Sam Hoyt supports gay marriage
On July 6, the New York State Court of Appeals ruled that the state’s constitution does not guarantee gay couples the right to get married. Because the plaintiffs—44 couples in four lawsuits—raised no federal issues, there can be no appeal to the US Supreme Court. So the issue, as noted by […]

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http://blogs.timesunion.com/
Hevesi’s Budget Calculations Greater Than Pataki’s
Comptroller Alan Hevesi sized up the new state budget and placed it at $114.7 billion, $1.3 billion more than Gov. George Pataki’s assessment a few weeks ago.
In a report today, Hevesi said the Legislature’s “final action’’ on the state budget added $2.2 billion from the time of the Legislature’s agreement […]

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Democrat & Chronicle: Essays
Now is the time for New York’s citizens to rescue our state from ineffective government. Because all legislative seats are up for election in November, incumbents and candidates cannot afford to ignore a tidal wave for reform. Confident that citizens united can bring about change, Citizens for Better Government in New York […]

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Family charity is regulated by Spitzer’s office
ATTORNEY GENERAL Eliot Spitzer, the top cop for New York’s 60,000 charities and nonprofits, also helps his family run a charity regulated by his office.
The Spitzer Trust invests nearly all of its assets - $25.9 million - in hedge funds and equity funds. Executives at those firms, […]

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Pataki to veto budget reform
ALBANY — Gov. George Pataki’s office Monday signaled he would veto a budget overhaul bill lawmakers have said would improve timeliness, increase accountability and control spending and debts.
The measure also would shift some budget-making power from the governor’s office to the Legislature.
“This so-called budget reform bill is a transparent attempt to […]

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Albany ‘Crime Wave’ Seen After Charges Against Assemblywoman
The indictment of a Brooklyn assemblywoman, Diane Gordon, on bribery charges yesterday makes her the seventh member of the 80-person New York City delegation in Albany to face charges from prosecutors in the past three years.
It’s prompting some watchdogs to call for more policing of state lawmakers, who […]

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Reforming - and Not Reforming - the Budget Process
Each summer, State Assemblymember and Brooklyn Democratic party boss Vito Lopez throws a massive summer picnic, busing 4,000 senior citizens from Bushwick to Sunken Meadow State Park in Long Island for live music, dancing, and a steak and chicken dinner.
It is also one of the most […]

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Silver’s law firm seeks to represent people hurt at state parks
ALBANY, N.Y. Government watchdogs are asking why the personal injury law firm where state Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver practices is pitching its services to people injured at New York parks.
Silver has a say over how state parks are run and financed.
But his spokesman says Silver […]

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The Saratogian - Chip-maker will be a huge help to the economy
The announcement that Advanced Micro Devices, the No. 2 chip-maker in the world, is coming to Saratoga County is huge, any way you look at it.
It means a huge number of jobs — well-paying jobs, the kind that enable the workers to live here, […]

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Put pork barrel spending up for a public vote — Page 1 — TimesUnion.com
Shame, shame on the Times Union. For such a prestigious arm of the media to have the colossal nerve, nay, the unmitigated gall to dare question the “pork barrel” spending (excuse me, that’s called “discretionary funds”).
Discretionary tends to give an air of […]

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