Bob Hennelly

New York, NY —

While New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine is in Europe, top democratic legislative leaders are suggesting major changes to his plan to cut state debt with hefty toll hikes.

Acting governor and Senate President Richard Codey says any toll hike has to include a major discount for ...

New York, NY —

Hiring hundreds of new teachers may have to wait and the whole municipal workforce has to do more with less. And, don't spend what you think you might get in property tax relief just yet.

The mayor's budget workbook had just 3 charts to layout the ...

New York, NY —

Today, it's Mayor Bloomberg's turn to lay out his budget. WNYC's Bob Hennelly has more on what's becoming an especially challenging year.

Even before Governor Spitzer introduced his spending plan this week, the city's Independent Budget Office predicted an economic slowdown would mean the Bloomberg administration ...

New York, NY —

REPORTER: The Department of Education is abusing its power to suspend thousands of children.

That's what student advocates and civil liberty groups told a City Council panel yesterday.

Committees on Education and Civil Rights are looking into charges that the DOE resorts too quickly to suspension and ...

New York, NY —

The head of the city council, Speaker Christine Quinn, says she's troubled by Governor Spitzer's proposed budget, saying it short-changes the city.

QUINN: The state budget could leave city potentially with at least 300 million if not more less than what we had expected. Particularly troubling ...

New York, NY —

ELLIOT SPITZER: And just to give you a sense that we are not in this budget predicament alone California on about a $140 billion budget I believe they have a deficit of about $14.5 billion or close to 14 percent. And so our budget of ...

New York, NY —

Governor Spitzer and Mayor Bloomberg both plan to unveil their budgets this week. Both must address an unstable economy.

Wall Street's recent gyrations are a real headache for both city and state budget makers because both City Hall and Albany rely heavily on the stock market ...

New York, NY —

It sounds like he was participating in a presidential debate, but Mayor Bloomberg was giving his seventh state of the city address. He spoke out in support of immigrants, and touted the city’s efforts to fight illegal guns. He also proposed extending property tax rebates ...

New York, NY —

Mayor Bloomberg plans to keep some popular tax breaks in next year's budget. WNYC's Bob Hennelly has more.

The economic forecast may be grim, but Mayor Michael Bloomberg still hopes to deliver a 7% property tax cut across the board, for the 2nd consecutive year.

The mayor ...

New York, NY —

In his State of the City address today, Mayor Bloomberg pledged to cut property taxes by 7 percent for the second year in a row. WNYC's Bob Hennelly has more.

Mayor Bloomberg came to Queens to give the annual address. His commitment to another round of ...

New York, NY —

REPORTER: This comes after the 2006 death of a Bronx teen in a residential juvenile facility that raised questions as to how the state deals with its young offenders.

Gladys Carrion is the commissioner of the state's Office of Children and Family Services.

She says the overhaul ...

New York, NY —

New Jersey Governor Corzine has hit the road to sell voters on his plan to raise highway tolls. Corzine kicked off his 21-county tour with a public hearing in Livingston Saturday. WNYC's Bob Hennelly was there:.

REPORTER: The crowd of 900 spilled out of the high ...

New York, NY —

In Virginia, the "Draft Bloomberg" vehicle is an existing party - the Independent Greens.

That effort is led by Carey Campbell, an accountant who says he's paying $1,000 a week out of his pocket to pay for a full-time professional petitioner to travel the state to ...

New York, NY —

In yesterday's State of the State address, Governor Spitzer also attempted to extend a bi-partisan olive branch. WNYC's Bob Hennelly was there.

The centerpiece of Governor Spitzer's agenda is an ambitious plan to revitalize the entire state higher education system to help grow its slowing economy.

The ...

New York, NY —

New Jersey's Governor Jon Corzine got a thumbs-up from his legislative democratic leadership for his ambitious plan to reduce the states multi-billion dollar debt, and fund infrastructure rehab. Now he has to sell it to the voters. WNYC's Bob Hennelly has more on the plan.

First ...

New York, NY —

Governor Corzine is facing some stiff opposition in the New Jersey Legislature to his plan to hike highway tolls 50 percent, starting in 20-10, as a way to tackle the state's chronic budget problems.

REPORTER: Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean Jr. calls it "the brashest gimmick ...

New York, NY —

Governor Corzine will use his State of the State address, later today, to deliver on his pledge to come up with a way to reduce the state's rapidly rising debt. WNYC's Bob Hennelly reports.

REPORTER: Motorists may not be pleased with the plan. Governor Corzine will ...

New York, NY —

New Jersey's presidential Primary is more than a month away, but voters will be able to cast their ballots weeks in advance, thanks to a new law. WNYC's Bob Hennelly explains.

It's called the no-excuse absentee ballot and you can cast one just as soon as ...

New York, NY —

With just a few days left before the end of New Jersey's current legislative session, Governor Corzine is still optimistic he can win approval for his school funding reform plan. WNYC's Bob Hennelly has this update.

REPORTER: Governor Corzine's plan to re-invent how the state funds ...