Results tagged “nystate”

Perhaps nostalgic for the license plates of yore as well as being desperate for revenue, NY State rolled out a new license plate redesign that will be required for pretty much all vehicles, new and old, starting next year. The "Empire Gold" license plate, in gold with dark blue lettering, will replace the current white plate with the Niagara falls and city skyline elements and the cost will be another $25 for registration renewals and new registrations. Plus, if you want to your current letter and number license combination, that'll be another $20!

Starting this coming Saturday, bottled water drinks will be subject to a nickel deposit—and the NY State government will be able to collect millions from the unclaimed deposits. Governor Paterson said, "The expansion of this legislation not only provides our State with much-needed revenue, but will also help us to keep our neighborhoods and parks clean."

After unveiling his $3 billion in budget cuts for this year (not to mention another $2 billion next) on Thursday, Governor Paterson is on the offensive, appearing on numerous radio and TV stations. Why the media blitz? Because some state lawmakers have complained about the cuts, leaving Paterson to fire back, "They can find all kinds of ways to spend money but never seem to be able to meet obligations."

Finally! After nearly a year and a half of speculation, former NYC mayor Rudy Giuliani is considering to run for Governor of New York. Now that the top ranks of the NY State Republican party are shuffling, the NY Times reports, "Mr. Giuliani has told associates that he will decide on a candidacy within 30 to 60 days, as he weighs whether he can be elected statewide and what impact another campaign would have on his business interests." Rudy's had talks with various Republicans in state, Democrat- turned-Republican- turned-independent Mayor Bloomberg and Rep. Peter King (R-Long Island)—King told the Times, "Several times, he said to me that he sees state government similar to where New York City was in 1993: out of control. So many people are saying the state can’t be governed, which is what everyone was saying about the city then. In Rudy’s mind, this is a challenge."

Sigh. As unemployment benefits will be drying up by the end of the year, we get this news: Eleven NY State prisoners managed to collect $30,000 in unemployment insurance. State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli announced that after an audit, the payments were discovered and his office was able to stop another $18,000 to the "unemployed" inmates. The Daily News reports, "In some cases, inmates were using the names and Social Security numbers of people on the outside to get benefits." DiNapoli states the obvious, "Convicted criminals should not be collecting unemployment benefits when they are in jail. Taxpayers shouldn’t be footing the bill for this kind of outrageous scam. The Department of Labor and the Department of Corrections took immediate action when our audit findings were brought to their attention and are fully cooperating with us to ensure this does not happen again." The investigation is continuing, but DiNapoli suggested the labor and corrections departments work together to make sure there isn't any overlap with inmate and unemployment lists.

California has been dealing with a $24 billion budget deficit, which took its state government a while to pass. Newsweek says California's problem "resulted from overspending, foreclosures, contradicting ballot initiatives, and a two thirds majority needed to pass a budget" and offers some hints about the "Next Money Pit" states... and one of those is New York: "The state's revenues were hit hard by Wall Street's financial collapse, leading to a $20.1 billion deficit. It's a heavy spender on social services, too. With state senators busy turning off the lights and locking the Senate chamber doors, is there much confidence that the legislature is equipped to handle future crises?" Anyway, we'll know we're in bad shape when Governor Paterson does a video where he jokes about budget cuts while holding a HUGE KNIFE (yes, the Governator did just that).

After Gawker was tipped off by Tionna Smalls about Governor Paterson hanging out at a Chelsea club Taj on Wednesday night, the Post and Daily News jumped to find out more. The News reports, "Paterson arrived around 10 p.m. Wednesday with staffers who are friends of Rhonda Cowan, a veep for music at BET Interactive, who was celebrating her birthday at the club. He stayed three hours - and didn't attempt to dance." Taj's co-owner added, "He wasn't partying hard. He was having a civilized, chill dinner."

Yesterday, while announcing a plan to ban trans-fats in schools, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand released a report noting that almost 60% of New Yorkers are overweight or obese. And, in the five boroughs, 55% of the population is overweight or obese! You can read the study (PDF), but here's a breakdown: In the Bronx, 62.7% of residents (586,419) are overweight or obese; in Brooklyn, it's 58.6% (1,056,457 residents); Manhattan: 42.3% (541,135); Queens: 57.6% (990,809); and Staten Island: 57.7% (190,681). CityRoom spoke to epidemiologist Andrew G. Rundle who "said that at the neighborhood level socioeconomic and demographic factors were the strongest predictors of obesity rates"—wealthy neighborhoods have lower rates of obesity while poorer neighborhoods have higher ones. "[Rundle] has found that even when adjusting for poverty and race, at least three factors are associated with lowering obesity: proximity to supermarkets and groceries where fresh produce is sold; proximity to parks; and access to public transportation, which reduces reliance on cars."

