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Each week, City & State New York publishes a list of the week’s political “winners” and “losers.”  Read last week’s list here.

Later today, the Assembly Committees on Codes, Health, Government Operations and Alcoholism and Drug Abuse are holding a public hearing in Buffalo on legalizing, regulating and taxing the adult use of marijuana in the state. A second hearing will be held in Binghamton on November 20.   The Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) holds […]

Democrats had a good day in New York this Election Day, having swept all of the statewide offices, gaining control of the State Senate for the first time in a decade and winning three Congressional seats to help the Democrat retake control of the House of Representatives. Governor Andrew Cuomo easily won a third term […]

On Wednesday, Gov. Cuomo appeared on a radio show, where he celebrated the Democrats’ Election Day successes, but said that he thinks the incoming Senate Democratic majority understands the need for moderation. The Governor received about 3.4 million votes, the largest number that any governor has ever received. The approximately 59 percent of the vote […]

Personnel changes are common after a general election as elected officials get their staff in place for their upcoming term.  As Gov. Cuomo prepares for his third term in that office, some administration staff changes have already been announced. Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos is leaving the position that he has held […]

Last Wednesday, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (D-Bronx) released a list of some of the issues that the Assembly will be focusing on in 2019.  The Speaker noted that many of the assembly’s priorities have been blocked by a Republican-led Senate, and that he looks forward to working with incoming Senate Majority Leader Andrew Stewart-Cousins (D-Yonkers) […]

There will be many new state lawmakers taking office in January. In our next few issues, we’ll be taking a look at some of them who will be representing Upstate communities. In 43rd Senate District, which includes parts of Saratoga, Rensselaer and Washington counties, and all Columbia County, Republican Daphne Jordan was elected to replace […]

Last week, the Buffalo Niagara Partnership (BNP), an Unshackle Upstate board member, released its Fall 2018 Member Pulse Report – findings from its annual advocacy and member survey. The survey results are used to develop BNP’s specific advocacy priorities, which will be released as its annual Advocacy Agenda in January. Some highlights include increasing health […]

Each week, City & State New York publishes a list of the week’s political “winners” and “losers.”  Read last week’s list here. Read some elections-specific “winners and losers” lists from the Albany Times Union and Crain’s New York Business.

On November 13, the New York State Compensation Commission holds its first meeting. The Commission has been tasked with making recommendations regarding the salaries of state lawmakers and agency heads. Its recommendations will going into effect in January unless the Legislature rejects them. On November 15, the Assembly Elections Committee is holding a public hearing […]