News stories tagged with "senate"

(05/02/12) The 2012 Farm Bill passed through the Senate Agriculture Committee last week, much more quickly than insiders had expected. The bill cuts agriculture spending by $23 billion, by getting rid of program that pays some farmers simply for growing commodities, things like corn, wheat, and soy. Instead of sending farmers a direct payment, it will spend more money subsidizing their crop insurance. Some New York farm leaders say the shift will be good for New York farmers. But critics say the crop insurance is just another handout to big corporate farms.
Julie Grant reports. more

(11/24/11) New York Senator Charles Schumer was in Watertown yesterday to announce he'll fight a new fee that can be charged to Canadians crossing into the U.S. by boat or by plane. He appeared at the Paddock Arcade on Washington Street, an historic shopping center and one of many places in the north country where Canadian visitors may come to shop and eat. Todd Moe has more.

(08/08/11) Republicans in the State Senate last week changed their position on the counting of state prison inmates for drawing new legislative district lines, required every ten years. As Karen DeWitt reports, the decision on how to count prisoners is just one of many challenges facing the GOP as they struggle to maintain their one vote lead in the Senate in the next elections. more

(08/05/11) Senate Republicans appear to be changing their minds about how they would like to count prison inmates when they redraw New York's new district lines. Karen DeWitt reports.

(06/17/11) This week, it's been all about same sex marriage in Albany. Supporters, led by Governor Cuomo, have been lobbying hard for a vote in the State Senate. Now they're one vote shy of passage.

According to a Siena College poll this week, 55% of New Yorkers support legalizing same sex marriage. Sarah Harris chatted with shoppers in Ogdensburg to get their opinions.

(04/08/11) Former New York City Mayor Ed Koch, who now leads a reform group, has declared the Leader of the State Senate "an enemy of reform", and says Senators have broken a pledge to carry out non partisan redistricting. Koch also says he's teaming up with Governor Andrew Cuomo to pressure lawmakers over the issue. Karen Dewitt reports. more

(03/22/11) A joint budget conference committee has restored money for the Tug Hill Commission in the state budget. According to State Senator Patty Ritchie's office, the Assembly agreed to the Senate's funding level of $1.1 million. That's a 10 percent cut from last year, on par with other state agencies. Todd Moe has more.

(12/21/10) The state Court of Appeals has rejected a Democratic state senator's request for a full manual recount in his narrow loss to a Republican newcomer on Long Island. The ruling will return control of the Senate to Republicans with a 32-30 majority next month after two years of Democratic rule. Karen DeWitt reports.

(10/06/10) Republicans have been looking for opportunities to make surprise gains in this November's Senate races. Some polls have shown that even in New York, they might have an outside chance at upsetting freshman Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand. Gillibrand once represented a big chunk of the North Country, but as Brian Man reports, she's still introducing herself to voters in other parts of the state.

(06/11/10) One year ago this week, the state government was in gridlock, after a coup in the Senate staged by a collation of Republicans and two Democrats. Now, one year later, some are raising the specter of "Coup II," as nearly the same configuration of Senators are threatening not to vote for a budget extender, which could lead to more paralysis in the form of a government shut down. Karen DeWitt reports.