Yesterday, the NY State Department of Labor revealed that statewide unemployment rose from 7.7% in April to 8.2% in May, while NYC unemployment hit 9.0% in May, after being at 8.0% in April: "The state's private sector job count has now dropped for nine consecutive months. Since the state's private sector job count peaked in August 2008, New York has lost 212,200 private sector jobs, erasing more than half of the 400,000 jobs added during the state's last economic expansion from 2003 to 2008."

According to GMAC Insurance's annual National Driver Test, drivers in the Empire State are dead last in the country. You can take the test here; New Yorkers scored an average of 70.5 while top honors went to Idaho and Wisconsin drivers, who received 80.6. NJ is second to last and California is fourth to last, with Hawaii in between. NY1's Roger Clark posed some questions to drivers—here's an exchange (spoiler warning, if you planned on taking the test): "Roger Clark: 'A traffic light with a flashing red signal means: A) Yield; B) Stop; C) Caution.' Driver: 'I think it's C. Caution, slow down. When I see it, I slow down.' Clark: 'Actually, you're supposed to stop.' Driver: 'You are? I do not stop.'"

Lawmakers will likely be making more cuts to the state budget now that State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli has revealed "tax revenues declined even more than anticipated in April." According to his press release, the General Fund revenues were 44% less than last year and 5% less (about $239 million) than Governor Paterson's already more-modest projection for the month. DiNapoli warned, "We’ve already tapped nearly all of our unreserved funds so there is very little cushion if revenues continue to fall. We need to watch revenues and spending very closely, because the state may be forced to readjust priorities." Speaking of spending, it's up 12% from last year, mainly due to education, health and the environment. However, other revenue-generating ideas from the state budget—such as increased taxes for higher income brackets and and other fees—won't show up until this month and next. The Department of Taxation and Finance took a glass half full approach, telling the Times, "The state’s finances are in line with the fiscal plan, since decreases in projected revenues were largely offset by decreases in spending."

Western NY billionaire—and three time NY gubernatorial candidate—Tom Golisano has had it with New York's taxes so he's changing his legal address to Florida. Hey, if only the little people had residences in Florida too! Notably, it's the increased taxes to wealthier individuals that has Golisano riled up. The Buffalo News reports, "Golisano told a gathering of Rochester business executives that he will remain as owner of the Buffalo hockey team, but he is fleeing the Empire State to avoid paying $13,000 a day in state income taxes. While Golisano said his move will not end his role as outspoken critic of New York state government, it remains uncertain how seriously his cause will be taken at the State Capitol as a resident of the Town of Naples, Fla." Golisano, who is working with another billionaire, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, on possibly revamping the Independence Party, says he'll use the money he's saving (over one year, that would be about $4.75 million) to finance charities and maybe his political action committee.

With the state jobless rate at, by the latest numbers, 7.8% (in NYC, the rate is 8.1%) and prospects of an economic recovery slow at best, the NY Times reports, "Lawmakers in Albany agreed on Tuesday to change the state’s unemployment insurance system in order to prevent more than 100,000 New Yorkers from running out of jobless benefits starting later this month." The State Legislature must vote on the changes which "are intended to make New York eligible to collect $645 million in federal stimulus money for its unemployment insurance system. Most of that money — $370 million — would extend benefits to people who have been collecting unemployment pay for more than a year. The rest would go toward closing a gap in the state’s insolvent unemployment fund." Apparently Albany has given up on trying to revamp the entire system (which gives a max of $430/week in benefits, $150 less than states like NJ and Connecticut) in order to at least get the benefits extension done.

Attorney General Andrew Cuomo announced charges against former Liberal Party boss Raymond Harding; NY1 reports that Harding allegedly "received $800,000 in illegal fees on state pension deals as a reward for opening an Assembly seat for former State Comptroller Alan Hevesi's son, Andrew."

Now that Governor David Paterson, Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith and Assembly Sheldon Speaker emerged from their super-secret talks with a $132 billion budget, it's time to get the damn thing passed! Here's how the Times Union explains it: "With Gov. David Paterson's endorsement, the Legislature today intends to begin passing budget bills that will increase taxes by $5.2 billion, rely heavily on short-term and one-time revenues and require potentially deep cuts or more taxes if the economy continues its downward spin, as the governor projects."

