By Colin Campbell 3/22 2:57pm

Misfire

Mayor Michael Bloomberg (Photo: Getty)

Bloomberg Says ‘Rush to Legislate’ Created Flaws in Cuomo Gun Law

When Governor Andrew Cuomo quickly passed tough new gun control measures in January, he faced a raft of criticism for skipping the standard deliberative period and allegedly ignoring the more minute legislative details. The criticism recently found new substance with the bill’s apparently unworkable 7-bullet magazine requirement, which Albany is now working to reverse. And, on his weekly radio show with John Gambling, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said that “one criticism” may indeed have merit.

“This is true of a lot of things,” Mr. Bloomberg said after accusing an unrelated City Council bill of having unintended side-effects. “You asked before about the magazines in Albany. We just got to start to thinking a little bit more about the implications of things before we rush to legislate and rush to legislate everything.” Read More

By Colin Campbell 5/22/12 6:03pm

State Senate

Eric Ulrich (Photo: Facebook)

Breaking Ranks, Eric Ulrich Endorses Minimum Wage Hike

Queens Councilman Eric Ulrich, currently a candidate for the State Senate against Joe Addabbo, announced he supports legislation to increase New York State’s minimum wage to $8.50 this evening. The move places him on the opposite side of the issue than Majority Leader Dean Skelos and the Republican conference, who steadfastly oppose the legislation.

“People are hurting in Queens and the current minimum wage simply isn’t enough to make ends meet for families here,” Mr. Ulrich said in a statement. “Single parent households are especially hit hard by the rising cost of living in New York. The bottom line is that there simply aren’t enough hours in the week at $7.25 per hour to pay the rent or mortgage and to buy the basic household items they need. I have listened to both sides of this argument, but one truth resonates more than any other: If we don’t take this action, too many families are going to go under.” Read More

By Colin Campbell 4/18/12 2:05pm

third parties

Green Party logo (Photo: Twitter)

Green Party Candidates File for Many New York Congressional Races

With the Green Party clearing the threshold of 50,000 votes in the 2010 gubernatorial election, they secured automatic ballot access through 2014, and judging from who’s filed petitions to be on the ballot in congressional races this year in New York City and the rest of the state, it seems they’re intending to take full advantage of the situation.

And, unlike the Conservative, Independence, and Working Families parties, which almost always endorse Democratic or Republican candidates, the Green Party is running their own slate of candidates, potentially impacting close races by siphoning liberal votes away from the Democrats. Read More

By Colin Campbell 3/15/12 1:53pm

reform?

redistricting

Grading the Redistricting Amendment

Professor Gerry Benjamin, an expert on the mechanisms of government at State University of New York at New Paltz, was asked by Citizens’ Committee for an Effective Constitution to take a look at Governor Andrew Cuomo and the Legislature’s much-touted redistricting amendment and grade it point-by-point against what a truly independent amendment would look like.

Unsurprisingly, he found it wanting. He gave the amendment a ‘C-’ overall on an ‘A’ through ‘F’ scale. Read More

By Colin Campbell 3/15/12 11:41am

crystal clear

New York City Commemorates 10th Anniversary Of 9-11 Terror Attacks

Cuomo Warns of Becoming ‘Overly Fixated’ With Transparency

On The Capitol Pressroom this morning, the host, Susan Arbetter, pressed Governor Andrew Cuomo on whether he values the end product of legislation is more important than having a democratic and open process when passing it. Mr. Cuomo, who worked with the Legislature to pass a massive set of bills while you were probably asleep last night, said he wasn’t especially worried about the issue.

“The issue of transparency always comes up in Albany,” Mr. Cuomo admitted. ”It’s true, you can always have more transparency. On the other hand, I think you can become overly fixated with observing … process with no product.” Read More

By Colin Campbell 3/15/12 7:59am

the big ugly

Senator Sampson's new district contains an odd attachment in its lower southeastern portion: Democratic State Senate candidate Lew Fidler's house.

And Here It Is: Cuomo Hails Redistricting Deal

In the wee hours of the morning, Governor Andrew Cuomo blasted out a statement touting two of the three aspects of his redistricting compromise: a constitutional amendment providing a commission to draw districts the in the future and a statue to implement the amendment as ordinary law if the Legislature doesn’t follow through with its promise to pass the amendment in the subsequent legislative session.

(Left unsaid are the “less hyper-political” lines standard he previously presented as a condition of his support.)

“This agreement will permanently reform the redistricting process in New York to once and for all end self-interested and partisan gerrymandering,” Governor Cuomo said in the release. Read More

By Colin Campbell 2/13/12 2:49pm

Road Warrior

Governor Cuomo (Photo: Getty)

Cuomo Applauds Texting-While-Driving Crackdown

Governor Andrew Cuomo approvingly announced today that more and more New Yorkers are getting the book thrown at them for driving under the influence … the influence of Twitter and text messages, that is.

As a result of a new strict New York law banning the practice, since July, almost 119,000 motorists have been ticketed for using handheld devices while on the road.

“Texting while driving is illegal and endangers the lives of New Yorkers across the state,” Governor Cuomo said in a statement. “These tickets should send a resounding message to all drivers: keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel. I thank the State Police and local law enforcement for their dedication to ensuring the safety of the people of the state of New York.” Read More

By Hunter Walker 1:06pm

Cries For Help

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman (Getty)

New York Attorney General Begs Senators to Oppose Gun Bill

New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman asked top Senators to help defeat a bill that he said would compromise his ability to fight crime. Mr. Schneiderman wrote a letter to Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell in which he urged them “to oppose the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act” because it would increase violence and make it easier for gun traffickers to do business in the Empire State. Read More