The New York Public Library is facing a $40 million budget cut that it calls the biggest in its 100-year history. Loyal library patrons facing a four-day library week, fewer new books, branch closures and staff reductions have initiated a campaign of non-violent resistance, like their recent library “hug” (aw) and an impressive Read More
In his budget presentation, Mayor Bloomberg pointed a critical finger at state and federal lawmakers who reduced their aid to the city.
In response, Governor Cuomo’s spokesman, Josh Vlasto, emailed to say:
“Facing a historic deficit, Governor Cuomo passed a budget that included both tough choices and dramatic reforms to get the state’s fiscal house Read More
In a radio interview this morning, City Comptroller John Liu, again, did not take sides in the dispute between Governor Cuomo and Mayor Bloomberg over whether or not the city has a surplus.
Cuomo’s people say there is a surplus, and thus, no need for layoffs.
Bloomberg’s people say there is no surplus, Read More
Here’s how Albany works.
Technically, after a bill is printed, legislators are supposed to wait at least three days before casting a vote on it, so they’d have time to actually read it. The fact that this has to be spelled out by law says something about how the legislative process up there works. But, Read More
Dean Skelos is out with his own celebratory budget video, in which the Republican Senate majority leader assigns credit to his own party, despite the fact they control just one house of state government.
“For the past two years, when state government was controlled by the Democrats, New Yorkers were hit with late budgets that Read More
A Democratic female reader in Brooklyn, who is African-American, says she got this mailer from Michael Bloomberg today. It’s slightly different than the one Anna Sale of WNYC got her hands on.
Differences include images and slogans used on the front of the mailers, and the priorities stated on the back. Read More
Not that Andrew Cuomo was campaigning hard for the left anyway.
In the midst of all this gross inequality, New York’s millionaires are getting a tax break, thanks to the state’s new Democratic governor, Andrew Cuomo. Son of liberal ex-governor Mario Cuomo, inheritor of some of the enthusiasm that once surrounded Read More
The latest round in the feud, from Bloomberg’s spokesman Marc LaVorgna:
Albany wants to have it both ways: take credit for a budget with real cuts and take no responsibility for the consequences of those cuts.
Re: the comment that the “Department of Education has a surplus of over $300 million.” False. The Independent Read More
It’s clear that millions of dollars in education funds were restored to Governor Cuomo’s budget, which was agreed upon yesterday afternoon by the governor and legislative leaders.
The details of which schools are getting how much money, is less understood.
“As for precisely which of the state’s nearly Read More
Governor Cuomo’s spokesman is pushing back against Mayor Bloomberg’s criticism of the state budget, saying the cut the city isn’t as the mayor describes it. And that teacher layoffs aren’t needed.
Spokesman Josh Vlasto:
The agreement restores tens of millions of dollars in additional education aid, millions to keep senior centers open, and millions Read More
