Opinion

Opinion

Opinion: What would Hugh do?

A few things Gov. Kathy Hochul can learn from the state’s 51st governor as she navigates the challenges of budget season.

Opinion

Opinion

Opinion: Don’t give up on public campaign financing

A small-dollar public campaign finance system can help prevent the kind of political corruption I investigated a decade ago.

Opinion

Opinion

Opinion: Mental health emergencies deserve compassion, not criminalization

This year’s state budget must include funding for a pilot program that sends trained counselors, not armed police officers, to respond to mental health crises.

Opinion

Opinion

Opinion: More people will die at Rikers if Hochul rolls back bail reform

We are family members of people who died at Rikers. If Rikers had killed white people, the governor would close it, not condemn more people there.

Policy

Policy

Just like that a proposal to roll back NY’s climate law got nixed

Almost as soon as news broke that the governor was considering allowing more emissions, she reversed course in negotiations.

Policy

Policy

These 3 NY budget proposals have support from conservatives, liberals – and not Kathy Hochul

The governor is resisting expanded school lunches, housing vouchers and health insurance for undocumented immigrants.

Politics

Politics

NY bills specifically targeted at Donald Trump

State Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal has been prolific in this field.

Politics

Politics

Hochul announces April 10 budget extender

As they continue negotiating beyond the April 1 deadline, lawmakers have indicated there will be no agreement before the Passover and Easter holidays.

Opinion

Opinion

Opinion: Why New York deserves a reproductive healthcare services training and education grant program

Including $6 to 8 million in the final state budget for such an effort will ensure that medical interns and residents are properly trained in medical and surgical abortion procedures.

Opinion

Opinion

Opinion: We need a $21.25 minimum wage

Hochul’s proposal isn’t enough, a UPS package handler argues, the Raise the Wage Act is better.

Heard Around Town

Personality

Addiction-focused health commissioner still needs to talk to Hochul about overdoses

Acting Health Commissioner James McDonald is poised to take over permanently and has a history in overseeing controversial supervised injection sites.

Opinion

Opinion

Opinion: NY Legislature – fight for the film tax credit! Sincerely, NYC borough presidents

The film biz brings jobs and cachet to New York City.

Politics

Breaking News Politics

Trump indicted in Manhattan

A Manhattan grand jury voted to indict the former president for charges related to a hush money payment to a porn star.

Politics

Politics

The state of state budget talks: ‘the middle of the middle’

The state’s spending plan is due in a day, but everyone’s given up passing it on time.

Policy

Policy

Rank-and-file Assembly Dems insist bail changes will not be tolerated in budget talks

After news broke Wednesday that Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie could be open to removing the “least restrictive means” language from the law, his conference expressed confidence that their leader won’t cave on bail reform.

Budget

Opinion

Opinion: Real public safety starts with funding public goods, not police

We can tax the rich and use that money to invest in affordable housing, public transit, free childcare and higher education, and alternatives to incarceration.