Trading Tesla for child care: New York progressives take aim at wasteful ‘economic development’

Pointing to a series of boondoggles, legislators are pushing for more transparency on economic development programs to fund a social spending wishlist.

• By Zach Williams
• March 24, 2022

The one part of Hochul’s public safety plan that progressives don’t hate

Opposition to changing bail reform aside, many Albany Democrats are getting behind gubernatorial efforts to force more people to get mental health treatment.

• By Zach Williams
• March 23, 2022

What about those JCOPE reforms?

After the governor promised bold reform of the state’s ethics watchdog in the budget, the proposal may have sputtered.

• By Rebecca C. Lewis
• March 23, 2022

In a letter to state leaders, unions back immigrant health care expansion

• By Rebecca C. Lewis
• March 23, 2022

In a letter to state leaders, unions back immigrant health care expansion

Several politically powerful unions announced support of “Coverage for All” legislation to insure low-income New Yorkers without visas, green cards or citizenship.

• By Rebecca C. Lewis
• March 22, 2022

New York health officials say they aren’t alarmed by BA.2 – but should they be?

Gov. Kathy Hochul and Health Commissioner Mary Bassett said Monday BA.2 cases aren’t rising as fast as they are in Europe and the UK. It’s not entirely clear why.

• By Sara Dorn
• March 21, 2022

Hochul refuses to discuss proposed bail changes in public

The governor confirmed Monday that a leaked public safety plan was hers, but deflected questions about the details.

• By Zach Williams
• March 21, 2022

Lawmakers bristle at leak of Hochul’s bail policy

The governor’s leaked public safety plan undermines her claims that she doesn’t negotiate policy through the media.

• By Zach Williams
• March 21, 2022

Here are the sexual harassment bills still being debated in New York

Seven sexual harassment bills were not in a package recently signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul, but would further increase protection for victims.

• By Shantel Destra
• March 18, 2022

Hochul wants to force more people with mental illness to get treatment

The governor included a major change to Kendra’s Law alongside a proposed rollback of bail reform in her new public safety plan.

• By Zach Williams
• March 18, 2022

City employees are eyeing the exits as Adams insists on in-person work

The mayor has been adamant that workers come into their offices full time. But municipal employees looking for remote work flexibility warn of a morale crisis and service slowdowns.

• By Annie McDonough
• March 17, 2022

To-go cocktails apparently spiked in budget process

Gov. Kathy Hochul says she is willing to wait on legalizing to-go alcohol sales following opposition from state lawmakers.

• By Zach Williams
• March 15, 2022

New York’s power companies want to expand the meaning of ‘zero emissions’

The power industry is pushing a pair of proposals to state legislators and regulators that have attracted little notice, but could shift the course of the state's climate action.

• By Colin Kinniburgh
• March 15, 2022

What Albany Democrats want from Kathy Hochul in the new state budget

One-house budget resolutions highlight legislators’ demands for more social spending ahead of the April 1 budget deadline.

• By Zach Williams
• March 14, 2022

New bill would cut New York’s mobile sports betting tax rate in half

The sponsors of the mobile sports betting legislation have proposed an amendment to gradually lower the tax rate as more operators are added.

• By Sara Dorn
• March 10, 2022

Lawmakers want to suspend gas taxes for drivers by having other taxpayers foot the bill

With surging prices due to inflation and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Gov. Kathy Hochul is resisting calls from legislators in both parties to give motorists a tax break.

• By Zach Williams
• March 10, 2022

New York lawmakers call for gas tax hold as Biden bans Russian oil

Republican state lawmakers previously called for a suspension of the gas tax to alleviate the effects of inflation.

• By Sara Dorn
• March 8, 2022

Undaunted by bail backlash, progressives push for Clean Slate bill in Albany

Democrats have to decide between dueling versions of the legislation as the April 1 state budget deadline approaches.

• By Zach Williams
• March 8, 2022

Criminal justice journal launches to focus on public safety strategies

“Vital City” debuted with insights and recommendations on gun violence reduction from several experts on the topic.

• By Ralph R. Ortega
• March 7, 2022

Hochul’s proposal to extend mayoral control of NYC schools to four years gets pushback

Education leaders and elected officials speaking at a public hearing wanted a shorter extension and to start a discussion on how the schools would be governed going forward.

• By Megan McGibney
• March 4, 2022