Karen DeWitt

The leader of the Senate Republicans, offering his first real criticism of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s budget, said the spending plan leaves too much unfinished and could result in a month-long delay in the process.

Governor Andrew Cuomo is set to release his state budget Tuesday, and it is likely to contain some deep spending cuts. But now Cuomo says the budgeting is more complicated than he’d thought.

Albany, NY —

Tensions erupted in the New York State Senate this week as Democratic senators complained over the placement of their chairs, the hours that they were to meet in session, and whether the newly empowered GOP was trying to “grab” more power.

New York State has a new health commissioner. Dr. Nirav Shah, who ran a rural health system in Pennsylvania, said his first task is to preside over the organization of the state’s most expensive in the nation Medicaid system.

Governor Andrew Cuomo is at the highest point of popularity since he first held political office four years ago. But the governor's standing could decline when he releases his budget plan in less than two weeks.

Governor Andrew Cuomo’s panel on mandate relief, one of three teams he's set up to foster ideas to lower the cost of government, gathered in Albany as Senators proposed ideas to low...

A business and real estate group that has been running promotional ads for Governor Andrew Cuomo will now register as a lobbying group with the state’s ethics panel, after questions were raised about some of their activities.

Governor Cuomo’s panel to revamp the state’s health care system held it’s first meeting Thursday, and it featured some stern talk from the panel’s co-chair.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo is expected use Wednesday's State of the State address to detail how he plans to tackle New York's fiscal crisis. Cuomo said he would use the address as a forum to...

Andrew Cuomo officially became New York’s new governor at 12:01 a.m. this morning. Cuomo took the oath of office, surrounded by family and friends, just after 10 p.m. New Year’s Eve.

Albany, NY —

When Andrew Cuomo becomes governor Saturday, he faces a formidable challenge of closing the multibillion dollar budget gap. And already, he’s upped the ante by promising to freeze spending and taxes.

The state’s highest court ruled in the final disputed State Senate race and the decision means Republicans will once again control the Senate in January.

Governor David Paterson has been fined $62,125 by the state’s ethics panel, which accused him of illegally soliciting free tickets to a Yankees World Series game for himself, his son, his sons’s friend and two aides, then lying about it in a cover up.

Albany, NY —

Republicans are poised to take over the State Senate again after a brief two-year hiatus, and GOP leaders are determined to do things differently this time.

Albany, NY —

New York’s departing Lieutenant Governor Richard Ravitch gave a blunt assessment of his term in office Thursday. Speaking at a Rockefeller Institute forum, Ravitch said he didn’t feel like he accomplished very much during his time serving under Governor David Paterson.

A bill to bail out New York City’s Off Track Betting parlors was defeated in the State Senate, leaving New York’s racing industry in “turmoil,” said the chair of the OTB board, Larry Schwartz. He is pulling the plug on the operation at midnight Tuesday.

Albany, NY —

The New York State Senate is returning to the Capitol for another special session on Tuesday. They are hoping to approve a bill to bail out New York City’s bankrupt Off-Track Betting Corporation, but some senators say the rest of the state needs to be included as well.

New York Governor David Paterson is taking time these days to reflect on his unexpected turn at the helm of New York’s government. He took the post abruptly in March 2008 when Eli...

Albany, NY —

The New York State Legislature met in a special session called by Governor David Paterson, but failed to act on the governor's bills to close the latest $315 million budget gap.

Albany, NY —

New York State’s already grim budget picture could be made even worse by some changes at the federal level and the new Congress. The state has at least a $10 billion structural deficit, and the current governor’s budget director predicts that some state services will have to end altogether if trends continue.