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<channel>
	<title>The Wonkster</title>
	<atom:link href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster</link>
	<description>A blog about the views and spews of editorialists, bloggers and other unsavory opinionated New Yorkers.</description>
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		<title>Cuomo Gets His Pick on JCOPE</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/02/02/cuomo-gets-his-pick-on-jcope/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/02/02/cuomo-gets-his-pick-on-jcope/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:32:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>David King</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eye on Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Biben]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Citizens Union]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CPI]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cuomo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[JCOPE]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=10506</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Inspector General Ellen Biben has been tapped by JCOPE to serve as its executive director. As reported by Liz Benjamin at State of Politics, and Jacob Gershman at the Wall Street Journal, the Cuomo administration has been pushing hard to have Biben named to the position. It is unclear whether she will step down from [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Inspector General Ellen Biben has been tapped by JCOPE to serve as its executive director. As reported by Liz Benjamin at <a href="http://www.capitaltonight.com/2012/02/source-cuomo-admin-campaigned-for-biben-to-run-jcope/">State of Politics</a>, and Jacob Gershman at the <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/metropolis/2012/02/02/close-cuomo-ally-tapped-for-state-ethics-body/?mod=WSJBlog&amp;mod=WSJ_NY_NY_Blog">Wall Street Journal</a>, the Cuomo administration has been pushing hard to have Biben named to the position. It is unclear whether she will step down from her position as IG to take the gig but she has accepted it. While Biben is a respected prosecutor, her ties to Cuomo are thick and there is a growing concern among legislators that Cuomo will effectively have control of JCOPE, just as Gov. Eliot Spitzer did over the CPI during Troopergate.</p>
<p>Benjamin writes: &#8220;The selection of Biben raises questions about the ability of JCOPE to be independent. The commission may find itself in the position of investigating the governor – its predecessor, the Public Integrity Commission, had to probe both Gov. Eliot Spitzer (for Troopergate), and Gov. David Paterson (for the Yankees ticket scandal and the David Johnson domestic violence mess) – and also has, for the first time, the power to investigate legislators.&#8221;</p>
<p>Good government groups The League of Women voters and Citizens Union have endorsed Biben. Citizens Union, which is the sister organization of the Citizens Union Foundation that publishes Gotham Gazette, has been very supportive of most of Cuomo&#8217;s moves regarding ethics and the tangled push for redistricting reform. Here is their statement:</p>
<p>&#8220;Citizens Union commends the appointment of New York State&#8217;s Inspector General Ellen N. Biben as Executive Director of the New York State Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE), the new state ethics body having joint jurisdiction over both the legislative and the executive branches. Ms. Biben is an experienced prosecutor who, prior to becoming Inspector General, served in positions that have prepared her well to assume this post. She has the requisite experience and needed integrity to take on the enormous challenge of serving as this new ethics body&#8217;s first executive director. The task before her is especially important because of the need for this agency to succeed as an impartial panel charged with oversight and enforcement of our state&#8217;s new ethics law and the pressing need to restore the public&#8217;s faith in our government and elected officials.&#8221;</p>
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		<title>Judge Sets June 26 Primary</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/27/judge-sets-june-26-primary/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/27/judge-sets-june-26-primary/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:53:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>David King</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Demographics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eye on Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Law]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=10501</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If there wasn&#8217;t enough going on regarding redistricting this week the whole sordid affair got a kick in the pants thanks to U.S. District Court Judge Gary Sharpe who has ruled that unless that state takes legislative action all of New York&#8217;s future federal non-presidential primaries will be held on the fourth Tuesday of June. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>If there wasn&#8217;t enough going on regarding redistricting this week the whole sordid affair got a kick in the pants thanks to U.S. District Court Judge Gary Sharpe who has ruled that unless that state takes legislative action all of New York&#8217;s future federal non-presidential primaries will be held on the fourth Tuesday of June. Groups in favor of independent redistricting have been concerned for months that Gov. Andrew Cuomo might not want to veto LATFOR&#8217;s district lines because it could send things into chaos right before a possible Spring primary. That Spring primary is now a reality barring any action from the legislature. If the legislature does not act New York will have three primary dates: the June primary for House and Senate races, the April Republican Presidential Primary and the September Senate and Assembly Primary.</p>
<p>Sharpe wrote:</p>
