Items tagged with 'state workers'
A large chunk of the Harriman State Office Campus is for sale
From the listing site. / image: CBRE / NYS OGS
The Cuomo admin announced Wednesday that it's seeking proposals for the purchase and development of 27 acres on the eastern end of the Harriman State Office Campus in the city of Albany. Press release blurbage (emphasis added):
The RFP calls for plan that builds on the current redevelopment of the existing campus, reflects the area's character, and increases the City of Albany's tax base through a wide range of potential options including companies in the healthcare, technology, research, education, retail, and hospitality sectors. Uses could include offices, medical and laboratory facilities, retail shops, lodging, and ancillary parking. A minimum purchase price of $5.1 million is required and any proposal that includes residential use will not be accepted.
The Cuomo admin has laid out a two-phase process for selecting the winning bidder. The first phase -- in which "potential developers will provide a description of the proposed uses for the site and demonstrate the need for or likely success of those uses" -- closes September 15. The three bidders with the highest scores will then move onto the second and final phase in which they'll have to provide more specific details about things like funding.
Here are a few more details, and a few thoughts...
Cuomo moving to raise minimum wage for state employees to $15 per hour
The Cuomo admin announced Tuesday that Andrew Cuomo is moving to unilaterally set a $15 minimum wage for state employees.
The increase would be phased in over the next few years, rising to $15 in New York City by the end of 2018, and by 2021 in the rest of the state. It's projected the increase would affect approximately 10,000 state employees -- 9,000 of them outside New York City.
The governor publicly announced the plan at a Fight for 15 rally in New York City. "This is about basic fairness and basic justice," he said of the push to raise the minimum wage both in New York State and across the country. "We're going to lead the way. The nation's going to watch us."
New parking system for state employees in downtown Albany
Lots and garages in downtown Albany in which the state controls parking spaces. There's a clickable version of the map over on the state's parking portal.
The state Office of General Services has announced the rollout of a new system for allocating parking spaces to state employees who work in downtown Albany.
The new system starts today with open enrollment via a website: parking.ogs.ny.gov.
OGS is touting the new system as "clear and understandable," something that couldn't be said for the previous system. From the press release:
Historically there has been a confluence of parking systems meshed together. In the past, each agency controlled the majority of its employees' spaces through "agency allocations" using a variety of methods for granting parking, while the remaining spaces were allocated by OGS through a complex waiting list system. Conversely, the new OGS Parking System puts the vast majority of parking spaces into a single, transparent, and equitable general pool, with a small number of spaces being provided to agencies for distribution to executive staffs and for unique operational needs.
Under the new system, State employees who currently have parking will be "grandfathered", meaning they will be able to keep their current space (except for those who obtained their spaces through the TPAI program) or they can choose to compete for a new space based on their State service. Those who do not currently have parking, or who hold a TPAI permit, will also be able to compete for parking based on the length of their State service.
About 1,800 spots in various garages and lots will be up grabs (based on seniority) under the new system.
And a heads up: The system will be using a "parking service date" to determine a state employees seniority. The date will be available by logging into the parking portal -- and if you'd like to contest that date, you must do so by July 25. (OGS says the system includes a field for service date discrepancies.)
Tedisco, McLaughlin: no frequent flyer miles for state politicians and employees
State Assemblymen Steve McLaughlin, Jim Tedisco, and Michael Fitzpatrick announced today that they're drafting legislation that would prohibit state politicians, as well as state employees, from keeping frequent flyer miles and hotel/car rental points they accumulate while on official travel.
From the press release:
"Frequent flier miles for state travel should be banked to lower costs for taxpayers, not pocketed by politicians for personal travel clubs," said Tedisco. "In these challenging economic times, when state government is supposed to be reining-in unnecessary spending and asking people to do more with less, taxpayer-funded air travel should be rare. When air travel is absolutely necessary and when it passes the smell test of good and ethical government, the only ones who should benefit from accrued frequent flier miles, hotel discounts and other perks are the taxpayers who are paying the tab for the trips in the form of reduced costs for future state travel related to official taxpayer business," said Tedisco.
