Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, R-Nassau County, put out a victory video touting the on-time budget’s passage and included a few digs at Democrats. In the video, released this afternoon, Skelos opens with recalling the dysfunction that gripped the Senate while it was being controlled by the Democrats. “For the… Read More →
Assemblywoman Jane Corwin, R-Clarence, Erie County, voted against five of the 10 budget bills passed in the Assembly over the past two days, a review of the voting records shows. Corwin is the Republican nominee for the 26th Congressional District, a seat opened by the resignation last month of Republican… Read More →
Now he’ll really know what the food tastes like. The former director of the state prison system’s food operations pleaded guilty today in Oneida County Court for bilking taxpayers out of $500,000 by falsifying travel and attendance documents—and took every Friday off for 17 years, Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said today…. Read More →
Without much prompting from reporters, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, D-Manhattan, said early this morning that focus in his chamber will turn toward passing an ethics bill, re-approving rent regulations for New York City and a cap on property taxes. “Clearly an ethics reform bill, keeping homes affordable to people whether… Read More →
The approximately 125 Teacher Resource and Computer Training Centers in the state got a last-minute reprieve in the 2011-12 budget with a $14.3 million allocation in the budget year, which is $20.4 million for the school year. Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposed budget did not include any money for the training… Read More →
Deputy Senate Majority Leader Thomas Libous, R-Binghamton, defended the decision last night to limit access to the public at the state Capitol, saying State Police were concerned about the potential of unruly behavior by protesters who camped out near the Legislature chambers. About 300 protesters spent most of the night… Read More →
Attention in the Senate could turn to pension reform and reducing the cost of unfunded state mandates on municipalities, Majority Leader Dean Skelos, R-Nassau County, said this morning. The Senate wrapped up voting late last night on the $132.5 billion state budget for the 2011-12 fiscal year. Among the savings… Read More →
The New York Lottery announced this morning the seven state workers who won the whopping $319 million in last Friday’s Mega Millions jackpot. They were all co-workers from the state Division of Housing and Community Renewal. The seven are: John Hilton, 57, of North Greenbush (Rensselaer County) Gabrielle Mahar, 29,... Read More →
Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, who is not a political ally of Gov. Andrew Cuomo by any means, gave a partial thumbs up to the budget, but said more remains to be seen on the impact of the cuts to local education aid. From his statement: Addressing a $10 billion deficit will… Read More →
Here’s Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos’ closing remarks last night on the budget deal. The Nassau County Republican praises the budget for sticking to Republican ideals of lowering taxes, cutting spending and boosting economic-development programs.