Albany, NY, Nov 29, 2011 — In the face of a major budget deficit, Governor Andrew Cuomo is not ruling out a special session of the legislature in December. In Albany, Karen DeWitt has more:  Go to full article

Albany, NY, Nov 29, 2011 — Protesters at the Occupy Albany encampment say they will no longer provoke nightly arrests by the New York State police. But they say they'll continue to focus on state policy issues, like their opposition to the expiration of a tax on millionaires, set to expire at the end of the year. In Albany, Karen DeWitt reports.  Go to full article

Albany, NY, Nov 23, 2011 — The congressional supercommittee announced Monday that they'd failed to make a plan for reducing the federal deficit. This means that automatic cuts to a whole range of programs will go into effect starting in 2013.

National lawmakers may reach agreements that avoid some of those cuts ...but the supercommittee's failure could make a huge difference for states. New York's budget division estimates losses of $5 billion in federal funding over the next decade. That's on top of the impact on Wall Street, which provides about 20% of state revenues.

The state is already running a $3.25 billion deficit for next year's budget. Governor Cuomo is working with his Council of Economic and Fiscal advisors, 19 executives, politicians and labor leaders Cuomo put together as part of his transition team last year, to come up with a plan for how the state will handle the additional losses.

Cuomo spoke yesterday on the WCNY's Capitol Pressroom host Susan Arbetter. She asked him how the supercommittee's failure will affect individual New Yorkers:  Go to full article

Albany, NY, Nov 22, 2011 — Governor Andrew Cuomo says apparent failure of the congressional supercommittee to make federal spending cuts by its deadline will dramatically change the fiscal course of the state.

After the announcement from the super committee yesterday, the governor tried to do damage control here in New York. WMHT's Marie Cusick reports for the Innovation Trail.  Go to full article

Albany, NY, Nov 21, 2011 — Deliberations over drawing new legislative and congressional districts are continuing in Albany and one of the k ey sticking points is the way prison inmates are counted.

Democrats pushed through a measure two years ago that calls for the inmates to be counted in the districts that they're sent from.

North Country state Senator Betty Little, a Republican, stands to lose as many as 11,000 constituents under that change and has sued to reverse the decision.

As Karen DeWitt reports legislators are also struggling the details of a system for determining where inmates should be counted if the Democratic plan survives.  Go to full article

Albany, NY, Nov 18, 2011 — Hundreds of Occupy movement members from around the state descended on the State Capitol Thursday, chanting and voicing their disagreement with Governor Cuomo's economic policies. From the capitol, Karen DeWitt has this report:  Go to full article

Albany, NY, Nov 18, 2011 — Last week, the Adirondack Daily Enterprise reported that Betsy Lowe is stepping down as Region 5 Director of the Department of Environmental Conservation.

Lowe has been one of the most influential figures in the Adirondacks over the last decade, first helping to found the Wild Center in Tupper Lake and then taking the helm in the DEC district that covers much of the Park.

Her tenure included work on some landmark projects, including the Finch Pruyn conservation deal, and some big crises, including the environmental aftermath of tropical storm Irene.

Lowe sat down this week to talk with Brian Mann about her reasons for leaving, and the future of the DEC following deep budget and staff cuts.  Go to full article

Albany, NY, Nov 17, 2011 — Hundreds of people gathered Thursday in Albany as part of the Occupy Albany protest.
Buses from Buffalo, Rochester and other Occupy Wall Street encampments from around the state delivered the protesters to downtown Lafayette Park, where they began their march to the nearby state Capitol.  Go to full article

Albany, NY, Nov 17, 2011 — Governor Cuomo says the Albany District Attorney's decision not to prosecute Occupy Albany protesters arrested for trespassing is "less than ideal", and the governor has refused to rule out appointing a special prosecutor. In Albany, Karen DeWitt reports.  Go to full article

Albany, NY, Nov 17, 2011 — For many years, the Hall of Governors, on the second floor of the State Capitol, was closed to the public. Its walls are lined with portraits of nearly every governor who has served since New York State began.

Former Governor George Pataki barred the public from the hallway, which also houses the offices of the governor and his top aides. He cited security reasons, but the decision earned that section of the Capitol the nickname "Fort Pataki".

Now, the historic hall of governors at the State Capitol is undergoing a renovation. In Albany, Karen DeWitt reports.  Go to full article