Albany, NY, Feb 14, 2012 — Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, a Democrat, has introduced a bill that would require all of the primaries for statewide elections in the Assembly and Senate held on June 26th. That's the day that a federal judge ordered that congressional primaries be held. Karen DeWitt has more.  Go to full article

Saranac Lake, NY, Aug 12, 2011 — New York's two U.S. Senators will make rare joint appearances in the Adirondacks today. David Sommerstein reports.  Go to full article

Albany, NY, Apr 18, 2011 — Former New York city Mayor Ed Koch last week launched robocall attacks on state legislators, many of them Senate Republicans. Koch says they have violated a pledge they signed to back non-partisan redistricting.
As Karen DeWitt reports, it's not just the Republicans who are wary of changes to the way New York designs its legislative and congressional district lines.  Go to full article

Washington, DC, Apr 15, 2011 — North Country Congressman Bill Owens lashed out at Republicans' plan to reduce the federal deficit while backing President Obama's. Speaking in a telephone town hall meeting Thursday, the Democrat from Plattsburgh attacked House Budget Committee chairman Paul Ryan's deficit reduction plan. Martha Foley reports.  Go to full article

Albany, NY, Mar 15, 2011 — Senate Republicans and Democrats argued over the issue of redrawing new district lines yesterday. Many Republicans campaigned last November on promises to put the politically charged process of redistricting into the hands of an independent commission. As Karen Dewitt reports, pressure is mounting on the Senate GOP to follow through.  Go to full article

Albany, NY, Jan 17, 2011 — New leadership on both sides of the aisle in the new York State Senate say the Democratic majority overspent in the brief tenure that ended this month. And both the new majority leader, Republican Dean Skelos, and the new deputy minority leader, Democrat Neil Breslin, say that's got to change. Martha Foley has more.  Go to full article

Lowville, NY, Jul 23, 2010 — Andrew Cuomo and his RV are making a swing through eastern half of the North Country today. The Democratic candidate for Governor has appearances in Port Henry, Plattsburgh, and Saranac Lake. He'll march in the Seaway Festival parade in Ogdensburg tomorrow. The stops are part of Cuomo's plan to visit all 62 counties in his "Drive for a New New York" campaign. Yesterday, Cuomo held rallies in Watertown and Speculator, and he toured the Lewis County fair in Lowville. That's where David Sommerstein found the Democrat greeting fairgoers. He reports many voters still have questions before choosing New York's next Governor.  Go to full article

Albany, NY, Jul 01, 2010 — Still no budget for New York State.
New York's Senate shelved its final budget bill hours before it was to be approved. Leaders apparently off further action until after the July 4 holiday - though there are reports the senators may re-convene this morning.
(SEE UPDATE, GOV VS. SENATE, IN THE INBOX)
Senators were expected to voting on the revenue side of the budget sometime after midnight last night. That would have put the final bit of this piecemeal budget in place - after three months of delays and disputes.

But that never happened.

Senate Democratic leader John Sampson said last night he now agrees with Gov. David Paterson that the state needs a contingency plan in case $1 billion in Medicaid funding - called F-MAP -- never comes from Washington.

Sampson denied that he pulled the revenue bill because as many as three Democrats threatened to vote against it. They've demanded action on a bill to give more autonomy to the public university colleges in their districts.
Sampson said he hopes to continue negotiations on SUNY and CUNY empowerment issue, working with Assembly speaker Sheldon Silver. He said it's simply responsible governing.  Go to full article

Albany, NY, May 24, 2010 — On Friday, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo made it official. He's running for governor and hopes to replace fellow-Democrat David Paterson, who has bowed out of the race. Cuomo will face either Republican Rick Lazio or Democrat-turned-Republican Steve Levy in November. Todd Moe talks with Adirondack Bureau Chief Brian Mann about the race.  Go to full article

Albany, NY, Apr 12, 2010 — New York's budget is late -- again -- and getting later. While talks go on, the new Democratic majority leaders in the state Senate say they never really understood how bad the traditional process for writing New York's budgets was, and now that they're in the thick of it themselves, they want change. Republicans, who presided over the Senate for 40 some years, are scoffing. Karen DeWitt has today's story from the capitol.  Go to full article