<p>&#8220;Notwithstanding any current state law or administrative procedure to the contrary, New York shall conduct its 2012 non-presidential federal primary election on a date no later than 35 days prior to the 45-day advance deadline set by the MOVE Act for transmitting ballots to the State’s military and overseas voters, i.e., at least 80 days before the November 6, 2012 federal general election. In 2012, that date shall be June 26, 2012.</p>
<p>In subsequent even-numbered years, New York’s non-presidential federal primary date shall be the fourth Tuesday of June, unless and until New York enacts legislation resetting the non-presidential federal primary election for a date that complies fully with all UOCAVA requirements, and is approved by this court.&#8221;</p>
<div id="_mcePaste" style="position: absolute; left: -10000px; top: 0px; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;">Notwithstanding any current state law or administrative procedure to the contrary, New York shall conduct its 2012 non-presidential federal primary election on a date no later than 35 days prior to the 45-day advance deadline set by the MOVE Act for transmitting ballots to the State’s military and overseas voters, i.e., at least 80 days before the November 6, 2012 federal general election. In 2012, that date shall be June 26, 2012.</div>
<div id="_mcePaste" style="position: absolute; left: -10000px; top: 0px; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;">In subsequent even-numbered years, New York’s non-presidential federal primary date shall be the fourth Tuesday of June, unless and until New York enacts legislation resetting the non-presidential federal primary election for a date that complies fully with all UOCAVA requirements, and is approved by this court.</div>
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		<title>Williams Criticizes Bloomberg&#039;s Defense of Browne</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/27/williams-criticizes-bloombergs-defense-of-browne/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/27/williams-criticizes-bloombergs-defense-of-browne/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:52:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>David King</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[City Hall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Civil Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Crime & Safety]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jumaane Williams]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mayor Michael Bloomberg]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Paul Browne]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=10498</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#8220;There is no logical basis for Mayor Bloomberg&#8217;s defense of Deputy Commissioner Browne&#8217;s job performance. Based on the facts, he cannot have been both honest and competent in his handling of &#8220;The Third Jihad&#8221; and its aftermath. He lied to the public on multiple occasions and his actions deepened the divide between the NYPD and [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="_mcePaste" style="position: absolute; left: -10000px; top: 0px; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;">&#8220;There is no logical basis for Mayor Bloomberg&#8217;s defense of Deputy Commissioner Browne&#8217;s job performance. Based on the facts, he cannot have been both honest and competent in his handling of &#8220;The Third Jihad&#8221; and its aftermath. He lied to the public on multiple occasions and his actions deepened the divide between the NYPD and the New York City community, which harms our ability to best police and protect our city.</div>
<div id="_mcePaste" style="position: absolute; left: -10000px; top: 0px; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;">If this was the first error in judgment Deputy Commissioner Browne had made, it would be excusable. Sadly, it is not, and the public record shows this without dispute. In just the last six months, he has been caught in lies ranging from phantom punches and elbows to fake excuses about pepper spraying at Occupy Wall Street. There is even evidence that suggests that Deputy Commissioner Browne may have lied under oath about his involvement in a 2004 Critical Mass ride. You can have your doubts about whether any one of these incidents has been truly justified, but you cannot look at the entirety of his record and claim that the man in charge of public information hasn&#8217;t been engaged in a campaign of overt misinformation or complete incompetency. This behavior would not be accepted by any other city agency, and it certainly should not be accepted by the NYPD or the city&#8217;s taxpayers that afford him his six-figure salary.</div>
<div id="_mcePaste" style="position: absolute; left: -10000px; top: 0px; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;">Police accountability seems to be treated as a dirty term, if not a non-starter, for Mayor Bloomberg and Commissioner Kelly, but the calls from New Yorkers get more intense every day. If they will not recognize the problems festering within the NYPD, then we need an independent oversight committee and/or the intervention of the Justice Department to do it for them. The City Council must also use whatever resources it has at its disposal to get real answers. As chair of the Oversight and Investigations Committee, I am eager to be a part of that effort which is greatly needed and long overdue.&#8221;</div>
<p>Councilman Jumaane Williams is blasting Mayor Michael Bloomberg for his defense of New York Police Department Commissioner Paul Browne&#8217;s job performance following <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/25/nyregion/police-commissioner-kelly-helped-with-anti-islam-film-and-regrets-it.html">revelations about the Third Jihad anti-Muslim propaganda video</a> screened by the NYPD. Bloomberg described Browne as,  &#8221;honest and as competent as anybody in the business of representing the city and giving out information&#8221;.</p>
