And yes, that is the same place where the former governor hired a prostitute and the FBI is investigating the Senate majority leader and the former comptroller was using a state worker as a chauffeur for his wife and two Assembly members have admitted taking bribes and stealing money and—well, you know the stories.

The Commission on Public Integrity (whose report on the Troopergate scandal is still being awaited) awarded its 8th annual Theodore Roosevelt Ethics Award to the state Department of Transportation. The commission was lauded for extensive training, consulting with the commission and having its employees file timely financial-disclosure forms.

The department received a plaque with a quote from Roosevelt, the former president and governor or New York: “We can afford to differ on the currency, the tariff and foreign policy. But we cannot afford to differ on the question of honesty if we expect our republic permanently to endure.’‘

Upstate Empire State Development Corp. Chairman Daniel Gundersen finally made a public statement late today on Gov. Paterson’s plans to fold his position into one statewide economic development chairman.

Paterson’s move leaves questions about Gundersen’s future, yet Paterson said he wants to keep Gundersen, who works out of Buffalo.

Gundersen’s statement essentially suggests he supports whatever direction Paterson wants to go and reaffirmed Paterson’s commitment to the upstate economy. (Yet Gundersen spelled Plattsburgh wrong in the release.)

Here it is:
As Commissioner of the New York State Department of Economic Development, I share Gov. Paterson’s view that New York must be unified to compete effectively in the global marketplace.
Governor Paterson has visited a number of upstate communities including Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Plattsburg to underscore his commitment to Upstate. He has already pledged to keep Upstate a priority of his administration and has strongly demonstrated that commitment with the $700 million Upstate Revitalization Fund included as a part of this year’s budget.
As upstate chairman of ESD, my charge has been to focus on the ailing Upstate economy to create jobs and improve communities and, in so doing, better position all of New York to compete for economic opportunities. Significant improvements have already been realized in these communities.

I look forward to working with the governor on his vision to position all of New York State so that it can compete compete as a leader in the global economy.

It doesn’t look like drivers will be getting a gas-tax break this summer, but would it matter anyway?

Download:

From GNS reporter Dan Osburn:

The state Senate unanimously passed a bill on Wednesday that would make hybrid vehicles sales tax-free in the state.

If signed into law, the tax waiver would apply to hybrid gas-electric vehicles, vehicles which get over 35 miles per gallon or vehicles that do not rely on gasoline or diesel, according to the bill.

The bill is intended to encourage the purchase of hybrid vehicles after the tax credit that made them lucrative expired in 2005, according to the bill.

The tax exemption is expected to cost the state $36 million in lost tax revenue for the current fiscal year, and an additional $42 million for the 2008-09 fiscal year.

The same bill is awaiting a vote in the Assembly.

Mark Duffy, a spokesman for the Assembly Majority, said he’s “not sure” if the bill will be voted on before the end of the session in June. “It’s still being reviewed by committee,” he said.

Here’s one way to use Spitzer’s legacy to your advantage.

Democratic Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand, whose district runs through the Hudson Valley into the Albany area, is touting the fact that she was the first member of Congress to come out against former Democratic Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s plan to provide drivers’ licenses to illegal immigrants.

“Washington’s lack of response to immigration has left New York in a hole. Kirsten Gillibrand is working to lift us out,” the mailer says.

The mailing from Gillibrand, who is seeking a second term in November, was released today by her Republican opponent, Sandy Treadwell. Treadwell claims that Gillibrand has helped block measures to toughen immigration policies in the U.S.

Gillibrand did come out early against Spitzer’s drivers’ license plan, yet other Democrats in Congress soon followed and also led Hillary Clinton to waver over the issue during the early presidential debates last fall—the first crack in her campaign.

The pressure from Democrats for Spitzer to drop the plan ultimately led him to do so during a trip to Washington—no not that trip.

That infamous rendezvous to the Mayflower Hotel was a few months later, in February. Spitzer resigned in mid-March.

With hospital-acquired infections affecting 5 to 10 percent of patients, New York is giving more than $1.2 million to hospitals for projects to tackle the issue. Each year, hospital patients across the country contract an estimated 1.7 infections, resulting in some 99,000 deaths, according to state Health Commissioner Richard Daines.

Prevention efforts will target some of the most dangerous hospital-acquired infections, such as MRSA, which is caused by a staph infection; Clostridium difficile, which causes intestinal problems; bloodstream infections; and ventilator-associated pneumonias.

