The NY State Legislature has long been considered the most dysfunctional state government in the country, and NY Sun has a great article giving weight to that statement: "The Empire State's Legislature employs more people than any other state legislature in the nation." Well, all that dysfunction has to be enabled from someone - or many someones! According to the most recent data from the National Conference of State Legislatures, the NY State Assembly and......

NY State Assembly Speaker Sheldon has done it again: NY1 reports that Silver has delayed ruling on the Atlantic Yards project because "he still has financial questions." The NY Sun had a story today about growing pressure for Silver to delay the vote, given outcry from not just civic groups like the Municipal Art Society, Regional Plan Association, Citizen's Union, and National Resources Defense Council, but other politicians as well. Brooklyn Papers also adds that......

Almost two years ago, the cornerstone at Ground Zero was placed at the World Trade Center site. But now it's been moved to Hauppague, NY! The NY Times reports that the largely symbolic slab of granite was moved in order to accomodate the new designs for the space, as there's been a new Freedom Tower design in the meantime. Developer Silverstein Properties said the cornerstone "needs to be repositioned to make sense in the new......

NY State Assembly Sheldon Silver told NY1 that he doesn't see a "great need" for the West Side Stadium. And as one of the the three votes on the state committee to approve the financing plan for the stadium plan, this is not sounding good for Mayor Bloomberg or anyone hoping for a NYC 2012 Olympics. What more, Silver thinks that NYC's chances for the Olympics are a "long shot." Gah! As you may remember,......

...FOR DOING THEIR JOBS. The NY State Assembly has passed a budget on time for the first time in 20 years. This is big news, because these politicians have been called the most dyfunctional in the nation, which is no small task. The NY Post calls it a miracle, but Governor Pataki will be trying to renegotiate the budget because he thinks it spends too much (and, as many people have noted, it does not......

If there's one thing Gothamist has realized in the past 10-11 years, it's that Governor Pataki kind of gets worse and worse. As the NY Times' news analysis of the New York Region > Power of Positive Pataki Demonstrated in Relentlessly Upbeat Annual Address" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/06/nyregion/06york.html?oref=login">governor's State of the (NY) State address put it well, noting that Pataki has a "propensity to stay on message, and glance over bad news," as he ignores issues like "big......

Pooh-poohing the idea that being in a blue state meant their votes wouldn't count, New Yorkers were determined to vote yesterday, Washington > New York: Strong Showing at Polls Catches City's Old System Off Guard" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/03/politics/03ballots.html">overwhelming voting centers and frustrating many. Our readers reported both frustrating and easy voting experiences yesterday, which makes us realize a couple things: 1) Voting on the way to work may make you late to work; 2) Voting at......

As various journalists and pundits grope for turns of phrase that capture the race for the Presidency ("too close to call!" "down to the wire!" "neck and neck!"), Gothamist would like to take the time to remind everyone that polls are open from 6AM until 9PM tomorrow (FINALLY!). The NY Times has an article on what you should do and have when you go to vote, which is part of a section called "Making Votes......

Some updates to stories covered this week on Gothamist: - NY State Assembly interns, your boss is not your friend - the NYS Assembly adopts new rules about conduct, including prohibiting interns from fraternizing with Assembly members and attending receptions where alcohol is served (check out Gothamist's original post, Bad Parents Are Ones Who Let Their Daughters Intern in Albany) - The Department of Education says Stuyvesant should have accepted 100 more students than they......

To follow up on the earlier story about the 19 year-old NY State Assembly intern who claimed that Harlem Assemblyman Adam Clayton Powell 4th, gave her alcohol in his motel room, the intern said that Powell raped her, then recanted the rape charge, saying the sex was consensual (the police may still press charges against Powell, since alcohol may have comprised the intern's decision making facilities). The Post looks at how the NY State Assembly......