Earlier this month, the New York State Senate and Assembly reached a deal with Gov. Andrew Cuomo in which they pledged to introduce a constitutional amendment that would create an independent commission to draw future legislative districts. Gov. Cuomo declared, “This agreement will permanently reform the redistricting process in New York to once and for […]
Daily Q
It’s coming down to the wire: New York State has about three months to create a state-sponsored health care insurance exchange as part of the federal Affordable Care Act. Currently both Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the state Assembly are in favor of a bill that would create an exchange, while Senate Republicans say they need […]
City officials are reviewing voting machine data this morning as both candidates in the 27th District State Senate seat race — Democrat Lewis Fidler and Republican David Storobin — have declared victory
Between midnight and dawn last Thursday, Governor Andrew Cuomo used emergency measures to push a major package of laws through the state legislature. So-called “messages of necessity” were designed to be used only during emergencies and bypass the normal three-day waiting period that allows the public and press to review bills before the legislature takes […]
The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced last week it will launch a rebate program next year to encourage New Yorkers to replace about 800,000 toilets and replace them with basins that use significantly less water per flush. For each toilet replaced, the city will pay a $125 incentive. The city is […]
New York State’s database of human DNA is set to become one of the most comprehensive in the country following lawmakers’ approval of a bill yesterday requiring all convicted criminals to give samples. New York has collected DNA data since mid 1990s, and convicted felons are already required to provide genetic samples to law enforcement. The […]
Yesterday, Rep. Bob Turner announced that he would seek nomination as the Republican challenger to Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand for this November’s election. His entrance will raise the profile of a race in which Republicans have struggled to find a credible opponent for Gillibrand, who has amassed a campaign war chest of more than $10 […]
A Swedish company may install a system of vacuum-operated tubes to collect garbage in certain areas of the city, according to Forbes. Private developers, neighborhood groups and other agencies have expressed an interest in using these garbage vacuums near Chelsea, in Manhattan, and underneath the Coney Island boardwalk or the High Line. The vacuum system […]
It’s Sunshine Week – a time to ask how well government is living up to its obligations to make information available to the public. This year New York’s standards took a major leap forward thanks to a new enhancement to the state’s Open Meetings Law: public agencies are now required to release documents under discussion at […]
After news first broke that Joseph Bruno was going to petition Attorney General Eric Schneiderman for reimbursements of “substantial” legal costs after criminal charges against him were dropped, and the Times Union’s outstanding James Odato could not get Schneiderman’s office to divulge how many public employees have been similarly reimbursed, we were more than a […]
