Lehman Bros. Holding still owes the state $1.2 billion and the city $627 million in back taxes and interest, and Brooklyn Assemblyman William Colton wants to make sure we get every penny. He wrote state Tax Commissioner Jamie Woodward, asking him to fight for New York in the settlement, saying, "I would find it to be an egregious act of negligence for the state and city tax departments to not proactively collect the claims that have been filed against this entity." He said the state should collect 44 cents on the dollar, which would earn the state almost half a billion dollars. That would be half a billion down, just nine more to go! more ›

It's open! After more than two decades of planning and dreaming, a part of Brooklyn Bridge Park is open to the public. Mayor Bloomberg and Gov. Paterson—who had squabbled over control of the planned 85-acre waterfront parkland before reaching an agreement earlier this month—cut the ribbon on the first phase of the $350 million project this morning. "This is not just the building of a new park. This is the commencement of the development of a modern urban waterfront," said Paterson. more ›

Since the city assumed control of the unfinished Brooklyn Bridge Park project, there's a chance the controversial plan to fund park operations by building condos inside the greenspace might be scrapped. The Bloomberg administration has said it will form a committee to investigate other revenue streams that could earn money to cover the estimated $16.1 million maintenance budget, including building stores or charging local homeowners a fee or tax. more ›

State officials refused to grant a gaming license to the politically-connected consortium selected by Gov.Paterson to open a casino at the Aqueduct Racetrack—meaning the company will not install slot machines at the Queens facility or receive the lucrative contract. "The Division of the Lottery has concluded that it cannot issue a gaming license to Aqueduct Entertainment Group. Therefore, the State has officially withdrawn its support for AEG," the governor's office wrote in a statement. more ›

The state has reportedly withdrawn its control of Brooklyn Bridge Park and given the cash-strapped project to the city. After a year of internal squabbles that delayed the planned opening of a portion of the parkland, Gov. Paterson is expected to hand off the unfinished $350 million, 85-acre waterfront project—meaning it will become the city's responsibility to finish and fund. more ›

After submitting what many legislators considered to be a sub-par application, New York state was named one of the finalists in a $4.35 billion federal education funding contest. In a surprising decision, federal authorities chose New York as one of 16 finalists in the competition, even though the state officials failed to increase the number of charter schools and couldn't agree on a policy for evaluating teachers by their students' test scores, the Post reports. New York will make a presentation to federal officials for the cash on March 15. If New York isn't given awarded funding then, the state can reapply in a second round in June, according to 1010WINS. more ›

The long-awaited plans to turn Governors Island into a public space and convert the piers beneath the promenade in Brooklyn Heights into Brooklyn Bridge Park have been set back by a lengthy squabble between the city and the state. Last spring, Mayor Bloomberg said he wanted full control of both projects, which are currently being jointly developed by the city and the state. He even offered $300 million in funding to get the projects, but thanks to "bureaucratic BS at its finest," the two sides have yet to reach a deal. more ›

A state judge ruled that New York's juvenile corrections system regularly breaks the law by shackling young detainees any time they leave a detention center—even if the children don't pose a physical threat. According to the Times, the ruling should bring an end to a policy that mandated the use of shackles whenever detainees leave state facilities, despite other laws on the books permitting shackles only as a last resort for "youth who are out of control and dangerous, and then only for half an hour." A 15-year-old plaintiff said he was kept in feet and handcuffs connected to a belly chain for roughly 15 hours on a single day. Lawyer Nancy Rosenbloom said the case revealed "a culture of abusive practices that is not rehabilitative." She added: "We had evidence of kids not being able to drink their milk on the way to court because of the chains." more ›

Last year the state's budget crisis held Governors Island hostage, making it difficult for the island to plan events because the state didn't commit funding until the last minute. The island is controlled and financed jointly by the state and city, but last year Mayor Bloomberg made a move to cut the state out entirely, and also take over Brooklyn Bridge Park. In exchange, the city would end its partnership with the state in the long-delayed Javits Center expansion, and use that $300 million to fund the parks. The idea was not exactly embraced by Paterson, but apparently it's still got legs; the Villager reports that Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is supportive. And The Governors Island Alliance, which manages the island, is also on board, though executive director Rob Pirani would also like as many details in writing as possible: "As much as I trust this mayor, he's not going to be mayor forever—at least I assume not." more ›

It's like Brooklyn Bridge Park all over again. The plan to build a waterfront park in Long Island City funded by the construction of new housing has neighbors and open space activists up in arms, according to the Post. The city will use the revenue from 5,000 planned apartments in the Hunters Point South development to pay for an 11-acre public esplanade — sparking fears that the parkland will feel private and that the city will begin relying on housing to pay for future park projects. more ›

