State running short on cash, bottled water deposit starts soon, plane crashes near Bennington, construction mess at Exit 6
The state Division of Budget says New York State will be operating with a negative cash flow next month -- that is, the state won't be able to cover its expenses with money from its general fund. David Paterson has called a special legislative session on November 10 to address the budget gap -- though it sounds like he and the legislature are not on the same page. [TU] [CapNews9]
The five cent deposit on bottled water will start October 31 after a judge lifted an injunction on the "bigger, better bottle bill." [AP/WNYT]
Joe Bruno continued to profess his innocence after a pre-trial hearing yesterday ahead of the start of his federal trial next week. The judge warned both sides to watch what they say publicly about the case. [TU] [WTEN]
The ongoing political/legal fight over allegations of absentee ballot fraud in Troy reportedly involved shoving at a wake this past weekend. [TU]
A small plane went down near Bennington Sunday night after it hit the side of a mountain, according to the FAA. The only person aboard, a man from the Hudson Valley, died. The plane was found upside down in a forested area near an airport. It had apparently taken off from an airport in New Jersey. [AP/Troy Record] [TU] [CapNews9] [Fox23] [AP/WNYT]
Law enforcement officials say the body of David Bacon, the man Nelson Costello admitted to killing 40 years ago in Waterford, might never be found in Virginia because of a 1985 hurricane. [TU]
Schenectady officials say the city lost $20,000 over the last 10 years for each person not counted in the 2000 census. [TU]
According to numbers from the FDIC, Citizens Bank now has the most deposits in the Capital Region -- though there's some doubt about how they ended up in #1 spot. [TU]
A Troy man reported he was riding his bike Sunday when a car cut him off, caused him to fall and then the driver robbed him by flashing a gun. [Troy Record]
A state Department of Transportation spokesman on the SPUI construction at Exit 6 on the Northway: "It is going to be bad through here next year." [CapNews9]
One of the people in charge of NASA's test launch today of the new Ares rocket is from Colonie. [NASA] [TU]
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The state is $1.4 BILLION in the hole. Latham alone is getting a $40 million dollar exit ramp.
Don't see the connection here? We've built a transportation system we cannot afford to maintain. People gripe all the time about paying a little more for public transit - but then they don't say anything when the country (and state) go bankrupt subsidizing private auto travel. Ugh.
... said Time to exit the highway on Oct 27, 2009 at 10:01 AM | link
Ah, the great American public transportation debate.
Let's dig up all the old electric trolley tracks and put 'em back in service!
... said komradebob on Oct 27, 2009 at 11:53 AM | link
@komradebob: I would be totally for that. Despite trolleys sort of being in the way at times, I would love to see them come back. I think they were an efficient and convenient form of public transport that should have never been eliminated.
Actually I'm not very educated on the gas/energy efficiency of trolleys- if someone would like to educate me I would be thrilled.
... said Summer on Oct 27, 2009 at 1:21 PM | link
@ Summer:
While I can't speak to the cost/benefit of re-implementing an electric trolley system, the "greenness" of trolleys have got to be better than busses (and many times better than cars). CDTA busses get 3mpg, 4mpg if they are hybrids. All these busses burning diesel, needing new tires, needing repairs. Electric motors don't need as much maintenance, the trolleys don't need tires, and of course the extra fuel needed by one power plant making that extra electricity is easier to keep pollution controls on than the 100 busses and 100X more cars the trolley may replace.
Folks may make the arguement that the hybrid electric cars will solve our fuel crisis, but I disagree. They'll be a factor in reducing greenhouse gasses, for sure, but consider - the hybrid electric car is a car afterall. It needs highways, tires, and will do nothing to stop our thirst for suburbanization.
Lastly, it is overwhelingly apparent I have spent way too much time on AOA today because I'm procrastinating at work.
... said daleyplanit on Oct 27, 2009 at 3:41 PM | link
@daleyplanit: thanks for the info. This confirms my suspicions.
I was just talking to my husband about it, and he is of the opinion that while the trolleys are far more energy efficient and cost effective to run (thus keeping ticket prices down), the city would never spend the money to re-implement the system. He suggests a compromise- like implementing a catenary system (as seen in Boston).
... said Summer on Oct 27, 2009 at 3:56 PM | link