Gubernatorial debate recaps, UAlbany president defends cuts, improvements at The Track still around the bend, FiOS TV on its way
Last night's gubernatorial debate was more entertaining than edifying. Andrew Cuomo and Carl Paladino basically ignored each other during the 90 minute debate. Cuomo cruised through his answers. Paladino struggled at times to deliver his answers and looked nervous. The most pointed attacks on Cuomo came from Charles Barron, the Freedom Party candidate and a NYC councilman. He actually provoked a response from Cuomo at one point. Libertarian candidate Warren Redlich came across well -- he criticized Cuomo directly and was a better advocate for the conservative viewpoint than Paladino. Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins got his points in. Anti-Prohibition party candidate -- and former madam -- Kristin Davis cracked some zingers and was composed. The breakout "star" of the debate, though: Jimmy McMillan from The Rent is Too Damn High Party. [NYT] [AP/Troy Record] [Fox23] [TU] [Daily Politics] [YouTube]
Live blogging from the debate: State of Politics (one, two, three) | NYT City Room | Daily Politics | AOA | debate video via YNN
A NYT poll reports that Kirsten Gillibrand is leading Joe DioGuardi 50-25 among likely voters. [NYT]
Hugh Farley and Susan Savage debated yesterday. [Daily Gazette]
Jack McEneny on Carl Paladino, who he says has shifted the state's political landscape toward Democrats in an otherwise tough year: "... we should give him an award." [TU]
The state DEC is telling the Paterson admin it won't be able to cover all of its duties if it has to follow through on requested job cuts. An oil and gas industry group is also calling for a halt to the DEC cuts (it's worried about getting permits on time). [TU] [AP/CBS6]
Albany's city treasurer reports that the city has collected about $900k more this year in parking ticket fines compared to last year thanks to a new computerized ticketing system. [TU]
UAlbany president George Philip defended the recently announced program cuts before a school senate meeting packed with faculty and students. Said Philip: "I understand the importance of having languages on campus. I just need to have a plan in place that addresses the fiscal circumstances we are in." In addition to the cuts to foreign language and drama, it appears the school is also cutting into programs such as journalism. [YNN] [Fox23] [TU]
A Troy man was arrested this week for allegedly trying to kill two men in The Hill neighborhood early this month (map). Another man mentioned in the indictment is still at large. [CBS6] [TU]
Niskayuna police say a woman reported being raped near Balltown Road early Saturday morning (map). [TU]
The man convicted of a brutal murder in Cohoes five years ago has apparently committed suicide in prison. [Troy Record]
A state Supreme Court judge has ruled in Troy's favor in a dispute between the city and Rensselaer about water rates (basically, Troy wanted to charge more). Rensselaer's mayor says they'll appeal. [Troy Record] [TU]
A Saratoga County family court judge has resigned. He was reportedly under investigation and his term ended this year (check out the allegations in the comments on that Saratogian story). [Post-Star] [Saratogian]
You know those improvements at the Saratoga Race Course that are supposed to be funded by the Aqueduct money? NYRA says wait until 2012. [Saratogian]
Ellis Medicine has a declared an impasse in negotiations with its unionized nurses. Hundreds of nurses were protesting outside the hospital yesterday. [Daily Gazette] [Fox23]
Scotia has signed an agreement with Verizon to bring FiOS TV to the village, the first local municipality to do so. [Daily Gazette]
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Is it possible that some of the $900K increase in parking fines is due eliminating the bullseye sticker parking program that allowed city employees and favored friends to park illegally without a fear of being fined? It's hard to believe that a computerized ticketing system could have that much impact.
... said Rudy on Oct 19, 2010 at 2:23 PM | link
The SUNY (yes, I'm calling it SUNY, UAlbany marketers) system is becoming such a joke. UAlbany keeps expanding its empire, yet then decides to start cutting humanities programs. Did we really need Division I big-time sports in the SUNY system? Worked out great in Binghamton, didn't it? What happened to being a Public Ivy? What's next? Trying to compete with Florida, FSU, Texas, Ohio State, Duke, Kentucky and the big-time football and basketball schools while cutting the Writer's Institute?
... said Beaver on Oct 19, 2010 at 8:11 PM | link