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Michael Johnson
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Extras
Jan 27th - 5:24 pm
“After further analysis, LATFOR’s maps are even more atrocious than we previously realized,” says Common Cause/NY.
If the LATFOR lines stand, Sen. Greg Ball will represent Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Sandra Lee in Albany (technically speaking).
More fun with the lines, compliments of City Room.
The DGA declined to reveal who forked over $50,000 a piece to participate in today’s public-private partnership panel with Cuomo.
Newt Gingrich’s moon colonization plans might sound (ahem) pie-in-the-sky, but the space exploration community, which has been getting no love lately, liked what it heard.
The DCCC raised more than $61 million in 2011, outpacing its GOP counterpart, the NRCC, for much of the year and outraising it overall by close to $7 million, despite the fact that the Democrats are in the minority.
Cuomo’s brother, Chris, has a handshake deal to publish a fitness book and reportedly is also freakishly fit with a “14-pack.”
VP Joe Biden: “Nancy, I think, is not going to be remembered just for being the first woman Speaker. She’s going to remembered for being the second woman Speaker.”
This sign is not a good sign.
The Obama administration appears to be close to a deal with Wall Street banks over foreclosure crisis.
Here’s the schedule for this weekend’s CPPAC.
NYC Councilman Jumaane Williams blasted Mayor Bloomberg for his defense of NYPD Commissioner Paul Browne’s job performance following revelations about the “Third Jihad” anti-Muslim propaganda video screened by the department.
President Obama declined to pick a favorite in the Super Bowl because he beloved Chicago Bears aren’t in the mix.
For some reason, it’s always news when Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says she wants to retire from public service – and she’s said that several times now.
NYC Councilman Robert Jackson is running – literally – for Manhattan BP in 2013.
Cardinal Designate Timothy Dolan is in Rome.
Former NYPD Commissioner Howard Safir will be hosting his own show on Sirius XM, for a limited six-week run.
Great moments in Greg Kelly anchoring history.
More Data On How The Senate Lines Favor Upstate
Jan 27th - 11:31 am
Jumping off from this story in City and State this morning about the deviation of districts in upstate compared to New York City and Long Island, here’s some more data that shows how upstate would have more influence than their population if these lines are improved.
Since their are 63 seats, you can easily divide the state into three 21 district parts. Districts 1-21 will include all of Long Island, and 12 districts in the 5 boroughs. Districts 22 through 42 are almost all of NYC into Westchester and Rockland counties and then up into much of the Hudson Valley. Districts 43 through 63 are all upstate.
Here’s the population difference when you break it down in thirds:
- 1-21: 6,660,372
- 22-42: 6,559,009
- 43-63: 6,158,721
So, the population is virtually even between the first 2 thirds which is basically Long Island, New York City, and the suburbs of Westchester and Rockland (with a little bit of a stretch up into the rest of the Hudson Valley). The rest of upstate is roughly 400,000 people less – which is far more than the average size of a proposed Senate district. (average district size is 307,356)
Another interesting thing to factor in is where these lines will be in another 10 years. If you assume the population growth will stay pretty consistent to what it was the previous ten years, than you can assume that the growth in population downstate will exceed the growth/decline in upstate areas, especially in Western New York and the Southern Tier.
Here’s a quick sampling of the population change in several upstate counties between 2000-2010, compared to Long Island and NYC.
- NYS: +2.1%
- Erie: -3.3%
- Niagara: -1.5%
- Monroe: +1.2%
- Onondaga: +1.9%
- Broome: 0.0%
- Albany: +3.3%
- Westchester: +2.8%
- NYC: +2.1%
- Nassau: +0.4%
- Suffolk: +5.2%
So, it is likely that over the next ten years the population difference for the 22 upstate Senate districts will actually increase to the point where most, especially Western New York will have a deviation far exceeding negative 5%. Obviously for upstate, and for Western New York, it is good news if these lines get passed because they will have, in theory, more power to impact legislation.
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Lawsuit Against Madison County And Comptroller To Proceed
Jan 27th - 9:59 am
A lawsuit brought forth by the Oneida Nation against Madison County and Comptroller DiNapoli is set to move forward, now that a State Supreme Court judge denied DiNapoli’s request for a dismissal.
Suing are two Madison County residents and Oneida Nation employees. They allege that while Madison County Attorney John Campanie was collecting a county salary, he was also being paid by the law firm Nixon Peabody, who was hired by the county to handle Indian land-claim lawsuits. The plaintiffs allege that Nixon Peabody received nearly $12 million since 1998. In the same time, they say the law firm paid Campanie almost $800,000.
