The state Association of Counties is hailing Gov. David Paterson’s veto of legislation that would have prohibited municipal employers from changing retirees’ health-insurance coverage without a corresponding union-negotiated change for active employees. Had he signed the bill, the governor would have saddled communities with another “unfunded mandate,” according to NYSAC.   The bill would have required [...]

The state entered into 2,421 new contracts totaling about $613 million last month, according to state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. Details are posted on the agency’s Open Book New York Web site.   The largest was $30.3 million contract between the Department of Transportation and ECCO III Enterprises Inc. for a construction project in Rockland County.

   Others were [...]

   About 93 percent of tobacco retailers are complying with the law that prohibits sales to anyone under 18, according to a new state Health Department report. Retailers have to require proof that the purchaser is 18 or older. The compliance rate is the highest since the department’s Tobacco Enforcement Program started a decade ago.

   “I am very encouraged that [...]

   Responsible New York, Tom Golisano’s political action committee, has been spending fast and furiously in the lead-up to next week’s primary election, according to the New York Public Interest Research Group. Golisano, the billionaire founder of Paychex Inc., launched the PAC early this summer. Its mission is “to create a political movement to return [...]

   Selected schools will begin reporting body mass index (BMI) data to the state Health Department this year, information that will be used to guide obesity prevention efforts in New York. To protect privacy, no personal identifying information will be reported.

   Legislation passed last year requires that public schools outside New York City collect and report [...]

   Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi, chairman of the state Commission on Property Tax Relief, will visit Rockland County Wednesday as part of his statewide campaign for a cap on school taxes. He will give a presentation to the Rockland Business Association on the findings of the state commission this spring.  

   The commission recommended that [...]

Forty-seven districts will begin the new school year at impasse with teacher unions, 13 percent lower than last year, according to the state Public Employment Relations Board. About 175 other districts will begin the year without labor contracts, but they are not at impasses and have not yet sought any assistance from PERB.  

   As many [...]

   After getting a portion of the nominating votes from many states, Sen. Hillary Clinton put an end to a roll call several minutes ago by asking for the rules to be suspended and for Sen. Barack Obama to be nominated by affirmation of two-thirds of the delegates at the Democratic National Convention in Denver. Although [...]

   School board members from around New York who were polled by the state School Boards Association said their top concerns for the year included adequate state school aid (37 percent), the rising cost of employee benefits (23 percent) and the high cost of fuel (9 percent).  

   “While student achievement and improving graduation rates are always on [...]

   The state Public Service Commission will not be voting today on whether to let the Spanish company Iberdrola buy out Energy East, the parent company of Rochester Gas and Electric Co. and New York State Electric and Gas Corp. (which have a total of more than 2 million customers). Two members of the Public [...]