<p>Williams strongly disagrees with that assessment. He has called for Browne&#8217;s resignation and issued this statement:</p>
<p>&#8220;There is no logical basis for Mayor Bloomberg&#8217;s defense of Deputy Commissioner Browne&#8217;s job performance. Based on the facts, he cannot have been both honest and competent in his handling of &#8220;The Third Jihad&#8221; and its aftermath. He lied to the public on multiple occasions and his actions deepened the divide between the NYPD and the New York City community, which harms our ability to best police and protect our city.</p>
<p>If this was the first error in judgment Deputy Commissioner Browne had made, it would be excusable. Sadly, it is not, and the public record shows this without dispute. In just the last six months, he has been caught in lies ranging from phantom punches and elbows to fake excuses about pepper spraying at Occupy Wall Street. There is even evidence that suggests that Deputy Commissioner Browne may have lied under oath about his involvement in a 2004 Critical Mass ride. You can have your doubts about whether any one of these incidents has been truly justified, but you cannot look at the entirety of his record and claim that the man in charge of public information hasn&#8217;t been engaged in a campaign of overt misinformation or complete incompetency. This behavior would not be accepted by any other city agency, and it certainly should not be accepted by the NYPD or the city&#8217;s taxpayers that afford him his six-figure salary.<span id="more-10498"></span></p>
<p>Police accountability seems to be treated as a dirty term, if not a non-starter, for Mayor Bloomberg and Commissioner Kelly, but the calls from New Yorkers get more intense every day. If they will not recognize the problems festering within the NYPD, then we need an independent oversight committee and/or the intervention of the Justice Department to do it for them. The City Council must also use whatever resources it has at its disposal to get real answers. As chair of the Oversight and Investigations Committee, I am eager to be a part of that effort which is greatly needed and long overdue.&#8221;</p>
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		<title>McEneny:Cuomo Was the Hold up</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/27/mcenenycuomo-was-the-hold-up/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/27/mcenenycuomo-was-the-hold-up/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:21:39 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>David King</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Demographics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eye on Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[andrew cuomo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jack McEneny]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LATFOR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[redistricting]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=10496</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[LATFOR co chair Assemblyman Jack McEneny told Liz Benjamin of State of Politics last night that LATFOR delayed releasing its lines yesterday by the request of Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
You can get the full interview and event timeline over at State of Politics.
As Liz points out&#8211;Cuomo spoke to the press earlier in the day and insisted [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>LATFOR co chair Assemblyman Jack McEneny told Liz Benjamin of State of Politics last night that LATFOR delayed releasing its lines yesterday by the request of Gov. Andrew Cuomo.</p>
<p>You can get the full interview and event timeline over at <a href="http://http://www.capitaltonight.com/2012/01/mceneny-latfor-lines-delayed-at-cuomos-request/">State of Politics</a>.</p>
<p>As Liz points out&#8211;Cuomo spoke to the press earlier in the day and insisted he hand&#8217;t seen the lines and was not ready to comment. After the lines were released Cuomo&#8217;s spokesperson issued a <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/26/cuomo-would-veto-lines/">statement saying</a> that &#8220;At first glance,&#8221; the Governor would likely veto the lines.</p>
<p>Cuomo has seemingly done his best to avoid actually saying he will veto the lines this year.</p>
<p>Cuomo, when pressed, did state numerous times last year that he would veto unfair lines but he has yet to make a firm public statement this year&#8211;redistricting was absolutely absent from his delivered State of the State remarks. It looks like the back-room wrangling for more significant redistricting reform and a constitutional amendment will continue. Meanwhile the public will get a chance to weigh in on LATFOR&#8217;s lines at a series of public hearings. The first hearing will take place in Albany on Monday at 10:30 a.m., on Tuesday LATFOR will be in the Bronx and Wednesday in Brooklyn. Check out the <a href="http://www.latfor.state.ny.us/hearings/docs/20120125hrg_schedule.pdf">full schedule here</a>.</p>
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		<title>McEneny Defends LATFOR</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/26/mceneny-defends-latfor/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/26/mceneny-defends-latfor/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Jan 2012 22:09:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>David King</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Demographics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eye on Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gov. andrew cuomo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jack McEneny]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=10491</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Albany Assemblyman Jack McEneny, who also happens to co-chair LATFOR, issued a statement defending the maps issued today. Maps that the New York Public Interest Research Group called the most gerrymandered in recent history. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has said he would veto these lines if they stay as they are.
