City’s District Attorneys Worry Over Big Funding Cuts
February 7, 2008
Facing millions of dollars in cuts in both federal and city funding, local prosecutors are scrambling to find ways to avoid significantly reducing the size of proven crime-fighting programs.
The federal government in December signed off on slashing by 67% its funding for one of the country’s largest law enforcement grant programs, the Edward Byrne Memorial [...]
MTA Hudson Yards deal fraught with caveats
February 7, 2008
Shea Stadium is nowhere near the Hudson Rail Yards on the west side of Manhattan, but the group selected to develop the 26-acre site must establish a $9.2 million fund to improve a Long Island Rail Road facility near the ball field.
Some of the five groups vying to build on the rail yards site say [...]
PEF Endorses Barclay in Special State Senate Election
February 6, 2008
The New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF), the state’s second-largest state-employee union, today announced its endorsement of Republican Assemblyman Will Barclay for state Senate in the special election being held February 26.“PEF’s endorsement is based on our review of Will Barclay’s record as an assemblyman,” said PEF President Ken Brynien. “Will Barclay has supported [...]
State Negotiators Reach Tentative Contract Agreement PEF
February 6, 2008
he New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF) – the state’s second-largest public-employee union– today announced it has reached a tentative agreement with the state on a new contract that includes enhancements in nearly all contract areas.The tentative four-year pact would cover more than 58,000 PEF members in the professional, scientific and technical (PS&T) unit [...]
New Funds Could Update Ferry Terminals
February 6, 2008
New York City grabbed $2.75 million in state money that could go to upgrading ferry terminals, NY Gov. Eliot Spitzer announced Tuesday.
The state Department of Transportation doled out transit grants to the city, which has 90 days to decide where the funding will go. In the past, the grant money, which is given out annually, [...]
John Sabini Pleads Guilty To DWI
February 5, 2008
Queens Sen. John Sabini just released the following statement:
“Today, I entered a plea of guilty to driving while impaired, a traffic violation, accepting full personal responsibility for the events that led to my arrest in Albany. As a condition of my court agreement, I have paid a fine of $300 (plus court costs) as well [...]
Plan to Link Tax Breaks to Income
February 5, 2008
A bipartisan group of lawmakers unveiled a plan Monday to link property tax breaks to household income, which would potentially provide fewer people with checks but give tax breaks to those most in need.
The “Middle Income Circuit Breaker” proposal, led by Sen. Betty Little, R-Queensbury, and Assemblywoman Sandra Galef, D-Ossining, would retain the $250,000 income [...]
Domino Building at Center of Development Clash
February 5, 2008
Preservationists are set to clash with the company redeveloping the Domino sugar refinery on the Williamsburg waterfront at a Landmarks Preservation Commission hearing today. As part of the second-largest development in Brooklyn, which will include five 40-story towers, the developer, Community Preservation Corporation Resources, is seeking to add a five-story glass structure onto the roof [...]
Bloomberg Laying Groundwork For Presidential Bid
February 5, 2008
Associates of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg say he is laying the groundwork to launch an independent presidential campaign, but he is in no hurry to decide whether to run.
Doug Schoen, who is part of Bloomberg’s inner circle, said the mayor may launch early-state petition drives to get his name on the ballot. A [...]
State Hospitals Could Lose $10B Under Bush Budget
February 5, 2008
Hospitals in New York could lose $10 billion in federal funding as a result of health care cuts in the 2009 federal budget that President Bush sent to Congress yesterday.
New York City hospitals would lose more than $600 million next year and more than $6 billion over five years, according to a preliminary analysis by [...]