The plaintiffs say they tipped this activity off to the state Comptroller and he took no action – which is why he is also listed on the suit.
“Yesterday’s ruling affirms what we have said all along. Madison County Attorney John Campanie and New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli provided no legal basis for why this suit should be dismissed,” said Dan Smith, Oneida Indian Nation Public Affairs Manager. “By rejecting the efforts of the Madison County Attorney and the New York State Comptroller to avoid answering the charges in these lawsuits, the court has made it clear that this case should proceed on its merits.”
In a press release last April when the charges were brought forth, the county Board of Supervisors referred to this as a desperate attempt to deny the county “effective counsel.” They go on to suggest that Campanie and the county were forthright in their dealings with Nixon Peabody.
The press release goes on to say: “The arrangement provided for Mr. Campanie’s payment has long been public and was disclosed from the beginning in 1998 in his annual filings with the Madison County Ethics Board. The inclusion of the Madison and Oneida county attorneys’ private law firms in this extensive effort under State Law Section 10 – which requires the state to provide a defense to the counties – began in 1999 under the Pataki administration; has continued though subsequent administrations and has been characterized by close cooperation and task-sharing by and among the lawyers and the law firms working on behalf of the state and counties, including the New York State Attorney General’s office.”
Howard Dean: Hayworth Vulnerable In 2012
Jan 26th - 12:06 pm
Former Vermont Governor and Former Presidential candidate Howard Dean is predicting that Democrats will win back the House of Representatives this year – but only if President Obama is re-elected.
During an interview with Inside City Hall’s host Errol Louis, Dean suggested that many of the current members of the House are products of a wave election that took place in 2010, and he specificallly signaled out NY-19 Republican Congresswoman Nan Hayworth as a vulnerable target.
“It came after this great swing, and when you do there are a lot of people who don’t normally support those kinds of politics. And the tea party hasn’t moderated itself at all. So there are a lot of people, even here in New York, for example Nan Hayworth’s district I think we will win that one back, where the people who got put in are not in sync with the voters in that district. They just voted because they were really mad and they wanted anyone but the incumbent,” Dean said.
You can catch the entire interview with Gov. Dean on Inside City Hall tonight at 7pm and 10pm on NY1.
Poll: 52% Think NY On Right Track
Jan 25th - 8:00 pm
It’s like a broken record, but according to our latest YNN/NY1/Marist Poll Andrew Cuomo has historically high poll numbers. 58% of registered voters in New York State approve of the job Governor Andrew Cuomo is doing in office. And 76% say they have an overall favorable impression of the Governor.
Possibly even more telling is the question about the direction of the state. For the first time in a long time, the majority of New Yorkers think the state is on the right track. 52% of voters share this view while 40% believe it is moving in the wrong direction.
“This represents a dramatic shift in public sentiment after a decade of frustration,” says Dr. Lee M. Miringoff, Director of The Marist College Institute for Public Opinion. “Positive reaction to Governor Cuomo is influencing how voters feel about the future of New York.”
The poll also shows that most of Governor Cuomo’s policies and budget proposals are overwhelmingly supporteed by voters. 71% of registered voters favor his idea of linking school aid to teacher evaluation reforms.
On pensions, 69% say they will back higher pension payments for future public employees. And just about as many, 68%, back his Tier VI pension plan that would give future public employees an option to take a 401k instead of a pension. Also, 55% support raising the retirment age to 65 for future employees.
We also asked voters if they supported the idea of giving Buffalo $1 billion in investment – and 62% said they do.
And the only proposal not gaining a majority of support is the plan to build a convention center near Aqueduct using private investment. On this topic, 47% oppose it, and 45% support the plan. Also, support for expanding non-indian casino gaming has dipped. In November 60% of NYers were for it. Now, only 50% support the idea, with 41% opposing the plan.
State Of The Union: ‘An America Built To Last’
Jan 24th - 10:07 pm
As Prepared for Delivery –
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, members of Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow Americans:
Last month, I went to Andrews Air Force Base and welcomed home some of our last troops to serve in Iraq. Together, we offered a final, proud salute to the colors under which more than a million of our fellow citizens fought – and several thousand gave their lives.
We gather tonight knowing that this generation of heroes has made the United States safer and more respected around the world. For the first time in nine years, there are no Americans fighting in Iraq. For the first time in two decades, Osama bin Laden is not a threat to this country. Most of al Qaeda’s top lieutenants have been defeated. The Taliban’s momentum has been broken, and some troops in Afghanistan have begun to come home.