Here is McEneny&#8217;s statement:
&#8220;The Assembly plan [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Albany Assemblyman Jack McEneny, who also happens to co-chair LATFOR, issued a statement defending the maps issued today. Maps that the New York Public Interest Research Group called the most gerrymandered in recent history. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has said he <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/26/cuomo-would-veto-lines/">would veto these lines</a> if they stay as they are.</p>
<p>Here is McEneny&#8217;s statement:</p>
<p>&#8220;The Assembly plan released today by the Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment (LATFOR) is the culmination of a months-long process to reshape New York’s electoral map based on shifts in population that have occurred over the last decade. Our proposal is responsive to the many individuals across the state who offered oral or written testimony to the Task Force.<br />
<span id="more-10491"></span><br />
In particular, good government groups have asked that we make districts as nearly equal in population as practicable.  Toward that end we have drawn districts that have less disparity than is required by law and closer to equality than the current lines.  The proposed Assembly districts – with one exception, which was drawn to avoid crossing a county line – have a population deviation of less than four percent.   This is a plan which moves us more toward a key reform.</p>
<p>As part of the process, we took into consideration and incorporated many elements of proposals submitted in map form by numerous voting rights and good government groups, private citizens and public officials.  We are grateful to them all for helping us with this constitutionally mandated task and look forward to further interaction and suggestions as we make our way across the state a second time to receive more input.&#8221;</p>
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		<title>Cuomo Would Veto Lines</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/26/cuomo-would-veto-lines/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/26/cuomo-would-veto-lines/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:45:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>David King</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Demographics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eye on Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[andrew cuomo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Josh Vlasto]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=10489</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Gov. Andrew Cuomo&#8217;s spokesperson Josh Vlasto says that lines released by LATFOR today are unacceptable.
“At first glance, these lines are simply unacceptable and would be vetoed by the Governor. We need a better process and product.”
