ALBANY—David Paterson doesn't take the legislative inaction on his proposed deficit reduction package personally.
"With the legislators I honestly don't think it's personal," Paterson told John Gambling this morning on WOR. "I think that they are just too afraid or just too chagrined to address the problems that we need to be addressing Read More
ALBANY—With cover, Democrats in the State Senate have introduced their own deficit reduction plan.
It comes after several hearings the conference held this week, and includes $500 million from the refinancing of tobacco bonds. It also includes other sweeps and avoids the most painful cuts to education and Medicaid reimbursements.
"Our goal Read More
ALBANY—As had been predicted, David Paterson's campaign released two new ads to try and boost his still sagging poll numbers.
Each television spot--produced by Murphy Putnam Media, the same firm that produced the positive ads for Representatives Scott Murphy and Bill Owens--acknowledges the mis-steps that Paterson has made, and portrays him as Read More
ALBANY—In August, Larry Bulman wasn't convinced Bill Owens would win his race to replace John McHugh in Congress.
"It's simple: boots on the ground," Bulman, the Saratoga County Democratic chairman and the political director for the plumbers and steamfitters union, told me over lunch. "Which means union support. That's how we won Read More
ALBANY—Will it come down to money versus bodies in NY-23?
Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava just secured the endorsement of another big union--New York State United Teachers--which has committed to activating its 33,000 members in the district to Scozzafava's campaign. Scozzafava has also secured the endorsement of the Jefferson-Lewis-St. Lawrence Central Labor Council. Read More
ALBANY—Both Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava and Bill Owens will make a pitch to the Jefferson-Lewis-St. Lawrence County Central Labor Council tonight in Gouverneur, hoping to win its endorsement.
The head of that organization, Ron McDougall, is Scozzafava's husband. And the meeting comes after two endorsements for Scozzafava, a Republican. Last week, Scozzafava announced she Read More
ALBANY—David Paterson is hitting the rubber-chicken dinner circuit, appearing as the guest of honor in Poughkeepsie on Thursday at the Dutchess County Democratic Committee's annual Salute to Labor Dinner.
Jane Barber Smith, the Democratic county chair, said she invited the governor in April, but he confirmed the invitation only in the last two weeks. Read More
ALBANY—The political director for one of the state's largest unions says he expects to support Bill Owens in his bid to replace John McHugh in Congress.
"We're looking forward to working with the candidate who is going to be working with the president on health care reform, and we expect that's going to be Read More
ALBANY—Strong support from organized labor unions was a crucial ingredient in the victory of Democrat Scott Murphy in a special House election earlier this year. How big a factor will labor be in the race to replace Representative John McHugh?
"Right now there hasn't been a whole lot of feedback as of today," Read More
CHESTERTOWN—As he works to shore up his relationship with the state's largest unions, David Paterson will meet with the heads of several key labor organizations before tackling a mid-year budget deficit in September.
"It's not Yalta," said a labor source, but "the conversation from Kingston will continue."
The heads of 32BJ, 1199, RWDSU, Read More
ALBANY—After a gripe session at the end of last month in Kingston, David Paterson has been working to shore up ties with labor groups. But it's a tough sell at a tough time.
"I don't have any trouble getting through, I have trouble convincing them," said Alan Lubin, executive vice president for the New Read More
ALBANY—Labor leaders told Democratic Party officials of concerns they are being overlooked during a meeting today in Kingston.
"It was more a general opportunity to put on the table people's frustrations and feelings that they're, in a sense, taken for granted. I have to say I was somewhat surprised by some of the points Read More
ALBANY—The health care workers union SEIU 1199 spent over $500,000 to help Scott Murphy defeat Assemblyman Jim Tedisco in their race to replace Kirsten Gillibrand in Congress.
Federal campaign filings show the union invested more in independent expenditures than even the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee toward Murphy's victory, between their political action and Read More
ALBANY—The health care workers union SEIU 1199 spent over $500,000 to help Scott Murphy defeat Assemblyman Jim Tedisco in their race to replace Kirsten Gillibrand in Congress. Federal campaign filings show the union invested more in independent expenditures than even the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee toward Murphy's victory, between their political action and political education Read More
One budget area very much in play is healthcare, and powerful lobbying forces are flexing their muscle.
Kevin Finnegan, political director for SEIU 1199, said that his organization is involved in a "last-minute push" to make sure cuts to hospitals are distributed evenly across the board. Representatives of his organization camped out near legislative Read More
