State leaders do nothing but point fingers, trouble counting ghost tickets, new city hall for Troy, big increase for bus ridership
Yesterday's special budget-cutting session of the state Legislature went no where as David Paterson frustatedly pointed the finger at Dean Skelos and the Senate Majority Leader responded with political passive aggressiveness. The day culminated in a bizarre public meeting of the state leadership described as "emotional, contentious and playful" and "near-farcical." (Fred Lebrun might have had the best line: "It was as if the leaders were playing themselves in a 'Saturday Night Live' parody.") Commented David Paterson yesterday, "If it looks like a dysfunctional government and it acts like a dysfunctional government, it may actually be one." Of course, this being the Paterson administration, the meeting ended with hugging. (Here's video of the leaders' meeting.) [TU] [NYT] [NYT] [TU] [NYDN] [NYP]
Faced with the prospect of losing VLT money that makes up 5 percent of its budget, the City of Saratoga Springs is trying figure out what to do about next year's budget. Mayor Scott Johnson is looking for city residents to email him suggestions. [Saratogian] [Daily Gazette]
Yesterday's special session cost the state at least $50,000 (and maybe much more) in expenses. [CapNews9]
The Albany Police Department says it might be hard to figure out just how many "ghost" parking tickets were issued -- even though they were computer-generated. [TU]
The reward for information about the murder of UAlbany student Richard Bailey has increased to $17,500 (it had started at $10,000). [Troy Record]
The City of Troy has signed a lease for the Verizon Building, completing the deal to make the building its new city hall. There's no timetable for the move. [TU] [Troy Record]
A Troy man has been charged with stabbing an RPI student last Friday in what police say appears to have been a robbery. [TU]
CDTA says bus ridership has tripled this year. [Daily Gazette]
Glen Sanders Mansion is getting a $1 million make-over. [Daily Gazette]
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Comments
Who would have thought that the city of Troy could have chosen a building uglier than the one they're already in as the location of their new city hall?
It's okay, actually. If the plans for the future of the current City Hall site pan out, they can put the new city hall in Cohoes for all I care.
... said James Cronen on Nov 19, 2008 at 10:20 AM | link
Um, build a new underground parking garage where the existing City Hall is? You mean in the location there the existing parking garage got flooded a few years ago? The one right on the banks of the Hudson? Does this strike anyone else as a Bad Idea?
The nice benefit of moving to the VZ building is it doesn't have any windows on the first few floors...
... said komradebob on Nov 19, 2008 at 11:04 AM | link
NYS government is fail.
... said Pantaloons on Nov 19, 2008 at 1:00 PM | link