(02/07/12) Legislators haven't had a raise since 1999, and some, led by Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, have said recently that it's about time.
But a new poll finds a majority of New Yorkers don't think giving the state's top politicians a pay raise is a good idea right now. Neither do some of the North Country's representatives at the Capitol. Martha Foley has more. more
|
|
Politics and GovernmentSee also: Election 2012
Assemblywoman Teresa Sayward. (Photo by Mark Kurtz)
They’re just talking about talking and not doing anything.
(02/07/12) Occupy protesters briefly disrupted a state budget hearing at the State Capitol Monday. They said they're angered by inequities in the tax system. In Albany, Karen DeWitt reports. more
(02/07/12) The 23rd district House seat that covers much of the North Country is expected to see one of the hottest election fights in the country this year.
In recent years, Republicans, Conservatives, and tea party activists have been bitterly divided in the region. That allowed Democrat Bill Owens to eke out two election victories in a region long considered a Republican stronghold. This week, we'll be talking about the race, listening to the candidates, and talking to young people about this year's election. Brian Mann spoke with Martha Foley about some of the big issues and political trends that could shape the race.
(02/07/12) For the first time since 1995, a sitting president will be visiting the state of Vermont. That's according to the Burlington Free Press.
According to the newspaper, the White House has confirmed that Barack Obama will be visiting Burlington on March 30th "to participate in campaign events." First Lady Michelle Obama visited Vermont last June, but this will be the president's first trip to the state since he won office. The last sitting president to visit was Bill Clinton in 1995.
That doesn’t trouble you.. that people in the Inspector General’s office now will be able to gain access to tax records of state employees?
(02/07/12) The Cuomo Administration spent yesterday trying to put out fires after a newspaper reported that the entire staff of the Governor's Inspector General's office had been deputized to examine the private tax records of any state employee, including legislators.
The inspector general's office and the state tax department have quietly drawn up an agreement that allows employees in the office to obtain the tax records of more than 200,000 state workers, as well as contractors doing business with the state. Karen DeWitt has more. more
There are a number of talented people who I think are underpaid.
(02/06/12) Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver continues to advocate for a pay raise for state lawmakers. Silver says it's time for them to see their wages increase for the first time since 1999. more
Our corporate tax policy is more akin to Swiss cheese than we’d like to think... it’s filled with holes.
(02/06/12) A coalition of labor unions, religious groups, and others is urging Governor Cuomo and the legislature to close what they say are loopholes in the law. As Karen DeWitt reports, they say those loopholes are shielding large corporations from having to pay their fair share of taxes. more
State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joe Martens, right, and DEC Fisheries Biologist Bill Schoch at Johns Brook in Keene Valley Thursday. (Photo: Adirondack Daily Enterprise)
(02/06/12) River and stream rehabilitation is under way in communities hit hard by Tropical Storm Irene last year. But officials say a lot of work still remains to be done to put things right.
Lawmakers, local politicians and state officials joined state Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joe Martens in Keene Valley last week to inspect stream restoration work on Johns Brook. Local works crews did emergency repairs immediately following Irene, but environmental specialists said additional work was needed to restore fish and wildlife habitats and protect against future flooding. Chris Morris went along for the inspection. more adirondacks ·
economy ·
environment ·
fish ·
irene ·
outdoor recreation ·
politics ·
science ·
weather
Bishop Terry LaValley, Photo: Diocese of Ogdensburg
(02/06/12) The top Roman Catholic official in the North Country is blasting the Obama administration for requiring churches to provide health insurance to employees that includes services such as contraception and sterilization. more
DiNapoli warned officials not to be "overly optimistic."
(02/03/12) Comptroller Tom DiNapoli is out with a report on the state of New York's economy, and the news is bleak. The Comptroller's numbers show that the already sluggish economic recovery in New York is losing momentum. The slowdown began in the second half of 2011, and is expected to continue into 2012, says Comptroller DiNapoli. In Albany, Karen DeWitt reports. more
 NEW: See the latest 20 Political News stories on the mapBlog posts tagged with "politics"Prison guards wield big money cloutThe good-government group NYPIRG has released its list of the 150 biggest donors to political campaigns and lobbying...[more] Morning Read: Region's Roman Catholics decry attacks on "religious liberty"Roman Catholic leaders in northern New York and Vermont are decrying what they describe as a broad-based attack on...[more] GOP Doomsday Scenario 2012!I've been on the road this week, listening to a lot of conservative talk radio, and it got me thinking about...[more] Is America really in decline? No.This morning at 10 am, Tom Ashbrook will convene a conversation during "On Point" to examine a question...[more] Big fight looms between Owens-Doheny in NY-23Looks like a barn-burner in NY-23.
The National Journal is noting that Republican challenger Matt Doheny is raising...[more] Do the new redistricting lines represent a GOP power grab. Uh, yeah.Republicans in the state Senate are huffing about constitutional requirements and the need to create new minority...[more] Will liberals self-destruct in 2012?Michelle Goldberg's video essay, produced for the Daily Beast website, gets at one of the big questions of the...[more] Two state Senators for the Adirondacks?For the last decade, state Senator Betty Little from Queensbury has been the dominant political force in the Adirondack...[more] Rep. Owens slams base closing proposalThe Obama administration is proposing another BRACC-style base closings process to downsize the US military. And...[more] Redistricting maps arrive: major changes proposed for North CountryNew maps are being released at this hour from the legislature's LATFOR committee. They include dramatic changes...[more] Wall Street in CantonThis morning, on desks and tables in classrooms across the St. Lawrence University campus, strips of paper were placed...[more]  Politics After a decisive victory in Nevada, Mitt Romney seems confident. But the latest polls show Mo. could tilt toward Rick Santorum. As a candidate and as president, Barack Obama has disparaged the role of big money in politics. At his 2010 State of the Union address, he even called out the Supreme Court for a ruling that opened the door to unlimited personal and business...  GOP candidate Mitt Romney has joined those criticizing President Obama over a policy that would require most employers, including Catholic hospitals and universities, to include birth control in their employees' health insurance. The White House now... What initially looked to some like widespread voter fraud in South Carolina will likely turn out to be much more benign. A state official said that out of the first six names checked, five involved clerical or poll worker errors, such as someone...  Tuesday's ruling that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional could propel the issue of same-sex marriage to the U.S. Supreme Court. It could also make the composition of the high court into a potent election issue. Voter ResourcesProject 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 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. Adirondack News Fund Founding Supporters: Paul Smith's College, The College of the Adirondacks · Wildlife Conservation Society · Adirondack Medical Center Foundation · Adirondack Museum · Niagara Mohawk Foundation · Schumann Foundation · John A. Sellon Charitable Trust · several anonymous individual donors |