Here are the current state rules for employees and travel rewards.
New York's highest court on GPS, and who can share tips at a Starbucks
Two decisions this week by the New York Court of Appeals -- the state's highest court -- caught our eye.
One decision is about the use of a modern technology that's becoming ubiquitous -- GPS -- and governmental employees and their personal cars. The other is about an everyday thing that people might not think much about: tips at Starbucks.
More (temporary) parking spaces for downtown Albany state employees
The state Office of General Services announced that it will be making available 1,000 parking spots to state employees in downtown Albany as part of a temporary program. From the press release:
This Temporary Parking Assistance Initiative will allocate these spaces based on state service to PEF and CSEA members who presently do not have spaces in state lots.
OGS initiated this one-time, single purpose allocation for downtown state parking after consultation with PEF and CSEA to provide timely relief to state employees who may be impacted by the City of Albany's Residential Parking Permit System.
Update: OGS spokesperson Heather Groll tells us the spaces are in most of the downtown state operated lots.
The agency has posted a form for members of CSEA and PEF who'd like to apply for spots (they'll be assigned by state seniority). The deadline is February 13.
OGS says it's aiming to complete a "comprehensive restructuring of the state's downtown Albany parking system" by sometime this spring. The state has been working on this restructuring since at least fall. It was prompted in part by the "re-stacking" of state office space, which an OGS spokesperson told us last September had moved about 2,000 state employees to downtown Albany. (We had emailed OGS back then for an answer to a reader question about how many parking spaces the state has for downtown employees -- it was still being sorted out as part of the parking restructuring.)
Last September irisira posted a very good comment about the state of downtown state employee parking.
It's been about two weeks since the Albany residential parking permit system started. We're curious about how things have shaken out so far state employees around the ESP. Longer walks? More bus riding? Complete mayhem?
Well, it is really hard to find parking by the ESP
The state Inspector General's Office announced today that a state Department of Health employee has been arrested for allegedly scoring a handicapped parking pass for the Empire State Plaza by using a forged doctor's note.
From the press release:
The Inspector General's investigation determined that in May of 2011, Witt obtained special parking privileges at his work location at Empire State Plaza based on a forged doctor's note. In addition, Defendant admitted that on three separate occasions in January and February of 2012, he submitted certified time records indicating that he had worked full days when he had not reported to work at all.
"New Yorkers have every right to expect that state employees will comport themselves with the highest degree of honesty and integrity," said Acting Inspector General [Catherine Leahy] Scott. "Fraudulently obtaining handicapped parking not only is unlawful, but potentially inhibits the rights of New Yorkers with disabilities in need of accessible parking. Further, any fraudulent abuse of time and attendance records undermines public trust. Such conduct is not tolerable."
The IG's office says Witt has been charged with four felony counts -- and faces up to four years in prison if convicted.
Full release after the jump.
By the way: Does anyone know how long the waiting list is now for a parking spot at the ESP?
State inspector general: Ward Stone "engaged in improper conduct with virtual impunity"
The state Inspector's General office released a report today accusing former state wildlife pathologist -- and local media figure -- Ward Stone of serial misconduct. Among the allegations the report:
+ Stone admitted living at the DEC facility in Delmar "half to as much as 75 percent" of the time from 2001 until 2009.
+ DEC employees alleged that Stone made them help him prepare course materials for classes he taught at SUNY-Cobleskill, and chauffeur him to WAMC in a state vehicle so he could record his radio program. "Stone also conceded that when he first appeared on the WAMC radio program, he had staff drive him to the station because he had not been provided a parking spot." [We add: Having parked at WAMC thousands of times, parking is not that hard to find there.]
+ Employees alleged that Stone kept personal chickens, ducks, turkeys, and a puppy at the Delmar facility and used state employees and money to care for the animals. Said one employee: "He tells everyone that the domestic animals are used for research and training needs, but there have been no tests run on these animals, nor does he have the proper certification to use live animals for research purposes."
+ Stone frequently brought his kids to the office and asked state employees to watch them.
