Politics on the Hudson

Here’s the Journal News’ video of Gov. Andrew Cuomo in Pleasantville, Westchester County, today talking about the property-tax cap, which he has signed into law. He held events in Westchester and Long Island.

The Senate Independent Democratic Conference suffered three prison closures in their districts today, with two in Sen. David Valesky’s Syracuse-area district. A third was in Sen. David Carlucci’s district: the closure of the Mid-Orange Correctional Facility in Orange County. In the state budget, Senate Republicans ceded authority to Gov. Andrew… Read More →

Assemblyman Sam Hoyt, D-Buffalo, confirmed to Gannett that he has resigned his position to join the Cuomo administration. He quietly resigned yesterday, but it’s unclear what job he’s taking. Hoyt referred questions about his new position to Cuomo’s press office. Cuomo’s spokesman Josh Vlasto confirmed the appointment to Celeste Katz,... Read More →

The State University of New York Board of Trustees today approved a policy that will increase tuition $300 a year for the next five years, along with SUNY’s 2011-12 financial plan. Lawmakers gave final passage last Friday to legislation that authorizes SUNY to make the hikes, removing the topic of… Read More →

In a surprise release, the state Department of Environmental Conservation released this afternoon a summary of changes in the latest version of its ongoing review of hydraulic fracturing for natural gas. Among the changes: a full-out ban of hydrofracking in the Syracuse and New York City watersheds, as well as… Read More →

The state announced this afternoon that it will close seven prisons as a way to save the state $72 million. Five are upstate and two are in New York City, but the list excludes most in the Hudson Valley and has none in the Southern Tier or Rochester area. The… Read More →

Yonkers Mayor Phil Amicone vetoed a law today adopted by the City Council on May 31 limiting city workers’ overtime to $20,000 annually unless their superiors give special permission for it. Here’s Amicone’s letter to the City Council released to the media: Yonkers Mayor’s Overtime Veto

Gov. Andrew Cuomo today traveled to Nassau County to sign New York’s first property tax cap. He’s headed to Pleasantville, Westchester County, later today to do the same. The events are ceremonial. He signed the bill over the weekend so rent regulations, which are part of the bill, didn’t expire… Read More →

UPDATE (1:30 p.m.): The Times just moved a full story expanding on their breaking news crawl, citing sources who say Cuomo will move to lift the moratorium at some point in the future. As detailed below, there are a number of steps that have to happen first, as laid out… Read More →