This afternoon, Governor Andrew Cuomo unveiled the Public Trust Act, a legislative package that would “establish a new class of public corruption crimes and expand the current definitions of public corruption offenses,” according to a press release. In some cases, the legislation would bring state statutes in line with federal laws. That would be the […]
Governor Andrew Cuomo
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Cuomo bats leadership ball back to legislators
The New York Post published an article this morning speculating that Governor Andrew Cuomo and his staff want to push Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver out of his leadership post. It also says that Assembly Majority Leader Joe Morelle could be installed in Silver’s place. According to the Post, Cuomo planned to use last week’s arrests […]
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[UPDATED] Week Ahead: RCSD and city budget hearings, Cuomo cancels, RPO lawsuit proceeds
The Rochester school district will hold a public hearing on Superintendent Bolgen Vargas’s proposed $728 million spending plan for the 2013 to 2014 school year. The budget has been criticized by parents because it includes closing School 30. Parents are also concerned about implementation of the new core curriculum and its impact on rigorous programs […]
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Week Ahead: Prop 8 and DOMA Supreme Court hearings, RCSD budget, city budget forum, keeping an eye on pawn shops
The US Supreme Court will hear a legal challenge to the federal Defense of Marriage Act beginning on March 27. In anticipation, a local collaborative group that includes representatives of the LGBT, religious, and labor communities will hold a couple of events this week. Under DOMA, marriage is limited to one man and one woman […]
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Cuomo vs. the IDA’s
The Monroe County Industrial Development Agency, as well as virtually every industrial agency in the state, has come out against Governor Andrew Cuomo’s proposal to restrict agencies’ ability to offer state sales tax exemptions to businesses. | COMIDA has awarded state sales tax exemptions, along with county sales tax exemptions and other tax incentives, to […]
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Cuomo vs. the IDA’s
Virtually every industrial development agency in New York has come out against Governor Andrew Cuomo’s proposal to restrict their ability to offer state sales tax exemptions to businesses. The Monroe County Industrial Development Agency is part of the opposition. “We’ve been doing it since 1969 and it’s been effective,” says COMIDA executive director Judy Seil. […]
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Cuomo prepping abortion rights legislation
Abortion rights opponents are pressuring Governor Andrew Cuomo to publicly release an abortion rights bill he plans to propose, says an article from Gannett’s Albany bureau. That is, if he has a bill, they stipulate. During his State of the State Address last month, Cuomo called on the legislature to pass a Women’s Equality Act. […]
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Our stressed city
It’s not a coincidence that the City of Rochester has the state’s highest poverty rate, a high murder rate, and schools with tragically low graduation rates. Nor is it a coincidence that Rochester has a serious financial problem. And last month, Mayor Tom Richards made the obligatory annual trip to Albany to ask for money. […]
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Cuomo budget proposal includes minimum-wage boost
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo released his $136.5 billion 2013 to 2014 budget proposal this afternoon. He said the budget closes a $1.3 billion gap and doesn’t include any new taxes. It also includes a boost in the minimum wage, from $7.25 to $8.75 an hour. Cuomo said the budget includes a 4.4 percent increase […]
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Poll: Public backs increase in the minimum wage
The public is behind Governor Andrew Cuomo’s proposal to raise the state minimum wage from $7.25 to $8.75 per hour, according to one statewide poll. Cuomo proposed the increase during his State of the State address last week. A Siena College Research Institute poll, conducted on January 10 and January 13 to 15, says that […]
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New York gets tougher on guns
The State Senate passed a new ban on assault weapons Monday. The Assembly was still debating on Tuesday afternoon, but is almost certain to approve the legislation. The legislation grandfathers in military-style weapons already owned by New Yorkers, though they would be subject to a new permitting requirement. The assault weapons ban is part of […]
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Robach: Cuomo’s Upstate plans could be good for the region
I had a chance to talk to Republican State Senator Joe Robach yesterday about Governor Andrew Cuomo’s State of the State address. Robach said he was glad to hear the governor talk extensively about Upstate New York. Specifically, he was pleased with the governor’s plans to boost the area’s economy; for example, the governor is […]
