Special to the OBSERVER Despite doom and gloom predictions over Gov. David Paterson's proposed cut in state aid to schools, 92 percent of school budgets statewide were approved by voters Tuesday. That percentage was lower in Chautauqua County, Read More
End gerrymandering Blair Horner, legislative director for the New York Public Interest Research Group: First off, there’s no “magic bullet,” no single solution to Albany’s ethical woes, campaign finance scandals and prolonged policymaki Read More
State workers got a triple dose of good news on Friday, including word of an early retirement incentive. Not only did a judge order a halt to a planned furlough and order Gov. David Paterson to pay the 4 percent raises that unionized workers were Read More
f New York's business community had written Andrew Cuomo's gubernatorial platform itself, the document would not have looked much different. All of its Holy Grails are in the 224-page plan. Caps on state spending and property taxes? Check. No sales- Read More
The run up to Memorial Day 2010 was marred by a lot of blustering over closing state parks to fill New York’s budget hole. On Friday, state lawmakers came to an agreement to keep the parks open. They did it by increasing taxes and fees applie Read More