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Politics
Hochul's Favorability Rating Negative For First Time; Strong Majority Says 'Hard Working': Poll Hochul's Favorability Rating Negative For First Time; Strong Majority Says 'Hard Working': Poll
Hochul's Favorability Rating Negative For First Time; Strong Majority Says 'Hard Working': Poll For the first time since taking office, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s favorability rating is in the negative, new polling finds. Among registered voters, 45 percent hold an unfavorable view of the 64-year-old Democrat, compared to 40 percent who view her favorability, according to a newly-released Siena College poll. In March 2023, voters were split evenly 43 to 43 percent. Hochul’s job approval rating also appears to have taken a hit, sliding to 50-44 percent from 52-41 percent in March, according to pollsters. A strong majority, 58 to 20 percent, think she is hard-working, and a plurali…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Will You Get One? 1.75 Million NYers Will Receive Checks Averaging $270 Will You Get One? 1.75 Million NYers Will Receive Checks Averaging $270
Will You Get One? 1.75 Million NYers Will Receive Checks Averaging $270 New Yorkers may want to keep an eye on their mailbox in the coming weeks as the state gears up to send out relief checks to low income families aimed at combating inflation and improving affordability. The New York Department of Taxation and Finance will soon begin sending out checks with an average payment of $270 per eligible recipient to those who received the Empire State Child Credit and/or the Earned Income Credit on their 2021 state tax returns. Checks will be mailed automatically and recipients don’t need to do anything in order to receive them, the department said. The exact amou…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Cuomo Makes Latest Push For Legalized Marijuana In New York Cuomo Makes Latest Push For Legalized Marijuana In New York
Cuomo Makes Latest Push For Legalized Marijuana In New York With just a week until the state budget is due and New York facing an unprecedented budget shortfall due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Andrew Cuomo renewed his calls for legalized marijuana. In speaking about the state’s spending plan, which is due on Thursday, April 1, Cuomo called legalizing cannabis his “top priority in the budget,” noting that the deal is nearly done, though they haven’t punched through the goal line. Cuomo made note that the state has been attempting to legalize cannabis for three years, though it failed every year. “We’re close, but we’ve been close three times befo…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Move To Scale Back New York's Hotly Contested Cash Bail System Added To State Budget Move To Scale Back New York's Hotly Contested Cash Bail System Added To State Budget
Move To Scale Back New York's Hotly Contested Cash Bail System Added To State Budget New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and state lawmakers are scaling back the state’s cash bail system that has angered law enforcement officials since the measures took effect at the start of the year. An agreement was struck that added a number of new misdemeanor and felony crimes to the long list of those subject to a cash bail order. The lawmakers are expected to approve the measure on Thursday, April 2 as part of the state budget. The previous bail reforms went into effect in January, which no longer permitted judges to demand cash bail for non-violent misdemeanor crimes, no exceptions. Bail cou…

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by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
Marijuana Could Be Legalized In New York Within Weeks Marijuana Could Be Legalized In New York Within Weeks
Marijuana Could Be Legalized In New York Within Weeks New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is making the rounds as he prepares for the legalization of marijuana in the Empire State. Cuomo announced he would be taking trips to California, Colorado, Illinois and Massachusetts, all states where cannabis is legal for recreational use, to educate himself as he pushes for legalization. The governor said he will meet with officials in those states to discuss what worked and what didn’t work during the lead up to the legalization of marijuana.  Cuomo has previously stated he wants legalization passed by state officials before April 1, when the state budge…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Cuomo Gets Big Pay Raise In Special Midnight Resolution By State Legislature Cuomo Gets Big Pay Raise In Special Midnight Resolution By State Legislature
Cuomo Gets Big Pay Raise In Special Midnight Resolution By State Legislature New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and members of his administration are set to get a pay bump as part of an overnight vote made by state lawmakers early on Monday morning, April 1. Cuomo’s salary will be raised to $200,000 this year under a midnight resolution approved by the Legislature, an increase from the $179,000 salary governor’s in New York have received for two decades. The new measures will call for the governor’s salary to increase to $225,000 in 2020 and then to $250,000 in 2021, which would make Cuomo the highest paid governor in the country. The new pay rates were approved at approxim…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Dems Clash: Three Female Lawmakers Slam Secretive Fundraiser, Sparking Spat With Cuomo Aides Dems Clash: Three Female Lawmakers Slam Secretive Fundraiser, Sparking Spat With Cuomo Aides
Dems Clash: Three Female Lawmakers Slam Secretive Fundraiser, Sparking Spat With Cuomo Aides Suspicious and secretive fundraising efforts have led to infighting between Democratic state lawmakers, with three women accusing New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo of hypocrisy and pay-to-play tactics, according to a new report. The New York Times reported earlier this week that Cuomo was the guest of honor at a secretive rooftop fundraiser, where the minimum donation was $25,000. The fundraiser came weeks before the state’s April 1 budget deadline, and was filled with lobbyists looking to further their own interests, the report stated. Earlier story: Secretive $25K Per Plate Rooftop Cuomo F…

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by Zak Failla
Business
NY Nears Statewide Ban On Plastic Bags NY Nears Statewide Ban On Plastic Bags
NY Nears Statewide Ban On Plastic Bags For those of you still holding hopes using plastic bags, the budget vote by state lawmakers may be the end of those pesky bags for good. Lawmakers have until Sunday to come together on a final budget for the new fiscal year which begins Monday, April 1 and a state-wide ban on the bags is pretty much a done deal. The legislation which bans use on all single-use plastic bags will most likely be married to a 5-cent fee on paper bags. While work is still being done on the proposed ban, some sticking points include exempting food stamp recipients and low-income residents from hav…

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by Kathy Reakes
Schools
New State Budget Includes $1B For Schools In 2018-19, And Some Aid 'Losers' New State Budget Includes $1B For Schools In 2018-19, And Some Aid 'Losers'
New State Budget Includes $1B For Schools In 2018-19, And Some Aid 'Losers' The new state budget for 2018-19 includes about $1 billion in extra funding for public schools, but not all area school districts are winners. In fact, several are big losers of state taxpayer assistance according to this database published by the Poughkeepsie Journal. The state budget's $1 billion increase in school aid brings the total to a record $26.7 billion statewide. In Westchester, Briarcliff Manor found itself losing nearly 8 percent in state aid compared to the current school year. Other Westchester "losers" include Pleasantville, Valhalla, Katonah-Lewisboro and North Sa…

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by Jon Craig
Politics
Gov. Cuomo Unveils State Budget Gov. Cuomo Unveils State Budget
Gov. Cuomo Unveils State Budget New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo unveiled his $168 billion 2018-2019 budget to lawmakers on Tuesday. Cuomo's budget includes a three-percent increase in funding for schools and a one-percent increase in funding for higher education. The budget also increases funding for capital projects by 14 percent and health care by three-percent. The budget also reduces spending on transportation, community colleges, mental hygiene and state agencies. State aid to municipalities and counties will be frozen.  The governor said his office is still working on a plan to combat the new federal tax reform bill tha…

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by Sam Barron