Gov. Andrew Cuomo met with legislative leaders in both parties for dinner at the Executive Mansion tonight, and all four lawmakers emerged to offer few details on what will be in Tuesday’s budget presentation. The governor met with Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, D-Manhattan, Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, R-Rockville Centre,... Read More →
Senate Republicans and the Independent Democratic Conference voted tonight to change the rules of the Senate to bar Lt. Gov. Robert Duffy from breaking tie votes, which was one of the key duties of his office. Republicans believe the changes clarify murky legal language in the constitution. But Democrats claim… Read More →
Sen. Thomas Libous, the No. 2 Republican in the chamber, said today the legislative rules changes that take away the power of the lieutenant governor are merely clarifying the state constitution. The Senate is poised to approve the rules changes which Democrats claim are unconstitutional. The speculation is that Republicans… Read More →
The Senate approved Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s cap on property taxes by a wide 45-17 margin. Here’s a look at how lawmakers voted. Not a single Republican voted against the bill. The Democrats who voted against the measure represent the New York City region, save for Sen. Ruth Hassell-Thompson, whose district… Read More →
He wrote in his op/ed earlier today, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said at a late afternoon news conference that the budget process in Albany needs a vast overhaul. “There are two different problems,” he said. “We have a $10 billion deficit this year. We have that $10 billion because we have… Read More →
The Senate passed Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s bill today that would restrict the growth of local property-tax levies to 2 percent a year or 120 percent of the consumer price index, whichever is less. If approved by the Assembly, New York would be the 44th state to cap local property taxes. Senators… Read More →
Senate Democrats are trying to draw Attorney General Eric Schneiderman—himself a former state senator from Manhattan—into the contentious debate over rules reform. In the letter, Sampson writes that the measure would “substantially diminish the power of the lieutenant governor. Republicans believe the changes clarify murky legal language in the constitution…. Read More →
Yonkers Inspector General Dan Schorr and Yonkers Councilwoman Patricia McDow both issued letters today about Schorr’s investigation into allegations that McDow got years of free parking at a public garage near her home. Here are their letters: McDow Ethics Board Referral ... Read More →
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said Monday that Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s op-ed story calling the state’s budget practice a “sham” was the result of Cuomo realizing he would have to spend more money than he thought, reports Gannett’s Jacob Fischler. “In the end result, he is going to wind up spending… Read More →
The Senate unanimously approved Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s nomination of Joseph D’Amico, a former deputy chief for the New York City Police Department, as the 14th superintendent of the State Police. D’Amico, who is from West Nyack, Rockland County, was chief investigator for the Attorney General’s Office under Cuomo, from 2007… Read More →
