paterson Campaign Mails Against the Legislature

By Jimmy Vielkind | November 30, 2009 | 10:54 am

ALBANY—David Paterson has been accused of a taking a hard line in deficit reduction negotiations with the legislature to boost his political standing. Now he's touting it in a letter to his campaign supporters. "The legislature has been choosing to sit on the sidelines while our state risks running... READ MORE»

Bloomberg's New Commissioners: Holloway and Schiraldi

By Azi Paybarah | November 30, 2009 | 10:55 am

Michael Bloomberg announced this morning he's hired two new... READ MORE»

Paterson Campaign Mails Against the Legislature

By Jimmy Vielkind | November 30, 2009 | 10:54 am

ALBANY—David Paterson has been accused of a taking a hard line in deficit reduction negotiations with the legislature to boost his political standing. Now he's touting it in a letter to his campaign... READ MORE»

Morning Read, Upstate: Paterson Acts Alone, Gets Weaker?

By Jimmy Vielkind | November 30, 2009 | 9:09 am

Jay Jacobs tells Liz "there's no single issue" that decides whether David Paterson will be able to run, even though Andrew Cuomo will have more money, and in opposition to what he told party chairs privately two weeks ago. Cuomo has asked several party chairs not to endorse him for... READ MORE»

Morning Read: Bloomberg's Tab, Seabrook's Bill, Oddo's Office

By Azi Paybarah | November 30, 2009 | 8:33 am

... READ MORE»

How About Some Questions for the Inquisitors?

By Steve Kornacki | November 30, 2009 | 8:28 am

The set-up for Sunday's "Face the Nation" was pretty irresistible - Dede Scozzafava appearing live with Dick Armey, the prickly Texan who helped sabotage her upstate congressional campaign this fall. Alas, the follow-through was... READ MORE»

Paterson: I'm Just Going to Do This Stuff on My Own

By Jimmy Vielkind | November 29, 2009 | 8:08 pm

ALBANY—Still unable to reach agreement with the legislature on how to bridge a roughly $3 billion mid-year budget imbalance, David Paterson announced he is acting unilaterally to do $1.6 billion worth of things to strengthen the state's balance sheet in the middle of this "fiscal emergency." "I feel that we have to start making the deficit reductions on our own hoping that the legislature will join us," Paterson told reporters on a conference... READ MORE»

A view from the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday morning.

Weekend in Review: Parades and Christmas Trees

By Eliza Shapiro | November 29, 2009 | 4:22 pm

The budget crisis isn't Paterson's fault, it's the Legislature's! The MTA's underground lost and found. More Atlantic Yards... READ MORE»

Bloomberg's $100 Million

By Azi Paybarah | November 27, 2009 | 3:56 pm

Michael Bloomberg spent $102,065,004.40 for his four-point win over Democrat Bill Thompson, according to the mayor's latest campaign finance report, released late this afternoon. The report does not include bonuses, which could stil be given out and disclosed in a later campaign report due out in January, said campaign spokesman Howard Wolfson. Bloomberg spent $18,689,842.59 in this latest filing period, between October 20 and November... READ MORE»

Elsewhere: DiNapoli's Message

By Jimmy Vielkind and Azi Paybarah | November 27, 2009 | 3:53 pm

Below, Tom DiNapoli says it's important for a deficit reduction plan to "set us on a course of responsible budgeting." DiNapoli also wants consumers to ask questions about gift cards. A measure to crack down on employer retaliation went into... READ MORE»

Peralta Finds an Issue: Domestic Violence

By Azi Paybarah | November 27, 2009 | 1:42 pm

One benefit of running against someone who has notable legal troubles is you don't have to mention them by name in order to go on the... READ MORE»

Thompson Talking to People 'Around the State' About His Next Move

By Azi Paybarah | November 27, 2009 | 1:40 pm

Bill Thompson seemed to confirm to NY1 that he is at least considering a run for a statewide office, telling the station yesterday he's talking to people in the city "and around the... READ MORE»

Ruben Diaz Sr. Will Return Monday to Vote Against Things

By Jimmy Vielkind | November 27, 2009 | 1:37 pm

ALBANY—A good (?) harbinger: State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. says he will be coming to the Capitol for Monday's session. "They sent me the governor's budget proposal, so we have something to negotiate, so I'll be in Albany. They just delivered it to me at my house. UPS," Diaz told me just now, enjoying some turkey with his wife. "That means that we have something to talk about. So I'll come to Albany to vote... READ MORE»

Assembly Colleagues Wish Ball Luck Elsewhere

By Jimmy Vielkind | November 27, 2009 | 10:21 am

ALBANY—Assembly Republicans are wishing Greg Ball the best in his bid for the State Senate. "Is he? Oh, I thought he was running for Congress," Assemblyman Ron Canestrari, a Cohoes Democrat, said, referencing an already-begun race against Representative John Hall that included robocalls and town halls on health care. "As long as he's out of here I don't... READ MORE»

Morning Read: Bloomberg's Opinion, Thompson's Chatter, Blakeman's Entrance

By Azi Paybarah | November 27, 2009 | 9:07 am

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Morning Read, Upstate: Down to $36 Million

By Jimmy Vielkind | November 27, 2009 | 8:58 am

"Do your job yourself and let's not give me phony remedies," David Paterson said, referring to legislators, on Thanksgiving Day. Paterson was joining volunteers helping at the annual Equinox dinner in Albany. New York will only have $36 million in the bank by the end of... READ MORE»

Thanksgiving Without Turkeys

By Jimmy Vielkind | November 25, 2009 | 12:15 pm

ALBANY—Sheldon Silver's Turkey is sweet and unroasted. "I enjoy Thanksgiving by getting a Baskin-Robbins turkey-shaped ice cream cake," the Assembly speaker said yesterday. "My children don't like... READ MORE»

Elsewhere: Bloomberg Raises the Bar for Teacher Tenure

By Azi Paybarah | November 25, 2009 | 11:58 am

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Bloomberg's Savings

By Azi Paybarah | November 25, 2009 | 11:49 am

It's not easy to find money for initiatives like job-generating construction projects when you're hoping to not raise taxes or go further into... READ MORE»

Harold Ford? Really?

By Reid Pillifant | November 25, 2009 | 11:36 am

With Kirsten Gillibrand struggling to connect with voters, and Rudy Giuliani inciting more confusion than excitement about his own candidacy, the rumor mill keeps churning out big-name potential challengers. Today, Theodore Roosevelt IV is out, and Harold Ford, Jr. is--for the moment, at... READ MORE»

D'Amato Hedges on 'Mythical Race' Between Giuliani and Gillibrand

By Azi Paybarah | November 25, 2009 | 10:42 am

Al D'Amato's has long had a strained relationship with Rudy Giuliani. He's also been a conspicuous ally of Kirsten... READ MORE»