Paterson budget proposal out today, thousands still without power, CDTA says rapid bus line moving forward, UAlbany plans to chill out

David Paterson is releasing his proposed 2009 state budget today -- and it's expected to include the elimination of 3,000 state worker jobs, some of through layoffs. The governor's people say many of the layoffs could be averted if the state worker unions agree to defer their raises next year and delay a week's-worth of pay. [TU]

Caroline Kennedy says she wants to succeed Hillary Clinton and is actively pursuing the seat. [NYT]

As of this morning, about 40,000 homes in the Capital Region are still without power. National Grid says it brought 900 line and tree crews into the region and they've been working 18 hour shifts to get things repaired. [Daily Gazette] [TU] [Daily Gazette]

Chuck Schumer and David Paterson are calling on the federal government to provide disaster aid to the area. [Troy Record]

The Troy woman accused of keeping her adopted son imprisoned in her basement was sentenced to probation yesterday after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge of endangering the welfare of a child. [TU]

Aaron Dare, the former Albany community leader who's now in prison after pleading guilty to mortgage fraud charges, is asking a judge to allow him to serve his sentence at home because of a heart condition. [TU]

CDTA told the Schenectady City Council that the rapid transit line along Route 5 will be built next year -- though it might not open until 2010. The line would include special bus lanes and give bus drivers the ability to change traffic lights. [Daily Gazette]

Prompted by the "ghost ticket" scandal, an Albany common councilman has proposed that the city issue quarterly reports on how many parking tickets have been written, paid, dismissed, voided or remain outstanding. [TU]

UAlbany is planning to lower the temperature in many of its buildings to 55 degrees over the winter break -- even if people are working in them. [TU]

About all those crows in Albany... the city will be using pyrotechnics, lasers and other methods in an attempt to scare the birds away. [TU]

Comments

If they're already planning on using pyrotechnics and lasers, why don't they just throw a free Daft Punk show and make everyone happy?

Okay, so after reading the Times article, Kennedy's apparent qualifications for being United States Senator are:

1. She's rich.
2. Her last name is "Kennedy."

Maybe I shouldn't be surprised that these qualifications warrant front-runner status, but, c'mon....

From the Times Article: “She told me she was interested in the position,” Mr. Paterson said at a news conference outside Albany on Monday. He added, “She’d like at some point to sit down and tell me what she thinks her qualifications are.”

Really?? If you want a US Senate Seat your qualifications should be obvious...like documented political experience. If this were an actual job for which you applied via resume I'm pretty sure they would look at her qualifications and toss her resume in the trash instead of wasting their time. I don't think it should be possible to jump into a political career via US Senate Seat. Maybe she should do some political work and get a taste of having a not so private life anymore before she decides to jump into the fire with both feet. I think she's immensely qualified for a lot of things but taking over Clinton's Senate seat is not one of them.

@Fred In addition to being rich and a Kennedy, she is also a constitutional scholar of some note, and an advocate for public schools in NY as well as being an attorney.

Her qualifications stand up quite well against those who have served in the Senate.

That being said, I still fail to see how she is the right choice.

New York voters have proven to be complete morons, so we might as well just have a wealthy name Senator. Just look at 2006 when we re-elected Clinton knowing she was heading straight to NH after the election. And some of us voted for her as a "protest" of the Iraq war that she helped start. Face it, we're idiots and don't deserve real representation.

Caroline Kennedy is no longer the least qualified person vying for Clinton's Senate seat. That title now belongs to Fran Drescher. Seriously. Here's the article from CNN:
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/12/09/drescher-senat/

Governor Paterson,

I'd like to take this opportunity to announce my own interest in the Senate seat. My qualifications include writing asinine comments on several blogs, untagging myself in humiliating facebook photos, and being able to draw a picture that vaguely resembles the United States.


Sincerely,
Pant A. Loons.

Caroline Kennedy has had her hand in politics....just not the spotlight-grabbing type of politics. She is exceptionally smart *and* connected (i.e. with the President-elect!). She knows politics. Do you see something wrong with her bringing some attention to the needs of New York State? I think she would be an incredibly strong senator for us. How can we lose with a Schumer/Kennedy representation? Before everyone rolls their eyes and regurgitates that it's her name that qualifies her....do yourselves a favor and reseach what she's done.

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