Author Archive
Budget
Policy
Could a stock transfer tax help NYC weather the Trump administration?
Two lawmakers say restoring a five-cent tax on stock trades could help compensate for potential cuts in federal funding.
Cannabis
Policy
Upstate town sees benefits of cannabis tax revenue
Local tax revenue from sales of the once-illegal substance allowed Henritta to hire an additional sheriff’s deputy.
Albany Agenda
Politics
State budget unlikely to be finished before end of month
Will April policy debates bring a May budget deal?
Policy
Policy
Zyn ban falters amid industry backlash
Poppers of “upper deckys” and “babwes” in New York can breathe easy after proposed Zyn ban dies in committee.
Policy
Policy
Should state lawmakers be paid even when the budget is late?
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie’s proposed legislation highlights how contentious the budget negotiation process has become.
Budget
Policy
State Senate leader: Budget negotiations on ‘pause’
Gov. Kathy Hochul’s inclusion of last-minute policy proposals in the state budget is holding back progress, legislative leaders say.
Health Care
Politics
Mark Cuban to headline 32BJ annual conference
The influential billionaire shares 32BJ’s goal of reducing health care costs.
News & Politics
Politics
Josh Riley hauls in $759,000 in first quarter of 2025
The Endicott Democrat, who has not yet been challenged by the GOP, expects Republicans will run a candidate against him because they “put me on their top targets list.”
Personality
Personality
Has the state Office of Cannabis Management begun to turn things around?
Acting Executive Director Felicia A. B. Reid talks about the progress that’s been made in the past year.
Albany Agenda
Policy
Legislature passes $1.7 billion extender as state misses budget deadline
The budget extender will fund the state through Thursday.
Policy
Policy
State budget director warns NY will have to cut services if federal funding dries up
The state’s projected $252 billion budget includes over $90 billion of federal funding – and if the Trump administration cuts that off, the state won’t be able to backfill it.
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News & Politics
Politics
Possible GOP cuts to Medicaid put Lawler in awkward position
Ahead of a rumored run for governor, Rep. Mike Lawler needs to maintain his moderate credentials while not antagonizing the Trump administration.
News & Politics
Politics
Anticipated special election goes bust as Elise Stefanik stays in Congress
“At the end of the day, it didn’t matter,” a GOP strategist said of the months of political maneuvering.
MTA
Policy
Heastie warns state may need to raise taxes to fund MTA
The Assembly speaker said the state needs to figure out new sources of revenue to fund mass transit, especially given the uncertainty of future federal funding.
News & Politics
Politics
As measles threatens New York, doctors confront anti-vaccine misinformation
There are currently four measles cases in the state.
News & Politics
Politics
New York caught in middle of Trump’s trade war with Canada
Trump’s tariffs are alienating a key trading partner and driving up energy prices.
New York State
Personality
New York and Quebec are caught in the middle of Trump’s trade war
A Q&A with Quebec Minister of International Relations Martine Biron.
News & Politics
Politics
Zohran Mamdani, mayoral candidate who confronted Trump border czar, flooded with racist abuse and threats
After video of the democratic socialist politician’s confrontation with border czar Tom Homan went viral, his office’s phone lines were overwhelmed by hateful callers.
Policy
Policy
Legislature proposes spending millions to help legal cannabis industry
For the state’s legal cannabis cultivators, the Assembly and state Senate one-house budget proposals are dope.
News & Politics
Politics
State leaders say they can’t do much to oppose Trump policies
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said there’s no “legislative response” to the chaos coming out of Washington.
