Author Archive

Austin C. Jefferson

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

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.

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.

Albany Agenda

Policy

Hochul on tariffs: ‘We’ll have to deal with it’

The governor told reporters that she was monitoring the potential economic harms of President Donald Trump’s levies.

Policy

Policy

The ambitious plan to Make Albany Great Again

The state’s capital city needs a facelift – and a $400 million redevelopment plan might do the trick.

Adams probes

Policy

Could deputy mayor resignations cost NYC a seat at the table?

Assembly Member Patrick Burke warned Mayor Eric Adams that the planned departure of four deputy mayors might hurt New York City during state budget negotiations.

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News & Politics

Politics

New survey finds almost everyone supports rent stabilization

A report from the Community Service Society found that 88% of Democrats and 75% of Republicans back rent control measures and nearly as many support “good cause” eviction laws.

New York State

Politics

Wildcat prison strikes continue upstate

Gov. Kathy Hochul and the head of the state corrections department are trying to use a combination of carrots and sticks to get corrections officers back to work.

News & Politics

Politics

‘Shredding of the American Dream’: Immigrants fear ICE raids at schools

Undocumented families are keeping children home from school, and there’s only so much elected officials can do to ease their fears.

News & Politics

Politics

Split over Adams highlights rift between Hochul and Delgado

Gov. Kathy Hochul and Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado disagree on whether Mayor Eric Adams must leave office – the latest public split between the governor and her independent-minded deputy.

Housing

Politics

Albany’s next big housing fight might be over upstate rent stabilization

How hard will the real estate lobby fight to block a bill that doesn’t affect New York City?

2025 New York City Mayoral Election

Politics

Why do Black voters currently seem to prefer Andrew Cuomo over Eric Adams?

“You vote for the choice that's going to do the least amount of harm to you, knowing how white voters are going to behave.”

Housing

Politics

Hochul says housing voucher bill is still too expensive

The bill’s supporters want to include housing vouchers for homeless and low-income New Yorkers in this year’s affordability-focused state budget.

Upstate

Politics

Upstate mayors rattle tin cups for increased state aid

The mayors of Buffalo, Yonkers, Syracuse, Rochester and Albany want a permanent increase in the state budget’s Aid and Incentives to Municipalities funding.

Albany Agenda

Policy

New law aims to stop red states from prosecuting NY abortion doctors

After a New York doctor was indicted in Louisiana, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation that will keep doctors’ names off of prescriptions for abortion medicine.