All Over Albany

Paterson says state is running out of money, witness says investments were made to gain favor with Bruno, Murphy explains health care vote, Townsend Park makeover

Said David Paterson during his address to a joint session of the state legislature yesterday: "Frankly, we are running out of money." Of his plan to close the budget gap: "I will mortgage my political career on this plan, but I will not mortgage the fate of the State of New York." [TU] [NYO] [Daily Politics]

The legislature is scheduled to take up the budget gap in a special session today, but all the players can't agree on the size of the gap (estimates range from $2.9 billion to $4.1 billion). And Carl Kruger, the chair of the senate finance committee, disputed Paterson's assertion that the state is running out of money, saying: "There are huge pots of money that are available." After meeting with legislature staffers yesterday, Paterson's budget director said he was "more depressed than when I walked in." [TU] [CapNews9] [NYT]

Paterson has also called for same-sex marriage to be on the state Senate's agenda today, though it doesn't looks like that will not happen. By the way: Ruben Diaz Sr, maybe the state Senate's most prominent opponent to same-sex marriage, has two gay brothers and a lesbian granddaugther. [AP/Troy Record] [NYDN] [NYT]

A former union official, who's currently serving prison time, testified yesterday during the Joe Bruno trial that his former boss "felt that the more money we gave to [the investment firm Bruno worked for] the more help we were going to get from Sen. Bruno." (As you would imagine, Bruno's lawyers questioned this witness' credibility.) A state senator also testified that he was not sure he would have recommended that a union invest with Bruno's firm if he had known Bruno was involved. [TU] [Fox23] [Troy Record]

Scott Murphy appeared outside his office in Saratoga Springs yesterday to explain his "no" vote on the Congressional health care reform bill. He reiterated that the bill didn't do enough to contain costs -- and he said it also would have raised taxes on two large employers in his district. Murphy was apparently pressured to vote "yes" by House speaker Nancy Pelosi. And his vote has apparently not gone over well with labor unions that supported him during his special election. [Saratogian] [Post-Star] [Politico via Daily Politics] [NYO]

An expert from a private research firm alleges in the newest issue of Harper's Magazine that contamination at the old GE site in Ft. Edward is more extensive than acknowledged -- and has the potential to undo the dredging work done this summer. [Post-Star] [Post-Star]

The suspect in the May 30 Central Ave club shooting in Albany is asking the Albany County DA to present his case to a grand jury. He says he's innocent and has accused the DA's office of sitting on his case. [TU] [WNYT]

The suspect in the February strangling of a mother in Troy made a scene yesterday in court and fired his attorneys. [TU] [Troy Record]

Scotia police say a man attacked an elderly woman in her home, tied her up and robbed her and her husband. The police say the man is married to a woman who had been working as home health care aid caring for the woman's husband. [Fox23] [TU]

Troy police say they tasered an 18-year-old on Sunday after he resisted arrest. [Troy Record]

Flags at state government buildings will fly at half-staff Thursday in honor of Amy Seyboth Tirador, the Colonie soldier who recently died in Iraq. [CapNews9]

The Central Ave BID's efforts to makeover Albany's Townsend Park is catching some criticism. [TU]

A Saratoga County health official says the county has received 3,000 of the 35,000 doses of H1N1 vaccine it's ordered. Schenectady County is holding H1N1 shot clinics this week for priority groups. [CapNews9] [TU]

The next Saratoga Reads book will be The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. [Saratogian]