Earlier today Cuomo said he would let the process &#8220;play out&#8221; but apparently the Governor did not like something he [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Gov. Andrew Cuomo&#8217;s spokesperson Josh Vlasto says that lines released by LATFOR today are unacceptable.</p>
<p>“At first glance, these lines are simply unacceptable and would be vetoed by the Governor. We need a better process and product.”</p>
<p>Earlier today Cuomo said he would let the process &#8220;play out&#8221; but apparently the Governor did not like something he saw in these lines.</p>
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		<title>Dadey Responds to LATFOR&#039;s Maps</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/26/dadey-responds-to-latfors-maps/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/26/dadey-responds-to-latfors-maps/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:30:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>David King</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Demographics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eye on Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[andrew cuomo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Citizens Union]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dick dadey]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LATFOR]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=10487</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Dick Dadey, executive director of Citizens Union, says he still wants Gov. Andrew Cuomo to veto LATFOR&#8217;s district lines, &#8220;If fairer lines are not created for 2012  and there is no structural reform.&#8221; Gotham Gazette is published by Citizens Union Foundation the sister organization to Citizens Union. Senate Democrats were taken aback by Dadey&#8217;s recent [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Dick Dadey, executive director of Citizens Union, says he still wants Gov. Andrew Cuomo to veto LATFOR&#8217;s district lines, &#8220;If fairer lines are not created for 2012  and there is no structural reform.&#8221; Gotham Gazette is published by Citizens Union Foundation the sister organization to Citizens Union. Senate Democrats were taken aback by Dadey&#8217;s recent <a href="http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/109785/cus-dadey-a-veto-doesnt-get-us-reform/">interview with Jimmy Vielkind of the Times Union</a> where it seemed Dadey was giving Cuomo room not to veto the lines. Dadey told Vielkind: &#8220;“A veto is no guarantee that there will be fairer lines for 2012, and we wouldn’t get any structural reform,” he said. “We’ve always wanted the governor to use his veto threat to achieve reform, not to have these lines go into court. What does that get us at the end of the day? It doesn’t get us what we want — structural reform.”</p>
<p>Dadey told me: &#8220;I stand by what I said to Jimmy, but we expect if fairer lines are not created for 2012 and there is no structural reform the Governor should keep his veto promise. Citizens Union has always been about structural reform.&#8221;</p>
<p>The structural reform would likely be a constitutional amendment for the 2022 redistricting process. I asked Dadey if he would settle for one over the other&#8211;just improved 2012 lines or just structural reform and he had this to say:</p>
<p>&#8220;I cant imagine a scenario where we don’t get changes in 2012 and structural changes. They go hand in hand.&#8221;</p>
<p>Dadey made it clear that he is not happy with LATFOR&#8217;s proposed lines.</p>
<p>&#8220;What is clear is these maps are gerrymandered. That is what we get  when legislators are left to draw their own districts. It  makes the case of why we need permanent change and why the Governor should use his veto promise to get fair lines.&#8221;</p>
<p>Dadey said the Senate&#8217;s lines were particularly offensive.</p>
<p>&#8220;It is just abhorrent that somehow four Democratic incumbents are being forced into districts in interest of creating opportunity minority districts when nothing has changed on Long Island to create a minority opportunity district.&#8221;</p>
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		<title>UFO or 63rd Senate Seat?</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/26/ufo-or-63rd-senate-seat/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/26/ufo-or-63rd-senate-seat/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:09:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>David King</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Demographics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eye on Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bill Mahoney]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LATFOR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[redistricting]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=10483</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The 63rd Senate seat created by Senate Republicans looks uncannily to me like the evil Reaper spaceship from the popular Mass Effect video game series. It sweeps down from Montgomery County slices away half of Sen. Neil Breslin&#8217;s Albany County district, swallows Green County and its tentacles stab into the top of Ulster.
But I suppose [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The <a href="http://www.capitaltonight.com/2012/01/meet-the-new-senate-district/">63rd Senate seat</a> created by Senate Republicans looks uncannily to me like the <a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://images.wikia.com/masseffect/images/8/84/Sovereign_Codex_Image.jpg&amp;imgrefurl=http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Reaper&amp;h=343&amp;w=338&amp;sz=106&amp;tbnid=QZO9KyRQ_Akl4M:&amp;tbnh=96&amp;tbnw=95&amp;zoom=1&amp;docid=-mgmOyGTJ9LbEM&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ei=48AhT_GfM6ry0gG5uPjmCA&amp;ved=0CE0Q9QEwBA&amp;dur=357">evil Reaper spaceship</a> from the popular Mass Effect video game series. It sweeps down from Montgomery County slices away half of Sen. Neil Breslin&#8217;s Albany County district, swallows Green County and its tentacles stab into the top of Ulster.</p>