In a 4-3 decision, New York State's highest court rejected a Christian legal group's argument that same-sex marriage was akin to incest and polygamy, and should therefore be denied government benefits for spouses. But the court's narrow ruling did not address the broader question of whether same-sex marriages performed in other states should be recognized in New York. The minority vote came from judges who argued that the case should have been tossed altogether, "on the ground that same-sex marriages, valid where performed, are entitled to full legal recognition in New York." more ›

Observing the behavior of some politicians in Albany is like lifting up a rock and watching the cockroaches flip you off. After bringing the already slothful State Senate to a standstill this summer by aligning with Republicans, megalomaniacal scofflaw Pedro Espada Jr. of The Westchester Bronx was wooed back to the Democratic fold and handed the position of majority leader. But naturally the perks didn't stop there; it's now come to light that Espada's son, Pedro G., has been hired by the Senate for the job of "deputy director of intergovernmental relations." more ›

Check it out, the State Senate did something! Look at them go up there in Albany, passing bills and not locking each other out of the Senate chambers: Just yesterday they voted 57-1, all by themselves, to pass a bill prohibiting drivers from text messaging or using any electronic devices—including iPods—while their cars are in motion. The bill's been a long time coming (a similar version was passed by the Assembly a while ago) and it will become law in November once Governor Paterson lowers his head to paper and signs it. Drivers caught violating the law will be hit with a $150 fine, but it could only be imposed as a secondary offense, when a driver gets pulled over for another violation. Still, some motorists approve; Dave St. Bernard tells the Post, "Sometimes I text and drive. I'm sure it is dangerous, but you get complacent sometimes as a driver. You think you can handle anything on the roads that comes your way." Lawmakers were motivated to pass the bill in part by a horrible accident in 2007, when an SUV driven by a texting teen collided with a tractor trailer in Ontario County. But when will government do something about texting while walking? more ›

The number of families sleeping in shelters is near an all-time high; according to the Department of Homeless Services, there were 34,774 people in shelters last week, including 9,361 families. The Bloomberg administration is now seeking state approval for a new set of policies intended to move families out of shelters more quickly and, according to the Times, apply the "market-driven, incentive-based philosophy to homeless shelters that it has used in schools." Under the new rules, the city would pay shelters more than the usual rate, which is roughly $100 a day, for the first six months that it houses a family. But after six months, if the family has not found permanent housing, the shelter would be paid 20 percent less than the standard rate. Homeless advocates deem the new policies "mean-spirited" and worry that families would be forced out after six months. But Linda Gibbs, deputy mayor for health and human services, insists families would only be ejected for "refusing to look for housing, refusing to seek employment, anything that is an unreasonable refusal to participate in the steps they need to take to overcome their homelessness." In April, homeless advocates blamed Bloomberg for the rise in homeless families. more ›

If you've been following along with any of the various scandals simmering around Democratic State Senator Pedro Espada, Jr.—whose defection was instrumental in returning control of the Senate to Republicans and put him next in line to be Governor (should tragedy befall David Paterson)—then you get why some people think he's "really an unsavory character," in the words of Baruch College political analyst Doug Muzzio. But we may have figured out the cause of his troubles: multiple personality disorder. more ›

Sorry, poor elderly, disabled and/or blind legal residents of New York State; the Court of Appeals has ruled that you're still limited to $352 a month in public aid, about half of what lower courts ruled you should get. Of course, since many of you have died since lawyers filed the class action lawsuit in 2004, Tuesday's decision might not matter much. But thousands of poor legal immigrants desperate for public assistance are shattered by the 5-2 ruling, which held that the state had no duty to fill in for a federal program that ended benefits to most disabled legal immigrants in 1996. Since the early '50s, legal NY residents who fell on hard times were entitled to a higher level of aid if they were elderly, blind or disabled, but when D.C. took over the program in the '70s, the state supplemented the benefit to reach the higher level it had set earlier. That's over now. The NY Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance applauded the ruling, saying it could save the state and local governments $100-270 million. But in a strongly worded dissent, two judges wrote that "the majority today has turned its back on the history of New York’s commitment to protect its most fragile and vulnerable populations." more ›

City and State were at odds last night at a public forum held in Carroll Gardens regarding the cleanup of the Gowanus Canal. It's being reported that the Bloomberg Administration is "opposing a proposal by the federal Environmental Protection Agency to add Brooklyn’s Gowanus Canal to the agency’s list of Superfund sites, arguing that the designation could jeopardize planned development for the area and the city’s own cleanup efforts." Daniel Walsh, director of the Mayor's Office of Environmental Remediation, noted that "Of the 1,500 federal Superfund sites to date, no river cleanup has been successfully completed." Because the Superfund solution would require finding responsible parties for past contamination, the city fears that the effort would take up to 20 years, "putting at risk more than $400 million of private investment already committed to the area for housing and other development," as well as the city's own cleanup efforts. The E.P.A. officials will make a final decision following a 60-day public comment scheduled to end June 6th. more ›