+ Stone allegedly did not properly train staff about proper lab and safety protocols. The IG's office says two employees of Stone's office contracted West Nile -- one of them by cutting himself on an improperly disposed scalpel, the other in an undetermined manner. "For such a small staff, two instances of exposure to potentially deadly disease are clearly unacceptable."
+ Following an affirmative action complaint against Stone, the state's Division of Human Rights concluded that "Stone treated everybody poorly, regardless of sex or race."
For what it's worth, the report does credit Stone for his work on PCBs, pesticides, the dangers of mercury and lead in the environment.
The IG's report also faults DEC management for not reigning in Stone, and "while Stone's direct supervisors and other mid-level managers at DEC made serious and persistent efforts to address his conduct through established disciplinary procedures, their efforts at times were deliberately thwarted by DEC's executive management." The report alleges that DEC management was reluctant to discipline Stone because of his profile in the media and public support.
Pensions taking big slice of Albany's pie
Municipal budget fact of the day: pension costs eat 22 percent of the city of Albany's budget tax levy.
The Jennings administration released a letter today it says Jerry Jennings has sent to state comptroller Tom DiNapoli "urging real pension reform." Yep, that sounds like a big bowl of boiled vegetables, but this part caught our eye:
The rising cost of pensions has been one of the greatest burdens on our city's finances and taxpayers.
This problem has evolved into a crisis as you have mandated increases in pension contributions over the last several years which have devastated our city budgets. Over the last decade pension costs have ballooned from roughly $700,000 to over $12 million. In 2001, only 1% of the Albany taxpayers property taxes went to pension costs, as of last year they are paying 22% of their taxes to cover pension costs.
This means that ten years ago Albany residents were contributing approximately $7.50 per person to cover pension costs, today they are paying almost $130.
The full letter is after the jump. Not in the letter: criticism of the leaders and administrations who agreed to the contracts with the unions in the first place.
The larger political soap opera context...
A quick scan of Andrew Cuomo's 2012 budget
Let me show you some PowerPoints...
Updated Tuesday at 6:30 pm.
Andrew Cuomo and his administration presented their proposed 2012-2013 budget this afternoon. The budget is a big deal for the state, because it's the Cuomo administration putting its money (actually, all our money) where its mouth is.
This year's presentation was less dramatic than last year -- there was no declaration of the state being "functionally bankrupt." Cuomo touted the measures taken in last year's budget for helping to make things easier this year. "We regained the public trust," he said, "That is a great gift and an awesome responsibility. Let's build on it this year, even higher, together." (pause for applause)
So, we watched the address and skimmed through the budget briefing docs so you don't have to. Here's a quick overview of Cuomo's proposed budget...
Revised PEF contract approved, layoffs averted
PEF announced this afternoon that its members had approved its revised contract with the state. As a result, about 3,500 state employees -- many of them in the Capital Region -- will not be laid off.
The vote was roughly 70-30 in favor of the contract.
The revised contract includes no pay increases for 2011, 2012, and 2013 (with a 2 percent raise in 2014). It increases the share employees will have to pay for healthcare. And there are 9 furlough days that will be paid back at the end of the contract.
The contract is a year shorter than the original five-year contract. The union's leadership argued shorter length would allow the union to negotiate the next deal "in an economic environment that may be significantly better than the current one." The leadership also said the new deal included stronger layoff protections, deferred payments for the furlough days (as opposed to "retention bonuses"), and more flexibility in using vacation time to offset an employee's share of healthcare costs.
The PEF membership had voted down the first offer, which was very similar to the deal taken by CSEA, in late September. Andrew Cuomo had been threatening to go ahead with the layoffs if the revised contract wasn't approved.
PEF is the second largest state employee union, after CSEA.
PEF votes down contract offer
Updated Tuesday night
The Public Employees Federation, one of the two largest state employee unions, announced today that its membership voted down the Cuomo administration's contract offer 54-46. [PEF]
A Cuomo admin official says "approximately 3,500 layoffs" will start today. [State of Politics]
Andrew Cuomo says he's urging PEF's members to reconsider because "in this economic reality, rising state workforce costs are unsustainable" (full statement pasted after the jump).