The Healthcare Association of New York State, which represents more than 200 hospitals statewide, is receiving $105,023, and the Greater New York Hospital Association is getting $174,860.

Among the individual hospitals that are being funded are:
—University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry, $192,573, to reduce central line-associated bloodstream infections outside the intensive care unit.
—Westchester County Healthcare Corp., Valhalla,  $199,991, to reduce hospital-associated bloodstream infections in intensive care and respiratory-care patients. The infections have been found to extend the length of stay and increase costs by up to $40,000 per survivor.

Each applicant had to get collaboration of at least five hospitals to be eligible for the funds.

Leaders of Unshackle Upstate continued their protest today of Gov. David Paterson’s plans to change the co-chairmanship structure of Empire State Development Corp. and referred regularly to his team of “downstate advisors.”

The coalition—which represents more than 45,000 businesses from Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Binghamton and Utica—said that upstate would be better served with downstate and upstate chairs rather than Paterson’s plans to make one person head of the entire agency.

Paterson has argued that one person can better oversee the agency for the entire state, but business leaders disagree. We ran a story on the issue today.

“The current structure provides the Upstate region with a government official with the power to hire and fire staff, approve projects and allocate resources – the powers necessary to effectively move the Upstate economy forward,” said Sandy Parker, right, president and CEO of the Rochester Business Alliance, a founding partner in Unshackle Upstate.

“To dilute those powers in any way would be a huge step backwards in terms of Gov. Paterson’s commitment to Upstate business owners struggling to stay afloat and the people they employ. How can we have a revitalized economy if Empire State Development packs up its bags and heads home to mid-town Manhattan again?”

The group said in a news release today that under the current structure, Upstate Empire Development has been able to move projects along with greater ease and more speed.

“It’s not about titles, it’s about having the authority to make the deals and decisions necessary to move the economic needle in our fragile region,” said Andrew J. Rudnick, president and CEO of the Buffalo Niagara Partnership, and an Unshackle Upstate leader.

They said that last month Paterson visited upstate cities to pledge his support, but now they fear Paterson may be pulling back from his promises after taking over for Gov. Eliot Spitzer.

“For the first time in our history, we had a governor (Spitzer) who gave a State of Upstate Address,” said Darlene Kerr, president of the Greater Syracuse Chamber of Commerce and an Unshackle Upstate leader. “There was so much optimism among upstate business leaders that real change was going to take place. There appears to be a real disconnect on the part of the current administration and its advisors.”

Unshackle Upstate leaders are reaching out to the state senators and assembly members who represent the region asking them to push Paterson to reconsider.

Unshackle Upstate also sent out email messages to the coalition’s 72 partner organizations, encouraging their members to voice their concern directly to the governor and his team o”f downstate advisors.”

It’s talks about her seeking to level “the playing field against special interests and strengthening America’s middle class. ”

And yes, she’s apparently still in the race.

 Although so far Gov. David Paterson has been lukewarm in pushing for changes to cut local property taxes recommended by a task force last month, the head of that commission said today he’s not disappointed.

“I think he has approached this in a very shrewd manner,’’ said the chairman, former Lt. Gov. Stan Lundine of Jamestown.

The panel recommended some dramatic steps, like limiting pension benefits and having public employees pay a greater share of their health-care costs. Paterson has been mum on those, while proposing that the state take some modest steps to consolidate services.

“I  think he wants to build some momentum by getting something done this year, and I hope make it (other report recommendations) a major priority next year,’’ Lundine said

When asked if he planned to be a major advocate for the proposals next year, Lundine said “I hope not…This should be left to the elected officials.’‘

More than a dozen House Democrats who face tough re-election bids in the fall sent out a letter today through Hillary Clinton’s campaign urging Democrats to continue to back her.

On the list from New York are Reps. John Hall and Kirsten Gillibrand.

Here’s some of the letter:

Dear Fellow Democrat,

We are writing to you because of our shared belief in our Party’s principles and our commitment to ensuring that we have the strongest possible nominee to lead our ticket against John McCain and the Republicans in November.

The decision about who to support to be our Party’s nominee is not one that any of us should take lightly.  We haven’t.  But, after giving this important decision a great deal of thought, we are convinced that Hillary Clinton has the vision, skills and commitment to make the changes our country needs.