For years now, tenant activists have dreamed of a State Senate controlled by Democrats, because then they'd finally get changes to the rent regulation laws that the Republican majority had so consistently blocked. But advocates for rent reform are now dismayed to find that Democratic Senators are as beholden to landlord campaign donations as the GOP. Albany watchdog group NYPIRG reports that since January 2007, Democratic lawmakers have accepted more than $1 million in donations from landlords, about $500,000 less than Republicans raked in. more ›

A spokesperson for Governor Paterson's office confirmed that talks were ongoing but stressed that no resolution had been reached. Governors Island has become an increasingly popular weekend recreation destination since it was opened to the public in 2003. It's run jointly by the city and state, but Paterson's budget does not include any money for the park this year, and yesterday the Governors Island board of directors imposed an austerity budget of $11.8 million, down from $18.8 million, while acknowledging that the remaining $550,000 in its operating budget will be exhausted by the end of the month. more ›

A state commission has recommended revising New York's drug laws to favor rehab for low-level offenders and give judges more discretion in sentencing convicts, but many lawmakers say the commission's report falls short. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver called it a "missed opportunity" in a letter to commission Chairwoman Denise O’Donnell:

The Commission held in its hands a unique opportunity to help undo thirty-five years of failed drug policy and set New York on the path to establishing a more just, more humane and more effective approach to combat drug crime and drug abuse. I am saddened that it failed to do so. more ›

If you think John McCain's defeat Tuesday means you no longer have to hear the word "maverick" every five minutes, think again! The Associated Press reports that "four maverick New York City lawmakers" are refusing to back a member of their own party, Malcolm A. Smith, for majority leader, after over four decades of Republican control of the State Senate. Three of the four holdouts are Latino legislators who feel Latinos have been underrepresented in leadership roles in government, so yesterday they met with GOP leaders to discuss how they could serve the GOP and what’s in it for them should they defect. more ›

For the first time since 1965, Democrats have taken control of the New York State Senate, sweeping into the majority last night on President-elect Barack Obama's coattails. All the incumbent Democrats held on to their seats, and two longtime GOP incumbents lost: Queens Republican Serphin Maltese lost to Democratic City Councilman Joseph Addabbo and Suffolk County's Caesar Trunzo lost to Democratic challenger Brian Foley. Maltese blamed his defeat on "the Obama craze" and said he hopes "that sanity prevails with what is now the Senate minority, and then in two years, hopefully, we'll take another shot at them." more ›

The Seneca Nation is pressuring Governor Paterson to veto a bill that would tax cigarette sales to non-Indians; officials estimate the tax could generate $400 million in revenue, and Mayor Bloomberg recently said that tax revenue could save us from MTA fare hikes. The tribes argue that treaties dating to the 19th century make them exempt from state sales taxes; greedy white man legislators insist that sales to non-Indians are taxable. The debate is happening against the backdrop of a looming $6.4 billion deficit, and the Sun reports that Paterson could sign the bill as early as next week. But Seneca lawyer Robert Odawi Porter warns that would hurt the tribe's employment of 5,000 people and other economic benefits for western New York: "The state still comes out ahead. It just doesn't go into the Albany trough." more ›

Newsday is reporting that beloved coal-oven pizza institution Grimaldi’s was shut down today by the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. The paper's website has it that the Brooklyn restaurant was seized because of over $150,000 in tax warrants. Agency spokesman Tom Bergin told Newsday that Grimaldi's has been in a dispute with tax officials over allegedly unpaid state sales and withholding taxes for two years. more ›

Clearing up a legal gray area, state lawmakers have passed a bill regulating the sale of frozen dessert products made with wine, permitting the sale of ice cream and sorbet to anyone over the age of 21. The bill limits the alcohol content to 5 percent by volume and requires warning labels – even though it would take two gallons of wine ice cream or one pint of wine sorbet to equal one glass of actual wine, according to upstate purveyor Jeff Kostic. more ›

City councilman and mayoral hopeful Tony Avella held a press conference today at City Hall to spotlight a pending council resolution urging the New York State Senate to outlaw force-feeding ducks and geese to produce foie gras. A bill to ban the practice is languishing in Albany, and Avella hopes his largely symbolic gesture will push it forward. more ›

86% of New York City store owners who sell milk are breaking the law by overcharging for their product, according to the “Milk Money” report released yesterday by the City Council. The 17-year-old law, intended to stop price gouging on what many believe to be a vital source of nutrients, regulates the price of milk with a monthly cost calibration. This month, store owners cannot legally charge more than $3.93 for a gallon, $2.01 for a half-gallon, and $1.04 for a quart. more ›

Two lawsuits currently wending their way through New York courts are forcing judges to grapple with the legal ramifications of “gay divorce.” more ›

New York State Senate leader Joseph Bruno is still under FBI investigation for possibly improper ties to unions that deal with state pension agencies! In 2006, Bruno said of the FBI's look, "I have nothing to hide. They are going into background over the past five or six years," but the NY Times describes the feds' current investigation as widening. more ›