The contract offer included a three-year hold on raises, increased employee contributions to healthcare, and furloughs. It also included a no-layoffs pledge. CSEA, the other big state employee union, approved a similar contract. [Cuomo admin] [NYT]
Said PEF president Ken Brynien in a statement: "The decision to reject the tentative agreement was made by our rank-and-file members who clearly feel they are being asked to sacrifice more than others, particularly in light of the pending expiration of the state's millionaire's tax." He calls for the Cuomo admin to continue bargaining and "resist laying off thousands of our members as he has threatened."
The Cuomo admin has been warning that a rejection of the contract could lead to layoffs -- notices had gone out to 700 PEF members ahead of the tentative contract. [TU]
PEF represents 56,000 public employees.
The Albany residential parking permit task force recommendations
A totally unofficial estimate of the area to be covered by the parking permit system.
The task force developing the Albany residential parking permit system released its report and recommendations last week. The file that we received from Common Councilman Richard Conti, the task force's chair, is embedded after the jump.
The report includes many of the provisions Conti mentioned when we talked with him about the system in June. But there are few bits that caught our eye -- we've highlighted those.
If you live/work/visit the area around the Empire State Plaza, it's worth taking a look at this report. There will be a public comment period after an ordinance is introduced. There's also lobbying/emailing/stopping your council person on the street to talk about suggestions or changes. (And based on the comments from June, it sounds like people will have suggestions.)
NYCLU sues over alleged GPS tracking of state worker's private car
The New York Civil Liberties Union announced today that it has filed suit in Albany County today against the state Department of Labor for allegedly planting a GPS tracking device on an employee's personal car without a warrant. From the NYCLU press release:
"Your boss can't sit in the backseat of your car and watch you, your wife and your children 24 hours a day, but that's exactly what the Department of Labor did to [Michael] Cunningham," said NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman. "The courts have already prohibited police from using GPS devices to track people without a warrant. We're confident they will hold the government agencies to the same standard. The only thing scarier than having a police officer secretly track you is having your boss secretly track you."
The NYCLU alleges that Cunningham's car was tracked 24/7 in June and July 2008 -- including a family vacation in Massachusetts. It says DOL used the GPS data against Cunningham in its attempt to fire him this past August.
You might recognize Cunningham's name from the story this past spring in the Times Union detailing how he had been put on "house arrest" by the DOL for allegedly filing false time sheets. He was recalled to work in the DOL's offices in May -- but then went out on sick leave because he allegedly suffered depression from being assigned to an isolated office. [TU] [TU]
The NYCLU says Cunningham received a notice on termination on August 24. According to the SeeThroughNY database, Cunningham's salary was $114,961 in 2009 -- though he ended up getting paid a little more than half that.
Paterson says "hand is forced," considering layoffs this year
Appearing on the Capitol Pressroom today, David Paterson said he's considering state worker layoffs this year:
... what bothers me is, it's gnawing me, I don't think I should be setting up a layoff plan for the next governor to do. I think if you're going to layoffs, you do them yourself. And so I'm really considering altering [the layoff plan for next year] and starting the layoffs sooner... [in] 2010.
We need $250 million in workforce reductions and we have not come close to that. That's why we tried to do the furloughs, the court told us we couldn't do it. That's why we tried to get five days extra lag pay in negotiation, and the workers wouldn't do it. And so I think our hand is forced here.
Paterson said his administration is "still calculating" how many layoffs might be involved -- the number of early retirees would play a role in the number.
I don't want to lay people off ... This is just the unfortunate situation that I turned up in going back to a little over two years ago when I became governor that it's the worst economic times in the state's history and I've had to do things that go against what I have felt in my heart, the same way those Republican senators had to vote against how they feel about the extenders. But what I'm doing and what I think they're doing and other are doing here at the Capitol is we're trying to adjust to a crisis.
If Paterson tries to layoff state workers, the public employee unions will almost certainly sue because of the no-layoffs agreement they have with him.
