New York

Andrew Cuomo

Takeaways from the final 2018-19 state budget

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Friday evening announced a deal on a $168.3 billion state budget. Hours earlier, the spending plan had been in doubt, due to standoffs over such issues as state oversight of yeshivas and the early departure of state lawmakers for Passover, which began on Friday, and for Easter Sunday – which is also the start of the new fiscal year.

Andrew Cuomo

Final budget deal close as lawmakers vote on first spending bills

State lawmakers eager to leave the Capitol before religious holidays this weekend inched closer to a budget deal on Thursday night, even as negotiations stalled on multiple fronts.

Andrew Cuomo

Cuomo and legislative leaders inch closer to budget deal

Gov. Andrew Cuomo and legislative leaders inched ever closer to finalizing a deal for the state budget this week, but the news that caught the attention of Albany observers – and even CNN – was the arrest of a veteran reporter, Daily News Albany Bureau Chief Ken Lovett.

Andrew Cuomo

Policy items dropping from state budget – for now

Some policy items are reportedly dropping out of the New York state budget talks, including the Child Victims Act, criminal justice reform and early voting.

Andrew Cuomo

What to watch for in the final week of state budget talks

With the New York state budget deadline pending and several issues left unresolved, here are the things to watch as the spending plan is finalized this week.

New York

Jared Kushner lied to NYC because he could get away with it

The Kushner Cos. filing of false paperwork on rent-regulated units and efforts to expel tenants is a failure of not just the companys integrity, but of state and local law. With the incentive structure of state rent regulations and a two-tiered legal system in which corporations get a slap on the wrist for ripping off the public while the poor go to jail for drug possession, actions like Kushner’s are inevitable.

Andrew Cuomo

School officials want an extra $1.6 billion. Cuomo offered $769 million.

New York's state budget is due soon, and funding for education remains unresolved. City & State spoke with state Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia about the funding levels she would like to see for New York's schools and the governor's less generous proposal, as well as as what her department is doing to protect the rights of transgender students. 

Andrew Cuomo

New York keeps shortchanging poor students

New York's Foundation Aid formula has major shortcomings, which include using a decade of inconsistent local share calculations, arbitrary floors and ceilings, old demographic data and guaranteed increases regardless of changing demographics or enrollment. As a result of these distortions, excess aid is sent to wealthy districts and poorer districts get shortchanged. The state cannot afford to fully fund the warped formula, yet advocates are calling for a $2 billion increase in Foundation Aid in the coming year.

Cynthia Nixon

Updated: 5 things to know about Cynthia Nixon

The actress and activist is challenging Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary.

Simcha Felder

Armed school officers could turn the state Senate blue

The fate of state Sen. Simcha Felder's bill arming guards in schools could impact which party he caucuses with.

Andrew Cuomo

Cuomo takes on guns, NYCHA and the Percoco verdict

Gov. Andrew Cuomo joined students walking out to protest gun violence. Afterward, he took questions from the press on the conviction of Joseph Percoco, his former senior aide.

New York

Why the attacks against my Black History Education bill are racist

Fringe groups like the Working Families Party, Make NY True Blue and Indivisible feel intellectually superior to everyone and believe they determine who is a Democrat and who is not, and define who is black enough and what it means to be a public servant in communities of color. 

With this disconnected view, activists shamefully slammed my effort to pass the Black History Education bill during Black History Month. 


New York

NYC’s new schools chancellor should make college success matter

The most important item on the next New York City school's chancellor’s to-do list is hardly being discussed: preparing vastly more students to succeed in college, argue Tom Hilliard and Matt A.V. Chaban of the Center for an Urban Future.

New York

Other political figures who backed out of appointments

Alberto Carvalho isn’t the first politician to withdraw from a position – although in his case, it wasn’t driven by scandal or controversy but because he was beloved by local school board members and students who wanted him to stay. Here are some other national figures who have made waves by declining a position after being nominated.

John Faso

Will Florida’s school shooting hurt New York Republicans?

Gun control may influence New York’s competitive congressional races.

Andrew Cuomo

A gun control coalition, 1199’s endorsement and still more Percoco

In this week’s headlines, Gov. Andrew Cuomo formed a coalition to combat gun violence and won a key – albeit expected – endorsement from 1199 SEIU, while the long-running corruption trial of his former top aide, Joe Percoco, kept on running.

Anthony Weiner

New Yorkers whose names were their destinies

Chevy Chase isn't the only one whose name is his or her destiny