Tagged: ny

President Barack Obama is preparing to deliver a speech on the economy that will use the backdrop of a high-technology facility in Albany that grew out of a partnership with private enterprise and bipartisanship.

Beside him through much of Tuesday's visit will be Governor Andrew Cuomo. In his campaign in 2010, Cuomo made jobs and the economy part of his "new Democrat" theme. Cuomo has also shows a Democratic executive can work closely with Republicans, something the president has struggled with in Washington.

The Catholic Church as weighed in on raising the state’s minimum wage, but Governor Cuomo says the chances of an increase becoming law are “dubious."  Capitol Correspondent Karen DeWitt reports…

Democrats and Republicans in the NYS Senate engaged in partisan squabbling over reform of the state’s campaign finance system.  Capitol Correspondent Karen DeWitt reports…

Senate Democrats, who are the minority party in that house, held a news conference with government reform advocates to push for public financing of campaigns, a bill Senate Democratic Leader John Sampson says will lessen the influence of big money special interests in politics.

“Government is being hijacked right now by the Super PACs,” Sampson said.  “You have the haves versus the have-nots.”

Governor Cuomo cast further doubt on issues like campaign finance reform and increasing the states minimum wage to become law this year, and says he’s “shifting” to a new phase of governing instead.  Capitol Correspondent Karen DeWitt reports…

Governor Cuomo, in remarks to his cabinet, says he expects a “relatively quiet” end to the legislative session. He says campaign finance reform, including public campaign financing, are measures that he supports, but says that they are “controversial” and “polarizing” issues in the legislature.

After nearly six weeks, the trial of former New York Senator Pedro Espada Jr. is winding down.  WAMC's Dave Lucas reports...

Espada is standing trial in Brooklyn federal court. He's charged with looting around a half million dollars from the nonprofit Soundview Healthcare Network.

Espada founded the network in the 1970s. Prosecutors say he created a sham cleaning company that overcharged the not-for-profit so he could take money whenever he wanted.

New York’s Presidential primary is today, but the initial excitement over the vote vanished when Rick Santorum dropped out earlier this month. State GOP leaders say they are looking ahead to the general election instead.  Capitol Correspondent Karen DeWitt reports…

NYS police are on the lookout for drivers illegally using cell phones and other electronic devices.

"Operation Hang Up" starts Monday and runs through next Sunday.

The first "Operation Hang Up" campaign took place over last year's Thanksgiving holiday. Troopers ticketed more than 800 drivers.

The enforcement campaign is funded through a grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

A statewide poll finds New Yorkers think the secrecy and closed-door deals that led to last week state's budget approval are unnecessary and a serious problem. WAMC's Dave Lucas reports...

The Quinnipiac University poll is a rebuke of the continued "three-men-in-a-room" method of crafting a budget by Governor Andrew Cuomo, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos.

The poll finds that 55 percent of voters said the closed-door negotiations weren't necessary to achieve the budget.