Also: The state Senate passed a bill today that would institute a "Question Time with the Prime Minister" style session between the governor and the legislature each month. We'd watch that. [TU Cap Con]
Yep, the Capitol Pressroom advertises on AOA. That's where the the governor said it.
file photo via Paterson press images
Poll: New Yorkers against state worker layoffs and their state senators
A few bits from the Siena Poll out today:
+ Sixty-five percent of respondents said they're against David Paterson's plan to lay off 10,000 state workers at the start of next year. A majority of every demographic opposes the layoffs (the closest split: 53 percent of men oppose).
+ When asked if they would like to see their current state senator re-elected, or have someone else get the spot, 50 percent of respondents said "someone else." (Tough talk, New York. Let's see how that turns out in November.)
+ Andrew Cuomo's favorability is down to 59 percent -- but he still crushes the rest of the field.
+ People still seem unsure about Kirsten Gillibrand (40 percent say they'd prefer "someone else" vs. 34 percent who say they'd like to see her elected) -- but check out the don't know/no opinions for her three potential Republican challengers: David Malpass (81), Bruce Blakeman (80), Joe DioGuardi (75).
+ Chuck Schumer's favorability is at 54 percent -- its lowest point ever.
The margin of error was +/- 3.4 percent. Here's a breakdown of the full results.
Judges orders preliminary injunction against state worker furloughs
Updated Friday at 3:09
Federal judge Lawrence Kahn today granted a preliminary injunction against the state worker furloughs and the withholding of the four percent pay raises. The Paterson administration was also blocked from including the furloughs and pay freeze in a future emergency budget extenders.
From the decision (the plaintiffs are the state worker unions and the defendants are the Paterson administration):
Plaintiffs have met their burden of showing that the permanent 20% loss in salary and wages that the furlough plan effects constitutes irreparable harm and that irreparable harm flows from Defendants' failure to pay the contracted-for increases in salaries and wages, which were negotiated years prior to the challenged extender bill, and upon wihch the affected employees have surely relied.
The unions had argued the furloughs and withheld raises violated the Contract Clause of the US Constitution. Among the evidence cited by the judge that the unions have a good case on that account is the state Senate's resolution criticizing the furloughs. From the decision:
To uphold self-interested impairments of contractual rights from suit under the Contract Clause, the Court must see that the impairments are reasonable and necessary, as established by real and demonstrable consideration of needs and alternatives. Instead, the Court observes both a complete repudiation by the Senate of such a judgment and an argument by Defendants that fails to show sufficient consideration and analysis of the kind required by the Contract Clause.
(The Senate grudgingly passed the budget extender that included the furloughs because not doing so would have shut down the government. Neil Breslin was one of the senators who proposed the resolution.)
In a statement, David Paterson says he's "disappointed" by the decision:
Today's ruling was determined in part by evidence submitted by the Legislature in opposition to the extraordinary action I took in proposing furloughs and withholding pay increases. However, both houses of the Legislature agree with my assertion that New York's public employee unions must contribute, along with all other New Yorkers, to solving this extraordinary fiscal crisis. This agreement is reflected in each of its individual budget resolutions, which count $250 million or more in workforce savings in the 2010-11 fiscal year.
Said CSEA's president in a statement: "Today's decision is a victory for the rule of law in New York and should make it clear that no governor can run roughshod over people's rights." Said the president of PEF in a statement: "It is in the best interest of state taxpayers the governor accepts the court's ruling and avoids wasting more time and money needlessly appealing this decision."
The judge's decision is embedded after the jump.
State worker furloughs blocked
A federal judge has granted a restraining order against the state worker furloughs.
WTEN has posted a copy of the order. Among the orders:
- It temporarily blocks the Paterson administration from furloughing state employees
- It also blocks the admin from including another furlough measure in upcoming budget extenders.
- And, if we're reading it correctly (if), it also blocks the administration from holding back the four percent raises that are part of the union contracts.
A hearing on the issue is scheduled for later this month.
