WAMC Northeast Report on WAMC

As New York State officials and legislators pore over Governor Andrew Cuomo’s proposed budget, State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli today released his office’s estimate of Wall Street bonuses. He says the annual forecast is in line with state and New York City budget expectations.

Cash bonuses paid to New York City securities-industry employees are forecast to rise by 8 percent, to $20 billion, for last year, driven, in part, by bonuses deferred from prior years. That’s according to DiNapoli.

Some call it Albany County's "never-ending story" - the battle that pits the County Executive against the County Legislature. 

While other New York counties have sold or privatized their nursing homes.  Albany County's Nursing Home and what to do about it has just about everyone frustrated. It's been the topic of debate - argued about for 23 years or more – with no resolution in sight.

Members of the Massachusetts Legislature have begun a series of public hearings on Governor Deval Patrick’s $34.8 billion dollar budget proposal.  A hearing, run by the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Ways and Means was held at Greenfield Community College on Tuesday. The focus of the session was on education and local aid. 

I’ve spoken often about why sequester type budget cuts threaten a weak economy and can worsen the debt. Today I want to talk about history.

Education has been a hot-button topic in New York politics - Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is turning up the heat by calling for reversing Governor Andrew Cuomo's plan to withhold school aid from New York City. This development breaks as advocates warn a "Child care crisis" is set to impact the state economy.

A group of concerned citizens is organizing an event this week to address the subject of reducing violent crime in Berkshire County.

The group called Berkshire Citizens for Peace and Justice this week is organizing a meeting involving area residents, professionals, and public safety officials to discuss a wide variety of topics related to school and community violence.

A ten member special committee has been formed in Springfield Massachusetts to investigate  school safety.  The committee has a broad and open- ended assignment.

Springfield City Council President James Ferrera, who named the members of the Special Committee on School Safety on Monday, said he expects the panel will delve deeply into the subject and issue periodic reports and recommendations.

The nation faces its latest budget crisis resulting from gridlock in Washington.  On March 1, budgetary “sequestration” kicks in.  Barring an unlikely last-minute deal, about $85 billion is set to be cut from military, domestic and certain health care programs beginning this Friday.