By Matt Chaban 1/11 6:23pm

Best Laid Plans

Don't block my landmark, bro. (Getty)

East Midtown Hold Up: Maloney, State Pols Ask City Hall to Slow Down Rezoning

Add a few more names to the growing list of people concerned about the speed with which the city is executing the Midtown East Rezoning—ones that carry some serious political clout. In addition to the community boards, a few civic groups and local Councilman Dan Garodnick (who’s vote will be crucial to get the rezoning through the City Council), four new Midtown reps have just sent a letter to the mayor saying the rezoning needs more time to be perfected.

“Because this rezoning is so important, it is critical that it is done correctly the first time and is responsive to the concerns of the area’s current stakeholders even as it lays the groundwork for the area’s future,” Congresswoman Caroline Maloney, Assemblyman Dan Qart and state senators Liz Krueger and Brad Hoylman write. They ask the Department of City Planning to withdraw the plan currently in the works, which is expected to be certified in the coming weeks, “in order to permit sufficient time for community input.” Read More

By admin 8/10/10 7:44pm

Senate Dems Stand Behind John Sampson On Marriage Vote Delay

Senate Democrats stood behind Majority Leader John Sampson’s unwillingness to pledge to bring gay marriage up for a vote in 2011 in a series of interviews today.

Many State Senate Dems gathered on the steps of City Hall for a press conference on hydro-fracking and they agreed with Sampson that it may Read More

By Eliot Brown 7/05/10 6:49pm

Mind the GAAP

What Ever Happened to Budget Reform in Albany?

When Lt. Governor Dick Ravitch came out with his budget reform plan in March, it was greeted with a round of criticism from many corners of the capitol, mostly as many lawmakers attacked it for its reliance on borrowing and plans to weaken their budgetary powers.

But the criticisms were usually delivered with the disclaimer Read More

By Azi Paybarah 4/22/10 7:11pm

AG Race

Schneiderman’s Women

AG candidate Eric Schniderman, whose opponents include at least one female candidate, is having a fund-raiser Friday featuring his prominent female supporters.

They include: State Senator Liz Krueger, Council Members Gale Brewer and Julissa Ferras, as well as former public advocate Betsy Gotbaum, former Council member Ronnie Eldridge, and major Democratic donor Susan Patricof. Read More

By Jimmy Vielkind 6:28pm

Senate Dems Insist They’re Getting Close

ALBANY—It seems the State Senate Democrats are coalescing around a deficit reduction proposal–the question is whether it will be acceptable to everyone else.

“I said last night we’re only $200 million apart on a $3.2 billion DRP,” State Senator Liz Krueger said this morning. We’ve gone back in this morning with a number of Read More

By Azi Paybarah 10/30/09 3:05pm

Citizen Union Wants to Fight Albany

Citizens Union signaled they’re putting some muscle behind their criticisms, and focusing not just on “on criticizing government, but changing it in Albany,” according to their executive director, Dick Dadey.

In a speech last night at the Pierre Hotel right off Central Park, Dadey said, “We need to end the responsibility-ducking, ethically challenged Read More