<p>But I suppose that is a rather insignificant observation when you look at what New York Public Interest Group&#8217;s Bill Mahoney has to say about the proposed maps as a whole.He says, the Senate&#8217;s maps are, &#8220;clearly the most gerrymandered lines in recent New York History.&#8221; He provided this statement and statistical breakdown to back up his claim. Check it out. <span id="more-10483"></span></p>
<p>Mahoney had this to say:</p>
<p>&#8220;There are several methods of measuring how representative of voters districts are.  The typical deviation from the ideal population is one of the few completely objective criteria that can be used.  While judging this set of proposed maps by this yardstick, the Senate’s maps are clearly the most gerrymandered lines in recent New York history.  The Assembly’s are slightly better than 2002’s final maps, but fall far short of providing mathematically equal representation.&#8221;</p>
<p>Senate: Districts 3% or further from ideal population:</p>
<p>1984: 0</p>
<p>1992: 0</p>
<p>2002: 19</p>
<p>2012: 50</p>
<p>Senate: Districts within 1% of ideal population (as proposed in Gov. Cuomo’s bill)</p>
<p>1984: 44 out of 61</p>
<p>1992: 47 out of 61</p>
<p>2002: 11 out of 62</p>
<p>2012: 3 out of 63</p>
<p>Assembly: Districts 3% or further from ideal population:</p>
<p>1984: 15</p>
<p>1992: 49</p>
<p>2002: 70</p>
<p>2012: 67</p>
<p>Assembly: Districts within 1% of ideal population:</p>
<p>1984: 92</p>
<p>1992: 46</p>
<p>2002: 18</p>
<p>2012: 26</p>
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		<title>LATFOR&#039;s Maps Are Out</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/26/latfors-maps-are-out/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/26/latfors-maps-are-out/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:18:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>David King</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Demographics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eye on Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[andrew cuomo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[George Amedore]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=10481</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[LATFOR has posted their proposed district lines for 2012. Both the Assembly and Senate maps are available here.
Senate Republicans have issued a statement defending their lines and the 63rd Senate District their maps create. Of the 63rd seat the statement says:
&#8221; The plan adds a 63rd Senate seat, as required by the formulas under  [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>LATFOR has posted their proposed district lines for 2012. Both the Assembly and Senate maps are available <a href="http://www.latfor.state.ny.us/maps/">here</a>.</p>
<p>Senate Republicans have issued a statement defending their lines and the 63rd Senate District their maps create. Of the 63rd seat the statement says:</p>
<p>&#8221; The plan adds a 63rd Senate seat, as required by the formulas under  Article III of the State Constitution.  That seat is located in the  Capital Region and Upper Hudson Valley, which experienced the largest  percentage increase of population growth in the state since the 2000  U.S. census.&#8221; This seat is the one that Assemblyman George Amedore is <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/26/waiting-on-the-lines/">expected to run for</a>.</p>
<p>The statement calls the process by which the lines were created, &#8221; open and transparent.&#8221;</p>
<p>Here is the full statement from Senate Republicans: <span id="more-10481"></span></p>
<p>The bipartisan Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment &#8211;co-chaired by Senator Michael F. Nozzolio and Assemblyman John J. McEneny  &#8211;  today released new Senate district lines, based on population shifts which occurred over the last ten years.</p>
<p>The Senate plan is fair, legal and protects minority voting interests.  It complies with the State Constitution, the U.S. Constitution, state and federal laws, and the Federal Voting Rights Act.</p>
<p>The new draft district lines are the result of an open and transparent process.  The boundaries were drafted after the Task Force coordinated 14 public hearings in every corner of the state, taking 55 hours of testimony from more than 375 witnesses.</p>
<p>The population of each Senate district fully complies with the requirements of the state constitution, including “town on border,” “block on border” and is well within the standard required by the U.S. Supreme Court.</p>
<p>The plan provides continuity by largely preserving the cores of existing districts.  In fact, the vast majority of new districts contain three-fourths or more of their old districts.</p>
<p>Consistent with the Voting Rights Act, the Senate plan protects minority representation by maintaining or strengthening every African American district in New York City &#8211; - despite the loss of nearly 100,000 African Americans since the last census.</p>
<p>The plan maintains Hispanic populations in currently represented Hispanic districts, and even increases the Hispanic population in a number of districts.</p>
<p>The Task Force maintains “communities of interest” together whenever possible, including consolidation of the Orthodox Jewish community into one Brooklyn Senate district rather than five Senate districts.  The Senate plan also includes a first-ever majority Asian-American Senate district anchored in Flushing, Queens.  The Task Force will also seek additional public input on uniting “communities of interest” in the coming weeks.</p>
