Moynihan Rail Station Plan Grows More Costly
February 12, 2008
The cost of creating a Moynihan Rail Station to replace dingy Penn Station will be more than $3 billion - and could go even higher as construction costs continue to rise, a top Spitzer administration official said yesterday.
Pat Foye, chairman of the Empire State Development Corp., told a legislative budget committee that it will cost [...]
Suit Against New Campaign Finance Law Claims Racial Bias
February 12, 2008
The real estate industry and lobbyists, who together provide millions in campaign cash for city candidates, are trying to overturn a new law that would vastly reduce how much they can donate.
A lawsuit financially backed by the business interests and others was filed Monday in federal court in Manhattan against the City Campaign Finance Board, [...]
Will Barclay Accuses Darrel Aubertine of distorted TV Ads (Video)
February 11, 2008
In the ongoing battle for the 48th district Senate seat Will Barclay has accused the Darrel Aubertine campaign of coaching a fisherman for a commercial that has been airing on television. According to the statement released by the Barclay camp Aubertine has deceived the voters with a misleading story told by a local fisherman [...]
Big Drop Is Seen in Real Estate Tax Revenues
February 11, 2008
The city and state governments are bracing for a precipitous drop-off in the tax revenues they will receive from real estate transactions.
The city is forecasting a 39% decline in sales volume for all commercial transactions through 2009, and the median price of those transactions is expected to decline by 32%, according to its latest budget [...]
Ex-Bloomberg Aide Ends Congressional Bid
February 11, 2008
Richard Wager, a former aide to Mayor Bloomberg who was one of four Republicans vying to challenge Democratic freshman Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand in the 20th CD this fall, has ended his campaign, citing the vagaries of the “intra-party selection process.”
“My staying in this race will only fracture support within our Party and delay the urgent [...]
Bloomberg prez run: Will he or won’t he?
February 11, 2008
As a billionaire businessman, New York City mayor and now potential independent presidential candidate, Michael Bloomberg has never been one to blab to the world about his war room strategies and plans.
To do so, he has reasoned, only tips off the competition. And this is partly what’s going on right now with his presidential exploration [...]
Council Speaker Quinn’s State of City speech will cost taxpayers $12K
February 11, 2008
When City Council Speaker Christine Quinn delivers her State of the City speech Tuesday, listen carefully: you’ve paid for every word.
An outside consultant is to be paid $12,000 in taxpayer funds to write the speech for Quinn, who is expected to run for mayor next year.
A city purchase agreement dated Jan. 9 and obtained by the [...]
Ad campaign gears up, LI Sound LNG decision postponed
February 11, 2008
An oil company that wants to put a liquefied natural gas terminal in Long Island Sound launched a public relations campaign this week to counter widespread opposition on both sides of the massive waterway between New York and Connecticut.
Environmentalists and most elected officials oppose the project, saying it could imperil the fragile ecosystem in the [...]
Budget Shortfall Forces Spitzer To Scramble
February 11, 2008
Confronted by an unexpected budget shortfall, Governor Spitzer is proposing to further raise taxes on private health insurers and to scale back the growth of Medicaid patient reimbursement rates for hospitals and nursing homes, budget officials said yesterday.
A weakening in the economy has forced the Spitzer administration to lower its revenue estimate for the upcoming [...]
New York Legislators Pushing to Raise Their Pay
February 11, 2008
New York legislators are looking for a raise of as much as 22 percent, saying the $79,500 base salaries they earn are not enough.
But an examination of state records shows that most make considerably more than their base salary. With extra pay for chairmanships and other posts, they earn just over $90,000, on average, for [...]
