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From NCPR Blogs:

Voters slap down four school budgets that bust prop tax cap

Voters in the North Country sent a clear message to school districts that tried to exceed the state property tax cap.  The answer was a resounding No. The vast majority of the region’s budgets came in under the cap and passed handily. But...

Was NPR’s portrayal of NY Sen. Gillibrand sexist?

  Ailsa Chang’s NPR profile of New York Senator — and former North Country congresswoman — Kirsten Gillibrand is getting panned on-line and apparently edited by NPR’s on-line crew. Chang’s report cast Sen....

Rent a ‘copter to prevent frost, and other good reads of the week

It was a newsy week in the world of agriculture, so here are seven good reads to keep you busy this weekend: The Farm Bill passed both the House and Senate Agriculture committees this week, and are likely to get hearings on the floors of their...

What are the Great American Scandals we ignore?

I’ve been as captivated as anyone by the sudden burgeoning of scandal in Washington. Until this month, the Obama administration seemed to skate almost effortlessly above the morass that eventually sucks up most White Houses, from Richard...

Farm Bill shaping up to be a food fight

The Senate Agriculture committee passed a nearly $100 billion a year Farm Bill this afternoon, 15-5. One of the Senators who voted against it was New York Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand, who’s leading a fight to restore all of the $400 million...

Politics

'I Have Not Done Anything Wrong,' Says Key IRS Official

May 22, 2013 — Lois Lerner, who's at the center of the political firestorm over her agency's singling out of some conservative groups for extra scrutiny, then invoked her Fifth Amendment right not to answer questions from Congress.

Battle Lines Harden In Debate Over Blame For IRS Controversy

May 22, 2013 — The Treasury Department's inspector general, who faulted the IRS for flagging conservative groups for extra scrutiny, is now investigating how the agency is monitoring the political activities of tax-exempt groups. These so-called social welfare organizations are not supposed to be primarily about politics, although many seem to be.

House, Senate Consider Cuts In Food Stamp Program

May 22, 2013 — Both the House and Senate are considering farm bills that would cut spending on food stamps, one of the most expensive government programs. But people disagree on how much the changes would affect recipients.

Senate To Debate Immigration Overhaul

May 22, 2013 — After weeks of debate, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted Tuesday to send a massive immigration overhaul bill on to the full Senate. Dozens of changes were made to the legislation drawn up by a bipartisan group of senators known as the Gang of Eight. But the bill's basic compromises remained intact after the withdrawal of a sharply divisive measure granting equal immigration rights for same-sex married couples.

IRS Official In Charge Of Nonprofits Declines To Testify

May 21, 2013 — Lois Lerner, who heads the IRS division dealing with nonprofits seeking tax-exempt status, will not testify on Wednesday despite a congressional subpoena, her attorney says. She is accused of closely scrutinizing conservative groups that sought tax-exempt status.

Voter Resources

Project Sunlight: Track lobbying activities, member item spending and other legislation in New York. An initiative of the NYS Office of the Attorney General.

League of Women Voters DemocracyNet: Great one-stop election resource.

NYS Board of Elections Campaign Finance Database: Enter the last name of any candidate in New York to find out where the money comes from and where it's going.

Open Secrets: Campaign finance information broken down by industry, region, etc., for mostly federal politicans. An excellent starting point for following
money in politics.

Special Reports

Audio Slideshow:
Adirondack teens talk democracy
Face of Democracy is a national program that gives students an inside view of the democratic process by sending out to polling places to interview and photograph voters and officials. Sue Halpern, project organizer, talks with Brian Mann

Cartoon Special:
Editorial cartoonist Mark Wilson Covers the NYS Party Conventions
Mark Wilson, aka Marquil, is a political cartoonist covering the 2006 New York State party conventions for NCPR. His sketches and caricatures bring the arcana of state politics to life.