That expensive cocktail may get more expensive: State Assemblyman Felix Ortiz (D-Bronx) is proposing a tax on alcohol. NY1 reports that Oritz argues "most of the funds generated through the new tax would be used for alcohol and drug abuse treatment and education programs around the state" (those programs face cuts with the proposed budget). Previously, Ortiz has suggested banning alcohol ads on MTA properties, taxing strip clubs, and grading kids' weights.

Yesterday, the NY State Department of Labor revealed the state unemployment rate climbed to 7% in January, up from 6.6% in December. More troubling, 25% of the 400,000 jobs added between July 2003 (the state's last decline) and August 2008 were lost in the final months of 2008. Division of Research and Statistics. director Peter Neenan said the data "continue to underscore the severity of the steadily deepening recession in New York State." There are almost 500,000 New Yorkers collecting unemployment right now.

NYC businesses aren't the only ones threatening to leave for NJ—it turns out businesses all over the Empire State are threatening to leave for NJ and Connecticut! The NY Times looks at how NY is "Vulnerable to Poaching in Recession". While NJ and CT governments are offering nice deals, the Times adds, "some officials and business executives say the Paterson administration, reeling from a number of recent missteps, has been too poorly managed to respond effectively." One example: Pepsi, whose headquarters are in Purchase, was hoping that the Paterson administration wouldn't expand the bottle deposit requirements for non-carbonated drinks...only for Governor Paterson to expand the program and put a tax on non-diet sodas: "Now Pepsi is weighing a searing response: moving the headquarters of the Pepsi Bottling Group and more than 1,000 jobs, from Somers, in Westchester County, to Connecticut, which has been dangling a roughly $30 million incentive package."

Governor David Paterson was in Washington D.C. yesterday, along with other governors meeting with President Obama to discuss what the states will get from the federal stimulus package. NY State got $24.6 billion of the $787 billion package, and Paterson announced the first projects that will benefit—eleven upstate roads projects, like "Replacement of the I-86 Bridge over Rte. 415 in the Town of Erwin, Steuben County" and "Culvert repairs in Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties," which are "shovel-ready."

NY State has been borrowing money from the federal government in order to pay the unemployment claims of New Yorkers since the beginning of the year, and now the state will kick in more money for the overall unemployment budget. The NY Times reports, "state lawmakers agreed on Tuesday to authorize paying out an additional $2 billion this year to the unemployed," and explains that the original budget was $3 billion for unemployment benefits but "state officials now estimate those payouts will rise to $4.6 billion as the recession grinds on." Per the latest (December 2008) numbers, the NY State unemployment is now 7%, but it's 7.4% in NYC. More food for thought: The max unemployment NYers can draw is $405/week; in NJ it's $584, in CT it's $576, and in Massachusetts it's $628.

Rick Lazio, who waged a battle against Hillary Clinton in 2000 for a Senate seat, is telling fellow Republicans to look on the bright side. According to the Daily News, Lazio referred to the GOP's losses around the state at a Conservative Party benefit, "This gives us an opportunity to rebuild ourselves, to not compromise ourselves... We can look at this and we can be discouraged, or we can look at this and we can say this may be our moment." Since Lazio's name has been mentioned alongside Rudy Giuliani's as a possible gubernatorial candidate in 2010, Newsday notes that Lazio admitted to thinking about 2010; he also said, "This isn't a stump speech... But I think the state is moving in the wrong direction."

Randy Mastro, friend—and former deputy mayor—of Rudy Giuliani, responded to the Observer's question about whether Rudy would run for governor, "If ever New York State needed strong leadership in this fiscal crisis, it's today. And the one thing we know for sure is that Rudy Giuliani is a strong leader who led our city through its fiscal crisis in the early '90s. So New York State could use him now more than ever." The Observer says that other possibilities for the Republican tickets are Rick Lazio and Edward Cox, but Giuliani is "widely acknowledged as the 800-pound G.O.P. gorilla in the room." In recent days, Giuliani has been criticizing Obama and just staying in the media radar. Still, Running Scared writes Rudy & Co. may think the "name Giuliani will be magic for New York State voters who have not yet been directly ruled by him. Of course, as the Gillibrand appointment shows, the smarter money is on someone unassociated with the city."

