Karen DeWitt

Lawmakers finally completed the over-four-months-late state budget on Tuesday evening.

New York state lawmakers finally completed the over-four-months-late state budget on Tuesday evening. The State Senate approved the revenue portion of the budget, making it one of the latest budgets in New York State history.

Gov. David Paterson says he and his staff will being working “immediately” on layoff plans for state workers since New York is running out of cash.

Gov. David Paterson says he and his staff will being working “immediately” on layoff plans for state workers since New York is running out of cash.

New York Gov. David Paterson’s budget director says a layoff plan for state workers may be drawn up as early as August, and numbers will depend on the results of an early retirement plan.

New York Gov. David Paterson is once again threatening to call lawmakers into a special session, to finish the state budget, which is now 15 weeks late, and other unresolved issues.

Albany, NY —

Gov. David Paterson’s budget director says a layoff plan for state workers may be drawn up as early as August, and numbers will depend on the results of an early retirement plan.

Albany, NY —

Gov. David Paterson is once again threatening to call lawmakers into a special session, to finish the state budget, which is now 15 weeks late, and other unresolved issues.

Albany, NY —

This week, two significant events occurred in the New York governor’s race: Campaign contribution filings were due and frontrunner Andrew Cuomo began an RV tour that he says will take him to all 62 counties before he’s through. In both cases, Cuomo got most of the attention.

Albany, NY —

New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli says the state budget is based on shaky fiscal assumptions and warns of yet another midyear deficit if corrections aren’t made. The state budget, more than three months late, is also causing some political fallout, as revealed in a new poll.

Albany, NY —

The three-year-old Troopergate scandal may finally be over. The state’s Commission on Public Integrity confirms that one of the last actors in the controversy, Darren Dopp, has now paid a $10,000 fine for violating the state code of ethics.

Dopp, who was the communications director for former Gov. Eliot Spitzer, paid the $10,000 fine earlier this week, after he lost a court challenge against the Commission on Public Integrity’s ruling.

Commission spokesman Walter Ayres confirms that the check has been received, and that the investigation of whether Spitzer and his aides used the state police to recreate travel records of former Senate Leader Joe Bruno is now over.

“He came to our offices on Monday and hand-delivered a check for $10,000,” said Ayres.

Dopp has maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings, and says he did nothing wrong. Spitzer, who was never charged in the scandal, will be starting a new primetime cable program on CNN soon.

Gov. David Paterson has proposed a new revenue bill that would close the state’s budget gap, but he says the legislature is refusing to accept the measures.

Gov. David Paterson has proposed a new revenue bill that would close the state’s budget gap, but he says the legislature is refusing to accept the measures.

The New York state Comptroller says the New York Racing Association (NYRA) is once again facing insolvency early next year if a contract to expand gambling at the Aqueduct Race Track is not settled soon.

New York, NY —

New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli says the New York Racing Association (NYRA) will once again face insolvency early next year if a contract to expand gambling at the Aqueduct Race Track is not settled soon.

“NYRA is on very shaky financial ground,” said DiNapoli. “And ...

New York, NY —

Comptroller Tom DiNapoli says the New York Racing Association is once again facing possible insolvency, if a contract to expand gambling at the Aqueduct race track is not settled soon.

DiNapoli says he’s placing a team of auditors to monitor day to day transactions at the ...

The New York state legislature is on hiatus for at least a couple of weeks, and the state budget remains unfinished.

New York, NY —

The New York state legislature is on hiatus for at least a couple of weeks, and the state budget remains unfinished. But according to Republicans in the legislature, there is something else the Democrats who control both houses failed to do. The G.O.P. says the ...

Albany, NY —

Gov. David Paterson has less than six months left in office in a term that expires on December 31, and he has been making the most of his time left in power, forcing the state legislature to enact most of his budget, and vetoing out the parts he doesn’t like.

Paterson, who took over for the disgraced Eliot Spitzer in March 2008, had a rocky first two years as governor. He was plagued by scandals, and seemed to change his mind frequently, as well as his political tactics.

Lately, Paterson has been more resolute and has even pioneered new powers for a New York governor.

Governor Paterson says he's not negotiating as he delivers vetoes to the legislature on Wednesday.