Buried in the New York Post's exultant coverage of Andrew Cuomo's on-time budget agreement with the Legislature in Albany was a remarkable, easily missable tribute to a governor whom the Post, in general, likes somewhat less.
Despite a "dismal" record in office, David Paterson (along with another predecessor, George Pataki) "helped blaze the path that Read More
On a call with reporters today, which Governor Paterson held to chat about the completed budget, the lame-duck governor was asked about what he now views as his legacy.
Acknowledging he hadn't yet done much introspection, he took a Chris Christie-esque line—albeit with less zeal—and pointed to his proven record as a budget slasher:
"In Read More
The National Governors Association convened its 102nd annual meeting in Boston over the weekend. This year's formal agenda focused on issues relating to health care reform, streamlining state government and the challenges presented by rapid growth in the federal debt burden. Behind the scenes and off the record, the nation's governors are undoubtedly also focused Read More
Member items—or earmarks—get much of the attention in the City Council, there's a substantially bigger pot of discretionary handouts that doesn't always gain as much focus: additions to the capital budget.
This year, the Council approved about $375 million a year in city spending for such additions, which typically go to schools, museums, and Read More
When Lt. Governor Dick Ravitch came out with his budget reform plan in March, it was greeted with a round of criticism from many corners of the capitol, mostly as many lawmakers attacked it for its reliance on borrowing and plans to weaken their budgetary powers.
But the criticisms were usually delivered with the disclaimer Read More
Ever since a law was signed by Governor Pataki in December 1998, New York State legislators have gone without their paychecks, every two weeks after March 31, until a budget is passed.
In theory, this is supposed to encourage an on-time budget.
Not enough, apparently.
With a budget now nearly three months late, the Read More
State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. was not kidding about voting "No" on the budget extender.
In debate in the Senate Chamber this evening, Diaz made very clear he would not vote for an emergency bill that contains cuts, making it look like Democrats, with a slim control of the Senate, will need Republicans for every Read More
New York's rent regulations, set to expire June 2011, would be extended in their current form by seven years in a bill introduced Thursday in the State Assembly.
The bill, introduced by Housing Committee Chairman Vito Lopez, comes as many tenant advocates had been requesting, in the very least, that the Legislature reauthorize the existing laws some Read More
Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada Jr. may vote for a budget extender after all.
Espada, who has injected fear into the Capitol by threatening to vote against a must-pass budget extender Monday, told me late this morning that he has been "assured" major cuts to health care and education will not be included in the Read More
With fears of a government shutdown next week looming larger by the day, Governor Paterson threw some bombs this morning at Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada Jr., the Democrats' chief dissident on budget matters.
Speaking on The Brian Lehrer Show, Paterson responded to Espada's statements that he would not vote for cuts that are slipped Read More
Governor Paterson had a long back and forth with Senate Minority Leader Dean Skelos this morning at the legislative leaders meeting in the Capitol, as the two fought over the recent and future emergency budget extenders, which Skelos and his conference have repeatedly voted against.
The spat between the two—which mostly involved repeated pleas by Read More
Budget season in City Hall is getting into full swing, as a set of finance hearings on the mayor's proposed budget finish up today in the City Council, which must pass a budget by the end of the month.
In prepared testimony, City Comptroller John Liu highlighted a set of risks that could increase deficits Read More
The New York Building Congress, which represents the entire construction and development industry (unions, contractors, architects, etc.) is dying for a resolution on the budget. With some construction contractors not getting paid without a state budget (now two months overdue), the organization today sent out this plea to its members, asking them to get involved, Read More
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, speaking Friday morning at the Downtown-Lower Manhattan Association, opened up his remarks with a recitation of some lines he gave at the same event last year in his scathing condemnation of the lack of progress with the World Trade Center redevelopment:
I am fed up with the stalling. I am weary of the Read More
Tapping its inner Briton, the Working Families Party is calling for a bonus tax.
With the state budget six days past due, the party sent a letter out to supporters and legislators today urging support of a measure that would put a 50-percent tax on bonuses of more than $50,000 for those making a Read More
