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(Airs 3/6/15) The Legislative Gazette is a weekly program about New York State Government and politics. On this week's Gazette: teachers rally at the state capitol calling out Governor Cuomo for what they say is his anti public school agenda, our political observer Alan Chartock shares his thoughts on Charter school advocates separate rally at the capitol this week, and some towns in New York's Southern Tier raise the idea of seceding to Pennsylvania.

A packed room of business and non-profit leaders from across the northern tier gathered Friday morning to hear from their state representatives on the progress of initiatives in Albany.

The weeks between the unveiling of the state budget and final passage are always full of suggestions, rallies, and prodding over spending priorities. Today, a coalition from the North Country joined with downstate concerns calling for full funding to New York’s statewide transit capital plan.

Fire chiefs from western Massachusetts hosted state legislators and municipal officials at a breakfast this morning to lobby for a fire safety bill.

The gathering was highlighted by a dramatic demonstration in the parking lot of the Log Cabin and Banquet House in Holyoke, where fires were started in two identical rooms.  One fire raged out of control and destroyed a sofa, table, and TV set.

The second fire was extinguished quickly by a water sprinkler that activated automatically.

Veterans in need of a ride in western Massachusetts can now make one simple phone call.

New York Congressman Chris Gibson is one of the more than 300 Republican lawmakers and operatives who has signed a friend-of-the-court brief with the U.S. Supreme Court making a conservative case for same-sex marriage.

Massachusetts Congressman Richard Neal says former Secretary of State of Hillary Clinton did nothing wrong in using a personal email account while she was in office. Clinton has been criticized this week for using private email when she was the nation’s top diplomat.

A new report examining the economic impact of the Saratoga Race Course shows the horse racing industry is having an increased footprint in the Capital Region economy.

SUNY trustees voted Friday to close two Brighter Choice Charter Middle Schools in Albany. The boys and girls schools have been instructed to finish out the current school year and close in June.

The public meeting began at 10 a.m.- the Brighter Choice three-year charter renewal requests were the last items on a lenghty committee agenda.

The State University of New York Charter Schools Committee heard presentations from both Brighter Choice and the SUNY Charter Schools Institute as to why and why not middle schools should remain open.

Meteorologist Garett Argianas delivers the evening weather forecast for Friday, March 6, 2015.