All Over Albany

State planning to cut 2000 jobs, polls provoke response from Cuomo, car chase burns through Albany and Rensselaer

State budget director Robert Megna sent out a memo yesterday to state agency heads indicating the state will cut 2000 jobs by the end of this year. There's some question as to whether there's enough time to go through the complex state employee layoff process. The head of PEF says it's possible the jobs cuts will come through attrition. [State of Politics] [TU] [CBS6]

Apparently prompted by the polls this week showing Carl Paladino closing in, Andrew Cuomo's campaign released a TV ad attacking Paladino for getting "insider deals from Albany." That led to dueling assertions about who's being a hypocrite. And on Capital Tonight, Paladino called Cuomo a "nasty, nasty man." [NYT] [State of Politics] [TU] [State of Politics]

Eliot Spitzer, talking on CNN about Andrew Cuomo: "... the problem that Andrew has is that everybody knows that behind the scenes, he is the dirtiest, nastiest political player out there..." [Daily Politics]

Despite the recent shooting on State Street in downtown Schenectady, police department stats indicate the area is among the safest in the city. [Daily Gazette]

Colonie police say Shen bus driver was arrested for driving while under the influence of drugs. They say they got a call that the bus was swerving over the double-yellow line and had hit a mailbox. There were four students on board the bus. Police say the man said he had taken prescription drugs. The school district says on its website that the driver will be "removed from his driving responsibilities" until an investigation is complete. [Fox23] [TU] [Troy Record] [YNN] [Shen]

Saratoga Springs police say they're halting the intensive ground search for Ellie Adams, the 69-year-old woman who's been missing since September 12. They say they haven't found any sign of Adams and haven't ruled out any possibility. [Saratogian]

A state Supreme Court judge ruled the SUNY Research Foundation must turn over time sheets for Susan Bruno (Joe's daughter) to the Times Union. [TU]

John Egan -- who's been the state commissioner of the Office of General Services since 2007 -- is resigning. Egan's resume of public sector work is extraordinarily long. (Back in 2008, he talked with AOA about The Egg came about -- yes, he was part of the process.) [Paterson admin] [TU]

State parks commissioner Carol Ash is resigning. [Paterson admin]

Albany County Republicans have selected Rachel Bledi to be their elections commissioner -- if approved by the legislature, she would be the first woman to serve in that role for the county. [TU]

Colonie's town board has hired a law firm to look into unspecified allegations against Daniel Dustin, the board's sole Republican member. [TU]

State police say a man led them on a car chase from Colonie, into Albany, Rensselaer and eventually East Greenbush. They say speeds exceeded 100 mph as the man drove along I-787 and I-90. [TU] [Fox23]

Leaders of the Saratoga-Wilton Elks lodge say they suspect a former leader stole $50k from the org. [TU]

A rash of burglaries in Mechanicville and Stillwater has police urging people to lock their doors and cars. [Troy Record]

The Troy city council is set to take up what penalties there should (or shouldn't) be for parents whose children violate curfew. [Troy Record]

The City of Schenectady is fed up with National Grid crews tearing up recently paved streets. [Daily Gazette]