You might think the union representing New York teachers would not favor weakening the source of its members’ future pensions. But you’d be wrong. Read More
Category: Blog
Senate Majority Dean Skelos today said that “enacting a stronger, permanent Kendra’s Law must be a priority for the 2013 session, and should be included in any legislative agreement on gun safety” as part of New York’s response to the mass murder in Newtown, Ct. (not to mention New York City’s recent subway-shoving incidents). Read More
New York State and Erie County officials today reportedly will join in announcing that the Buffalo Bills have signed a 10-year renewal of their stadium lease, and that team owners have agreed to pay a $400 million penalty if they move out of Buffalo before the lease expires. Read More
Based on their just-introduced one-house budget, Assembly Democrats don’t support Governor Cuomo’s proposal to eliminate all required reports by local governments and school districts to state agencies. From a transparency and accountability standpoint, that’s good news for taxpayers and the general public, as explained here. Read More
Defending the new state budget’s three-year “millionaire’s tax” extension in a Newsday op-ed today, Governor Cuomo writes: “The extension doesn’t take place until 2015, the year our financial projections show a $5-billion budget gap. By extending this tax, which generates $2 billion, the state addresses the future gap.” Read More
Governor Andrew Cuomo understandably is touting a U.S. Chamber of Commerce study that ranks New York in tenth place for growth, productivity and livability among the 50 states. The governor said the Empire State had moved up 11 places from its position in last year’s “Enterprising States” study. Read More
How does Governor Cuomo intend to pay for a new Tappan Zee Bridge? Nicole Gelinas explores that question in an op-ed in today’s New York Post. Taking a closer look at cross-Hudson traffic trends, she suggests that higher bridge tolls alone aren’t unlikely to cover it. Read More
The last update to New York State’s financial plan, issued in early November, projected state operating funds budget gaps as far as the eye could see. Nothing new there: out-year projected shortfalls have been a feature of state budgets in New York since the current accounting system was enacted 30 years ago, and Governor Cuomo could accurately argue the gaps have gotten smaller on his watch. Read More