Also: Jack McEneny apparently led some sort of sit-in this afternoon outside Paterson's office to protest inaction on the budget. [State of Politics]
Update: The temporary restraining order is embedded after the jump.
photo from anti-furlough rally earlier this week: Rob Gierthy
State worker furlough protest
No, "furlough you!"
Rob sent along a handful of photos from the bit anti-furlough rally at the Capitol today. The giant inflatable rat made an appearance.
The Troy Record reports there were estimated to be about 3,500 in the crowd. Kaitlyn Ross reports Jack McEneny told the crowd that Assembly is trying to take the furlough measure out of the emergency budget extender. But Erin Billups reports that Ron Canestrari says that's not legally possible.
photo: Rob Gierthy
Ward Stone responds
State wildlife pathologist Ward Stone responded in multiple outlets today to the allegations in last weekend's TU story. From a long Metroland piece, featuring his response and that of many supporters:
Stone said that it was likely that the article was designed, he said, to cause his reputation damage. Each criticism, he said, seemed aimed to injure him personally, and wouldn't hold up under scrutiny. Yet, Stone didn't comment on the allegations that he lives in his office. And, as one of his supporters points out, "I am angry that he gave them so much ammunition to attack him with."
Chet Hardin reports that many of Stone's supporters think the story was a "hit job" arranged because of Stone's work for an environmental group concerned about pollution from the LaFarge cement plant in Ravena.
James Odato, the TU reporter who wrote the Sunday piece, talked about about how the story came about today on The Capitol Pressroom.* Odato said "it came to his attention that there had been allegations" about Stone. He said there were "an awful lot of people out there" who were ready to confirm the allegations. (the segment starts at the 14:30 mark)
Odato also said there was "no indication at all" that the people who tipped him off are related to the LaFarge situation.
Stone also appeared on the show.
Paterson: furloughs will be in next budget extender
David Paterson announced that he will include furloughs for state workers in the next emergency budget extender. From the release:
"I have repeatedly called upon the State public employee unions to work with me to achieve critical workforce savings. Because unions have not accepted any proposals to achieve necessary savings, I am left with no other choice but to move forward with this plan. I do not take this action lightly, but it is necessary given the unions' unwillingness to make any sacrifices and I will do whatever is necessary to protect New York's finances."
The Paterson admin says agency heads will be given the discretion to schedule "one furlough day for each of their employees during the week of May 17." Positions in "essential" fields such as health and safety won't be included. Management/confidential employees also won't be subject to the furlough because their annual raises were canceled.
The furloughs are being framed as a cost-saving measure by the administration, but it's likely Paterson is using them to squeeze the legislature. By tacking the furloughs on to the budget extender, he's forcing the legislature to pick between the furloughs (which will irk the powerful state worker unions extraordinarily) and shutting the down government. Or, of course, there's option three: passing a budget.
Paterson is also floating an early retirement incentive. Details after the jump.
Allegations against Ward Stone
From a story in the TU this weekend about state wildlife pathologist Ward Stone:
During his 41 years as New York's wildlife pathologist, Ward B. Stone has built a statewide reputation as an environmental hero, popular with the media and a rare public servant willing to thumb his nose at authority to defend nature.
What is less known about the 71-year-old scientist at the state's Wildlife Resources Center in southern Albany County, except among co-workers and state investigators, is that he has a long history of allegations of abusive, unethical and inappropriate behavior, ranging from berating colleagues to shooting animals, and has been repeatedly faulted by his frustrated superiors, according to interviews and records.
Read the whole thing. The list of allegations is long. (Also, "Dr. Stone" doesn't have a PhD.)
Stone told Fox23 this weekend that he's had problems with his accusers "Because they aren't good enough to be in pathology." And he told WTEN that he's been "a bargain for the state."
It'll be interesting to see how these allegations play out in the local media -- Stone is a real media fave. He has a rep as a crusader for the public interest -- recently on topics such as concerns about emissions from the Lafarge cement plant in Ravena, and lead in children's toys.
Stone's lab is at the Five Rivers Environmental Center in Delmar.
Updated at 1:20 pm WAMC says it's suspending production of the show that featured Stone, "In Our Backyard." The statement is after the jump.
