NY gov drops support for Aqueduct racino group

2010-03-11T16:16:31Z

<div id="subtitle">NY Gov. Paterson drops support for Aqueduct racino consortium, project set back again</div><div><p>Gov. David Paterson's administration dropped its support Thursday for a consortium chosen to build and operate up to 4,500 video slot machines at the Aqueduct racetrack, promising to further delay the 8-year-old plan to put a lucrative racino in Queens.</p><p>The governor's office said...

NY Governor

2010-03-02T13:05:49Z

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, left, and Senate Democratic Conference Leader John Sampson leave the Executive Mansion after a meeting with Gov. David Paterson in Albany, N.Y., on Tuesday, Ma...

NY governor says unions accept pension changes

2010-02-27T01:01:45Z

<div><p>NEW YORK (Reuters) - Two New York state unions have accepted a plan to save the state $440 million over two years while avoiding layoffs, partly by enticing 7,000 state workers to retire, Governor David Paterson said on Friday.</p><p>About 4,500 employees will be offered $20,000 payments to retire early, the ...

Gay marriage passes first vote in New York state

2010-02-27T11:27:57Z

<div><p>NEW YORK (Reuters) - The New York State Assembly passed a bill to legalize gay marriage on Tuesday, but the measure still faces an uphill battle in the state Senate.</p><p>The measure, introduced last month by Governor David Paterson

NY lawmaker wants World Trade towers built now

2010-02-27T12:58:49Z

<div><p>NEW YORK (Reuters) - The rebuilding of the World Trade Center site needs to get back on track, New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said on Friday, saying that at least two World Trade Center towers should be built without further delay.</p>&...

Silver Says He 'Might Be' Affected by Tax on High Earners

2010-03-01T09:59:22Z

<div><p>ALBANY—As public support for a millionaire's tax continues to be demonstrated in the polls, I asked one of its principal proponents, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, if he himself would wind up paying more in taxes if it—or other similar plans—were implemented. </p><p>"I might be affected by the lower end, rather than the higher e...

On Paterson's Budget, Silver Unspecific, Skelos Unhappy

2010-03-01T02:00:36Z

<div><p>ALBANY—The legislative leaders have responded to David Paterson's proposed budget. </p><p>Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver's position was unspecific. He acknowledged the need for cuts and praised the governor for his proposal, but parried question after question from repor...

Senate Special Session Still Lacks Firm Agenda, Teeth

2010-03-01T03:57:23Z

<div><p>There's no firm word yet about what will be on the table when the still-Republican-controlled State Senate convenes Monday, but the session will most likely have no legal effect anyway. </p><p>A Democratic Senate leadership source claims to have heard that the chamber will be acting only on a non-binding resolution which may give clues on what the chamber's po...

Assembly Conferences Settle on Leaders, Senate Conferences Don't

2010-03-01T16:39:32Z

<div><p>ALBANY—As legislators grappled on Monday night to position themselves on David Paterson's proposed cuts, some conferences also re-elected their leaders. </p><p>Assemblyman Jim Tedisco, a Republican from Schenectady, was ...

Paterson on Pre-Session Legislature: 'This Does Not Bode Well'

2010-03-01T17:26:29Z

<div><p>ALBANY—David Paterson said he is "disappointed" with the actions of the legislature ahead of a special session that will begin tomorrow with the goal of attempting to bridge an expected $1.5 billion year-end deficit in the budget. </p><p>"While our actions were exactly the same as they were on August 18, right before our August 19...

A Silver Lining

2010-02-27T19:20:51Z

<div><p>Score it a victory for common sense: Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, resisting the siren call of faux populism, has withdrawn his support for a big tax hike on New Yorkers who make more than $1 million a year. Mr. Silver’s decision means that the plan is dead. May it rest in peace. </p><p>As recently as this past August, Mr. Silver seemed willing to go along with a plan t...

Elsewhere: Rudy for Lee, Plot Against Obama

2010-02-27T20:02:54Z

<div><p>Rudy Giuliani is campaigning for congressional candidate Sandy Treadwell, a millionaire challenging freshman Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand. </p><p>Sh...

New York City’s Buried $2.5 Billion Treasure

2010-02-28T11:35:47Z

<div><p> </p><p>While Henry Paulson and Ben Bernanke wrestle with Congress over the Bush administration’s proposed $700 billion bailout for financial firms, Mayor Michael Bloomberg is taking steps to inoculate Ne...

Not About Incumbency

2010-02-28T15:21:24Z

<div><p>One narrative that pervaded much of the coverage of Tuesday’s primary - specifically with Sheldon Silver and Marty Connor on the ballot - was the notion that it was turning into a referendum on incumbency. (Having Obama and McCain talk ab...

The Morning Read: Friday, 12, 2008

2010-02-28T15:22:05Z

<div><p>In part of her interview with Charlie Gibson, Sarah Palin seemed not to know what the Bush Doctrine is. </p><p>Though she did say she thinks humans might have something to do with global warming, an idea she did not accept in previous interviews. </p><p>TV critic David Hinckley doesn’t like ...

Silver: Don’t Disband LMDC

2010-02-28T15:47:38Z

<div><p>Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, a powerful voice in the redevelopment of downtown, wants the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation to stay in business, according to his spokesman. </p><p>That puts him at odds with Sheldon Silver vote, I loitered near his campaign office for a few minutes and noticed fireman—in t-shirts with walkie-talkies slung around their chests—carrying boxes of food into the campaign office. </p><p> Across the street was a fire truck with the words “Tower Ladder 18” (double parked!). I overheard a guy directing fi...

Sheinkopf Predicts: Squadron Wins Big, Parker Wins Small

2010-02-28T16:52:53Z

<div><p>Political consultant Hank Sheinkopf—who's seen many, many primaries—indulged me with a few predictions about the outcome of some of today's competitive races: </p><p>Assemblyman Sheldon Silver by 10 points.State Senate challenger Dan Squadron by 10 point...

Now on Video: Silver Versus the Post

2010-02-28T16:53:13Z

<div><p></p><p>Here’s video of Sheldon Silver’s scrum with reporters right after he voted this morning. </p><p>Silver swats away the New York Post cover at around the 1:35 mark. </p><p>Also, if you listen closely at the .06 minute mark, he offers a special greet...

Sheldon Silver Voter Not Looking for Change

2010-02-28T16:54:21Z

<div><p>I just got back from Greenwich and Chambers Street in Manhattan, where some Dan Squadron volunteers (at least one wearing an 1199 SEIU t-shirt) were handing out literature as a public school was letting out for the day. </p><p>One woman across the street, Roann Kolvenbach, handed back the Squadron flier she was given and s...

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