Blog

Last Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Flanagan and Assembly Speaker Heastie announced an agreement on a joint legislative budget schedule. The schedule for budget action is: Feb 28: (on or before) Economic / Revenue Report Released (Senate and Assembly) Feb 28: (tentative) Joint Revenue Forecasting Conference March 1: (on or before) Revenue Consensus Report March 14: […]

Last Tuesday, members of the Senate Democratic Conference released a package of gun control measures that is intended to reduce gun violence and prevent accidents. The measures include banning “bump stocks” and similar firearm modifications (S.6902); allowing courts to issue an order to seize or prohibit the sale of guns to individuals who are likely […]

A coalition of progressive groups are calling on the state to enact a package of “fair-share tax proposals” that would target corporations that are benefitting from the recently-enacted federal tax cuts and would add $16 billion annually in state revenues. The Strong Economy for All Coalition is proposing to close the carried interest loophole at […]

The North Country Chamber of Commerce released its annual survey of businesses. It found that business confidence has risen over last year and for the first time there is a positive attitude toward both state and federal economic policy. For 2018, 75% expect business to be up while 21% expect it to be steady for […]

The Buffalo Niagara Partnership (BNP) is highlighting the ever-increasing cost of healthcare, which is one of their 2018 Advocacy Agenda priorities. BNP points out the Governor’s Executive budget proposal includes several new taxes on healthcare, and that the state’s reliance on healthcare taxes is one of the main reasons New Yorkers pay some the highest […]

The Buffalo Niagara Partnership (BNP) is highlighting the ever-increasing cost of healthcare, which is one of their 2018 Advocacy Agenda priorities. BNP points out the Governor’s Executive budget proposal includes several new taxes on healthcare, and that the state’s reliance on healthcare taxes is one of the main reasons New Yorkers pay some the highest […]

Last Wednesday, Gov. Cuomo announced Round III of the nation-leading New NY Broadband program – providing the last mile funding to ensure high-speed internet access for all New Yorkers. The $209.7 million Round III awards will provide 122,285 homes, businesses and community institutions across the state with access to high-speed Internet. It is critical that […]

Last week, Senate Democrats announced their support for a series of measures intended to address unethical behavior by public officials and to help restore New Yorkers’ faith in the political system. The measures being pushed by the Senate Democratic Conference includes closing the LLC loophole; requiring the disclosure of political bundlers; requiring shareholder approval for […]

Senator John DeFrancisco Announces Run for Governor State Senator John DeFrancisco (R-DeWitt) announced that he will run for Governor this fall. He said that he will make the state’s economy the centerpiece of his campaign, highlighting what he views as the poor record of two-term incumbent Governor Andrew Cuomo. DeFrancisco has served in the State […]