These achievements are a testament to the courage, selflessness, and teamwork of America’s Armed Forces. At a time when too many of our institutions have let us down, they exceed all expectations. They’re not consumed with personal ambition. They don’t obsess over their differences. They focus on the mission at hand. They work together.
Imagine what we could accomplish if we followed their example. Think about the America within our reach: A country that leads the world in educating its people. An America that attracts a new generation of high-tech manufacturing and high-paying jobs. A future where we’re in control of our own energy, and our security and prosperity aren’t so tied to unstable parts of the world. An economy built to last, where hard work pays off, and responsibility is rewarded.
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Marist Poll: 44% Unsure About Gillibrand Re-Election
Jan 24th - 8:00 pm
According to our exclusive YNN/NY1/Marist Poll, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand has yet to seal the deal with voters. Only 38 percent say they will support the Junior Senator, with 44% saying they are unsure who they will vote for in November. As of right now, Gillibrand has only one GOP challenger – George Maragos. Former Ladders.com founder Marc Cenendella is also preparing for a run.
The poll also asked New York voters for their opinion on President Obama. His approval rating has ticked up 2 points in the last month, and now sits at 46%. When Obama was pitted against the top candidates in the GOP Presidential field, the President soundly defeated all of them by more than 20 points.
“New York ranks with the bluest of the blue states,” says Dr. Lee M. Miringoff, Director of The Marist College Institute for Public Opinion. “There’s nothing in the numbers to suggest it will be any different this election cycle.”
The poll also took a look at Senator Schumer’s approval rating – which is holding steady at 56%.
Here And Now
Jan 24th - 7:51 am
President Obama is set to deliver his 3rd State of the Union address today. (In case you are wondering, the speech he gave in 2009 was technically a message to Congress and not a State of the Union – though it had the same level of pomp)
Meanwhile, back in Albany, Mayor Bloomberg is in town for the budget hearing on local governments. That starts at 9:30am.
And Governor Cuomo is also in Albany, with no public schedule.
Most expect President Obama’s State of the Union to be an unofficial kick off to his re-election campaign.
Roughly 200 members of Congress will continue the tradition of bipartisan seating today – which began in the wake of the attack on Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.
Mitt Romney gave the Wall Street Journal and some other financial publications a first look at his tax returns, showing that he made more than $21 million in 2010 and paid more than $3 million in taxes.
The tax returns also show that Romney recently closed a Swiss bank account and has other holdings in Bermuda and the Cayman Islands.
Newt Gingrich found himself the center of a barrage of attacks from Mitt Romney in last night’s debate.
During the debate Romney introduced an odd new phrase in the immigration debate, saying he favored “self deportation” or eliminating ways for illegals to get jobs, so they will go back home.
The Comptroller’s office reports that New York overtime payments jumped 4.5% last year to $469.1 million.
Upon hearing the news that Speaker Sheldon Silver thinks it is time to raise the legislators pay, the New York Post editorial board fired back saying “First, stop stealing” and suggested they should get a pay raise when they go 2 years in a row without a member being indicted.
The Senate’s 63rd district will likely stretch from Amsterdam to Kingston.
Rotterdam Assemblyman George Amedore is believed to be the likely candidate for that seat.
The UFT and NYSED both say they will start negotiations on teacher evaluations soon.
Bill Hammond comments on how silent education leaders were about teacher evaluations at yesterday’s budget hearing – calling it a “colossal let down.”
Governor Cuomo has replaced close friend Jeffrey Sachs on the Medicaid Redesign Team with Joseph Belluck – you may remember Cuomo was heavily criticized for putting Sachs on the board last year.
ICYMI: Stephen Colbert suspends his exploratory campaign to be President of the United States of America of South Carolina – but now he has his Super PAC back.
| The Colbert Report | Mon – Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c | |||
| Indecision 2012 – Herman Cain’s Bitter-Sweet South Carolina Victory | ||||
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Education Advocates Make Case For More Funding
Jan 23rd - 9:00 pm
The state budget increases education funding by 4%, but many advocates say that is still a lot less than it should be – especially for poorer school districts. Alliance for Quality Education Advocacy Director Zakiyah Ansari and NYS School Boards Association Executive Director Tim Kremer discuss.
Gary Johnson Discusses Presidential Bid
Jan 23rd - 9:00 pm
Former Republican New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson is seeking the Libertarian Party’s nomination for president, running on a platform supporting same-sex marriage, the legalization of marijuana, and ending our wars overseas.
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