Paterson says he never promised to not lay off state workers, Paladino into the pool for governor, police officers suspended, local family going to White House for Easter egg roll
David Paterson on the deal he struck with the state worker unions last year to trade the new, cheaper pension tier for a no-layoffs pledge: "I never promised I would not lay anyone off." Appearing at an Easter egg hunt in Albany Sunday, the governor said: "it's time for everyone to make a sacrifice." [TU] [WNYT]
Buffalo-area real estate developer Carl Paladino is scheduled to announce this afternoon that he's running for governor as a Republican. He says he's willing to spend $10 million of his own money on the campaign. If he elected, he said: "I will chop and I will chop their budget until they stop their nonsense." The Buffalo news describes Paladino as "outspoken" and "a man of contradictions." [YNN] [AP/Troy Record] [AP/Troy Record] [Buffalo News]
An employee of the state Department of Labor has apparently been assigned to sit at home and call into the office twice a day -- at a salary of $115k/year. [TU]
A Rotterdam family has reached a $5.2 million settlement with two obstetricians and Albany Med over a mother's death following a Caesarean section. The family's attorney said the death was caused by a "cascade of errors." As part of the settlement, Albany Med is funding a 20-year lecture series on patient safety and is investing in equipment for additional training. More than a third of births in New York State are via C-section. [Daily Gazette $] [WTEN] [TU] [TU]
The 12-year-old girl authorities said was forced by her mother to climb through pet doors to assist in robberies, in her victim impact statement: "Tell my mom that I will never forgive her." [TU]
Ford takes shot at Gillibrand and Schumer, TU Center turns profit, second ESP man caver sentenced, Phillip Livingston school up for sale
Harold Ford was in Albany yesterday to make the rounds at the Capitol and ESP -- and take shots at both Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer. Ford said on Talk 1300 that both senators were elected to be independent and not act like a "parakeet" for for the Democratic Party. A Gillibrand spokesman shot back: "The notion that [Ford] is independent is completely contrived." Said one legislative intern to the TU after meeting Ford on the ESP concourse: "He should really look into getting a New York accent." [AP/Troy Record] [NYO] [NYDN] [NYT] [TU]
David Paterson said yesterday that his potential gubernatorial campaign opponents shouldn't be hiding in the "candidate protection program." [NYDN]
Annoyed that the governor keeps calling them back for special sessions, the legislature has decided to just not adjourn -- basically blocking more special sessions. [Daily Politics]
Albany County announced that the Times Union Center, which it owns, turned a profit of almost $1.8 million last year -- up from about $900k the year before. That's the second-highest profit in the facility's 20-year history (not adjusted for inflation). [Albany County] [TU]
Suspended Schenectady cop arrested again, Cuomo to declare in March?, man arrested for 65th time, local pilot flies supply missions to Haiti
Suspended Schenectady police officer John Lewis has been arrested. Again. It's his sixth arrest in the last two years. In this most recent case, he's accused of causing a car accident in the Ellis Hospital parking lot after he allegedly left the emergency department drunk. The SPD first tried to fire Lewis in 1998 for allegedly using a racial slur. The department's waiting for a decision on its most recent attempt to terminate him. [WNYT] [Daily Gazette $] [TU] [Fox23] [CBS6]
A "source close to [Andrew] Cuomo" tells the Daily News that Andrew Cuomo will officially announce he's running for governor in March. David Paterson's campaign manager says "it's clear Mr. Cuomo is running for governor." [NYDN] [NYDN]
David Paterson is apparently going to try again to get the state worker unions to give up their raises this year. [TU]
Colonie assemblyman -- and outspoken MMA critic -- Bob Reilly says he's willing to support a compromise bill that would legalize ultimate fighting in the state if certain restrictions were placed on the sport. [TU]
UAlbany cancelled a cage fighting match scheduled for the SEFCU Arena this past weekend after a state commission said the event appeared to violate state law. [@albstudentpress] [Daily Gazette $]
... said KGB about Drawing: What's something that brought you joy this year?