All Over Albany

State worker furlough vote today, Bruno continues defense in media, father allegedly let nine-year-old drive

As promised, David Paterson included furloughs for state workers in the budget extender bill up for a vote today in the legislature. The bill includes a measure that would eliminate the furloughs if other savings could be negotiated with the state worker unions. In an interview that aired Friday on New York Now (embedded above), Paterson said he'd prefer to lag the pay of state workers rather than furlough them. The unions say Paterson is negotiating through the media, instead of directly with them. They've planned a protest at the Capitol today at noon. [TU CapCon] [TU] [TU CapCon] [WTEN] [CBS6]

This morning, Paterson predicted "gloom and doom" if the budget extender is not passed and the state government has to shut down. He also described himself as a "free duck" (as opposed to a lame duck) because he doesn't "have to placate anybody." And he says he doesn't know if he's invited to President Obama's appearance in Buffalo this week. [TU CapCon] [State of Politics] [State of Politics]

Lt. Gov Richard Ravitch on the budget process: "This is like slow strangulation." [NYT]

Joe Bruno in an interview with the Troy Record: "If you're a moral person who wants to do the right thing, as I believe I was, you'll do your best not to break the law. I did my best not to break the law." [Troy Record]

Horse breeders and business leaders in Saratoga County say they'll sue the state if it doesn't agree to a $17 million loan to keep NYRA afloat. They say the state should loan the racing org the money because state leaders botched the awarding of the contract for the Aqueduct racino. A NYRA board member says the org is scheduled to run out of money before the season at Saratoga starts. [Saratogian] [Daily Gazette $] [TU]

Most of the NYSTI board members have resigned. David Paterson told them last week to quit -- or he'd fire them. [Troy Record]

Stillwater police say a 13-year-old reported being temporarily kidnapped by a man Thursday night. The boy reportedly jumped out of the truck after a block. [WTEN] [Post-Star]

Stillwater police say arrested a man for assaulting a woman with a lamp Saturday. WNYT reports the man is the head coach of the Stillwater High School girl's basketball team. (A Saratogian story about the coach from last year.) Update: The Daily Gazette reports the man left the coaching job at the end of this season. [Fox23] [WNYT] [Saratogian] [Daily Gazette $]

Guilderland police say a man, allegedly drunk, allowed his nine-year-old child to drive around the parking lot at Crossgates. They say the child (conflicting reports on gender) crashed the family minivan. [Fox23] [TU]

Hoosick Falls police say a man almost hit a police officer during a car chase that eventually ended in a corn field. [WNYT]

Law enforcement authorities raided a home in Schenectady's Stockade neighborhood last week and say they found a cache of guns and ammo. [Daily Gazette $]

Schenectady officials say one of the police officers the city's been trying to fire has resigned. Gregory Hafensteiner has been suspended for all but two months since the end of 2007. [Daily Gazette $] [TU]

Turbulence caused injuries on a flight from Cleveland to Albany Saturday afternoon. Two passengers were taken to the hospital for treatment. [Troy Record] [Daily Gazette $]

An arbitrator has ruled that a bar in South Troy be closed for a year because of multiple nuisance complaints. (street view) [Troy Record]

The Crossings development at the site of the old Ingersoll Home in Niskayuna is apparently still on. It seems. [Daily Gazette $]

A high school student from Saratoga Springs has been named one of 140 Presidential Scholars from across the country. [Daily Gazette $]

There's a new farmers market starting up in Rotterdam. [Daily Gazette $]

It snowed yesterday out near Gloversville. [WNYT]