Guess NY State will be borrowing unemployment funds for a while: New York City's unemployment rate rose to 7.4% in December, up from 6.3% in November. According to Crain's, this is the highest in almost five years and it's over the national unemployment rate, which is 7.2%. The NY State unemployment rate grew from 6% to 7% in December, with the state losing 49,300 jobs last month in December. The NY State Labor Department said, "In just the last three months, the state has lost more than 100,000 private sector jobs, including 49,300 in December 2008. This is the steepest one-month drop since October 2001 in the aftermath of the World Trade Center attacks." Another NYC stat from the NYS Labor Dept.: "Since December 2007, the number of nonfarm jobs has decreased by 53,600, or 1.4 percent, and the number of private sector jobs has decreased by 49,100, or 1.5 percent."

Last May, Amazon.com sued NY State over Governor Paterson's new law requiring out-of-state retailers to collect sales tax from consumers in New York State. NY requires residents to pay tax on out-of-state purchases for which sales tax wasn’t collected, but the argument is over who should collect it—and the new law would make Amazon responsible. Yesterday, State Supreme Court Judge Ellen Bransten dismissed Amazon's lawsuit, as well as one from Overstock.com, finding, "The neutral statute simply obligates out-of-state sellers to shoulder their fair share of the tax collection burden when using New Yorkers to earn profit from other New Yorkers." This could be headed to the Court of Appeals, should the online retailers wish to pursue it. And Paterson offered other tax ideas last month.

After the traditional thank you's to other legislators and governors past (Carey, Cuomo and Pataki—no Spitzer), Governor David Paterson minced no words and opened his first State of the State address with, "My fellow New Yorkers: Let me come straight to the point - the state of our state is perilous."

Newsday has a story on the record-keeping and security troubles at the NY State Office of Children and Family Services. A report from the State Inspector General offered this example: An Oakdale man, along with a teenage daughter, had been accused of abusing a younger daughter. The charges were unsubstantiated, but, according to the report, he contacted Verizon, claiming he was a state employee and asked to see the log of calls to the abuse hotline. "The [Verizon] employee sent the phone numbers to the man's AOL e-mail address because, she told state investigators, he told her his New York State e-mail address was 'broken.'" The report adds that the man "demanded cash from state officials in return for destroying the phone records." The man said he never pretended to be a state employee, adding, "It wasn't extortion. I said I'd like to have some kind of settlement for libeling and slandering our family's name."

A State Supreme Court judge has blocked a state law that enforces the collection of taxes on cigarettes sold on Indian reservations. Earlier this month, Governor Paterson signed the bill to make sure reservations collect the $2.75 state excise tax, pointing out the law has always stood, it just hasn't been "adequately applied for far too long," not to mention it gave non-Indians "easy access" to tax-free cigarettes. The judge wants government officials to explain themselves next month, noting that the state hasn't even, the Buffalo News reports, "set up a process for providing rebates to Native Americans who pay taxes on cigarettes bought in reservation stores." Justice Margaret A. Murphy also thinks the state hasn't been respectful of the tribes, "You can’t point to [reservation] retailers and wholesalers, call them criminals, then expect them to come to the table."

Sigh: With more employers cutting jobs, the NY State unemployment rate is the highest since April 2004. The rate rose from 5.7% in October to 6.1% in November. And in NYC, the unemployment was 6.3% in November, up from 5.7% in October, thanks to almost 16,000 jobs shed from financial firms.

More depressing news: State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli released a report saying 225,000 jobs in New York State could be lost over the next two years due to Wall Street's downturn. (Crain's New York reports, "New York City Comptroller William Thompson has predicted the city will lose 165,000 jobs, so the latest forecast by Mr. DiNapoli is the bleakest offered so far.") DiNapoli, whose reports also suggests $6.5 billion in city and state tax revenue could be lost from Wall Street, echoed Governor Paterson's request for federal help and added, "Top Wall Street executives ought to forgo bonuses during this difficult time; it's inappropriate to reward poor performance. But the public must keep in mind that bonuses paid to lower level employees are often used to purchase goods and services in other industries, which benefits the overall economy. New York will feel a lot pain from a shrunken bonus pool."

Senator Charles Schumer is wasting no time: He tells the Daily News, "Washington can't do what it did in Herbert Hoover's time and twiddle its thumbs." Noting how Obama said that states must be helped during this economic downturn, the senior Senator from NY says Obama should help New York with money for "affordable housing, transportation and help hiring for cops." City Council member John Liu, chair of the Council's transportation committee, added that a bailout is needed for the MTA, "It would be a small, small fraction of the $700 billion bailout of banks or anything they may be thinking for General Motors," while member David Yassky said, "The best thing is to invest in infrastructure that will support economic growth for years." Representative Jerold Nadler puts it bluntly, "We want as big a stimulus package as possible."