School groups and local governments are warning that a property-tax cap to be approved today in the state Senate would drastically hurt local budgets and cripple programs. The expected pushback comes as Senate Republicans plan this afternoon to pass Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s bill that would limit the growth in property… Read More →
Senate Democrats continued raising concerns today that Republicans are gearing up to pass rules changes that would, among other things, strip the lieutenant governor of breaking a tie when voting for the majority leader. “This is an unconscionable subversion of the rules of power in the state constitution,” said Queens… Read More →
Gov. Andrew Cuomo introduced legislation Monday that would cap annual increases in local property taxes at no more than 2 percent annually, unless local residents vote to override the cap. Budget experts say that a tax cap will surely force big cuts by schools, because so much spending is mandated… Read More →
Carl Paladino of Buffalo, who lost the race for governor last year against Democrat Andrew Cuomo, told reporters at the Capitol today that he’s taking a wait-and-see approach to evaluating his rival’s performance as governor. “So far he’s talking the talk and hopefully he’ll be walking the walk,” said Paladino,... Read More →
The Republican-controlled Senate plans to vote today on Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposal to limit annual property tax increases to 2 percent or the rate of inflation. The Senate also plans to take up a series of controversial rules changes that Democrats believe will create an end-run around the constitution by… Read More →
Gov. Andrew Cuomo is arguing that the state’s budget woes are fueled by state laws that dictate unsustainable growth in aid for schools, health care and other programs. In an opinion piece being distributed to newspapers today, Cuomo says that he has found that state budgets and deficits are based… Read More →
Here’s a look at the 17 state judges who last year collected both salaries and pensions, as part of the Gannett Albany Bureau’s report Sunday on the more than 2,100 state workers who collect both a salary and a pension. As the report found, 2,129 state employees had collected pensions… Read More →
State Sen. Greg Ball, R- Carmel, wants residents to call their senators and Assembly representatives to urge them to support a 2 percent property-tax cap as well a measure that requires the state to fund the additional net costs of any state-mandated programs.He is co-sponsoring two bills aimed at such… Read More →
The budget proposal by Gov. Andrew Cuomo promises to be “breath-takingly bad” in its scope, said Sen. George Maziarz, R-Newfane, Niagara County. Maziarz said that Cuomo used that phrase when meeting with Senate Republicans last week. A faction of Assembly Democrats say they will push Cuomo to at least consider… Read More →
The sentencing of disgraced former Comptroller Alan Hevesi has been postponed until March, Newsday reported this afternoon (subscription required). Hevesi, who faces up to four years in prison for his role in the pension fund pay-to-play scandal, was expected to be sentenced on Tuesday, the same day Gov. Andrew Cuomo… Read More →
