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 […]
Tomorrow’s general election are important. While a great deal of attention is being paid to the national mid-term elections and New York’s race for governor, the Republican’s hold on the New York State Senate is risk. New York City Democrats dominate the Assembly and voters have recently elected a string of Democratic governors. If the […]
Last Tuesday, Gov. Cuomo announced that the state is accepting applications for a grant program to protect the state’s non-public schools and cultural centers, including religious-based institutions. The program, which will distributed $10 million in this round of awards, provides funding to help strengthen security measures and help prevent hate crimes or attacks against these […]
Last Monday, a state judge struck down a 2016 state law that legalized daily fantasy sports (DFS) in New York State. That law classified daily fantasy sports – contests in which players compete by building rosters of professional athletes in a particular sport — are games of skill, not games of chance, which are banned […]
New York’s biggest and most contested prize this election season is control of the State Senate. With the exception of two brief periods – 1965 and 2009-10 – the Republicans have controlled the state Senate since 1939. The Republicans, with only 31 members as of this writing, have been able to maintain control of the […]
On Thursday night, 4 of the 5 candidates for governor faced off at a debate at a college in Albany hosted by the League of Women Voters. Republican Marc Molinaro, independent Stephanie Miner, Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins and Libertarian Larry Sharpe debated in front of a crowd of roughly 100 people; only incumbent Democratic […]
On Tuesday, Democrat Letitia James and Republican Keith Wofford, the leading candidates for state Attorney General, faced off in their only live televised debate before Election Day. (Watch the debate here.) The Attorney General’s office became open in May when then-Attorney General Eric Schneiderman resigned in the wake of allegations of physical abuse by multiple […]