Politics and Government

(02/03/12) Comptroller Tom DiNapoli is out with a report on the state of New York's economy, and the news is bleak. The Comptroller's numbers show that the already sluggish economic recovery in New York is losing momentum. The slowdown began in the second half of 2011, and is expected to continue into 2012, says Comptroller DiNapoli. In Albany, Karen DeWitt reports. more

(02/03/12) Gov. Andrew Cuomo is scheduled to come to Plattsburgh this morning. He's bringing his budget message to the Warren Ball Room, in the Student Center at SUNY Plattsburgh at 10:30 am.

Senior Cuomo staffers have fanned out across the state to talk about the budget.
The state's top environmental official was in Lake Placid Wednesday afternoon.

Joe Martens, spoke to a small crowd of local politicians, tourism officials, government employees and business owners. Chris Morris has our story. more

(02/02/12) The state Senate has emphatically passed legislation that would expand New York's criminal DNA database. The bill would require people convicted of all crimes, including misdemeanors, to submit DNA samples to the state's DNA databank. Currently, only someone convicted of a felony, or certain types of misdemeanors, is required to submit a DNA sample.

Senators voted 50-10 Tuesday to pass the DNA Databank Expansion Bill. As Chris Morris reports, the bill has a lot support, but it could be tested in the Assembly. more

(02/02/12) Mandate relief--especially on Medicaid costs--was at the forefront of many county leaders' minds at the annual meeting this week of the New York State Association of Counties.

In his budget address January 17th, Governor Cuomo laid out a plan for the state to take over increases in Medicaid costs over the next few years--but some county leaders say that's not enough. more

(02/02/12) Gov. Andrew Cuomo says the "Battle of Albany'' is on.

And in the first skirmish of what's expected to be a long fight, Cuomo is putting the pressure on teachers and their unions.

Speaking yesterday, he said that if negotiations between the unions, the state Education Department and school districts on tougher evaluations for teachers and principals fail, he'll impose his own Feb. 16. Under law, a governor may try to enact policies in budget bills.

The governor spoke at the annual meeting of the state Association of Counties, trying to drum up support for his proposed budget.

The county leaders were pressing for relief from state-mandated costs. Cuomo said he would meet them half way in providing mandate relief by helping to defray health care and future pension costs.

But, as Karen DeWitt reports, he told the county officials it's up to them to do the rest. more

(02/02/12) Governor Cuomo says the possibility of three primary elections in New York this year is not in anyone's best interest.

A federal judge has already ruled that congressional primaries must be held June 26. While Assembly Democrats would like statewide primaries to also be held on that date, Senate Republicans prefer an August primary.

If no action is taken, the statewide primaries will automatically fall on September 11 this year. The presidential primary is in April. In Albany, Karen DeWitt reports. more

(02/02/12) A new survey of upstate business leaders produced nearly identical results as last year's. But as the Innovation Trail's Zack Seward reports, one finding saw a major change: the opinion of state government. more

(02/02/12) St. Lawrence County legislators are scheduled to take another look at a Climate Action Plan next week. When legislators asked the County Planning Department to write the plan last March, they wanted ways to save money by being more energy efficient.

The climate plan was tabled last summer, when students and professors at the four universities in Canton and Potsdam started a cost-benefit analysis of some ideas in the plan. more

(02/01/12) Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is continuing to push for his bill to increase the state's minimum wage. The Speaker is also expressing reservations about Governor Cuomo's plan to offer an option of 401k-style retirement plans for future state workers. In Albany, Karen DeWitt has the details. more

(02/01/12) Governor Andrew Cuomo is leaning on New York's network of public colleges to play a bigger role in economic growth and he's proposing to provide the resources to do so.

But there could stiff competition for those funds, as the Innovation Trail's Ryan Delaney reports. more