<p>The plan adds a 63rd Senate seat, as required by the formulas under Article III of the State Constitution.  That seat is located in the Capital Region and Upper Hudson Valley, which experienced the largest percentage increase of population growth in the state since the 2000 U.S. census.</p>
<p>Nine additional public hearings will also take place, beginning on Monday, January 30 at 10:30 a.m. in Albany, in Hearing Room A on the second floor of the Legislative Office Building.</p>
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		<title>Waiting on The Lines</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/26/waiting-on-the-lines/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/26/waiting-on-the-lines/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:22:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>David King</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Demographics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eye on Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[andrew cuomo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bob Reilly]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[George Amedore]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jim Tedisco]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Liz Krueger]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Neil Breslin]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=10479</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[All week LATFOR members have told the press that they should expect the new district lines any day now. In fact Assemblyman Jack McEneny has given a time and date a few times only to have the lines not be made public. The most recent expectation is that the lines will be revealed at 2 [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>All week LATFOR members have told the press that they should expect the new district lines any day now. In fact Assemblyman Jack McEneny has given a time and date a few times only to have the lines not be made public. The most recent expectation is that the lines will be revealed at 2 p.m..</p>
<p>Assembly members reportedly were emailed their lines late last night. It is unclear when Senate Republicans will reveal their maps. Some details have leaked out and it looks like the maps could be majorly disruptive to a number of upstate incumbents including Sen. Neil Breslin,  Assemblymen Bob Reilly and Jim Tedisco. The Times Union <a href="http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/GOP-plans-63rd-district-2681707.php">reported</a> that Breslin&#8217;s district could be cut in half to create the 63rd Senate seat in an effort to allow Republican Assemblyman (and reality TV star) George Amedore to run for the Senate. Breslin <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/albany/20111226/204/3662">predicted to the Gazette</a> late last year that the lines would be decided in a court battle and that the Giants would win the Super Bowl.</p>
<p>The Republican announcement could be tied to negotiations with Gov. Andrew Cuomo about a constitutional amendment to institute non partisan redistricting for the next go around&#8211;in ten years.  One has to wonder if they have waited til Thursday to release the lines, why they wouldn&#8217;t just wait until Friday. Friday is always the preferred day to bury unpleasant news.</p>
<p>Sen. Liz Krueger is getting tired of waiting and wants to know what all the secrecy is about. She released this statement: &#8220;All this week we&#8217;ve seen leaks, rumors, and a tiny trickle of information, some good, some bad, and some very, very ugly. What the public hasn&#8217;t seen is the map, even though we all know it exists. Why the holdup? It&#8217;s deliberate. The Republicans have been keeping the public in the dark, trying to manage expectations instead of letting New Yorkers see what they&#8217;ve cooked up and judge it for what it is.&#8221;</p>
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		<title>Krueger Sees Good News For Seniors in Cuomo&#039;s Budget</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/20/krueger-sees-good-news-for-seniors-in-cuomos-budget/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/20/krueger-sees-good-news-for-seniors-in-cuomos-budget/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:05:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>David King</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eye on Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Services]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[andrew cuomo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Liz Krueger]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=10474</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Despite the cutbacks and trimming contained in Gov. Andrew Cuomo&#8217;s budget there are areas where some folks are finding happy surprises. Sen. Liz Krueger is particularly pleased that the Governor&#8217;s budget  maintains Title XX funding for senior centers at its current level and leaves other funding for senior programs untouched.
&#8220;Massive proposals cutting support for New [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Despite the cutbacks and trimming contained in Gov. Andrew Cuomo&#8217;s budget there are areas where some folks are finding happy surprises. Sen. Liz Krueger is particularly pleased that the Governor&#8217;s budget  maintains Title XX funding for senior centers at its current level and leaves other funding for senior programs untouched.</p>
<p>&#8220;Massive proposals cutting support for New York&#8217;s senior centers have become a grim tradition of the budget process in recent years. I applaud Gov. Cuomo for changing that this week. While I am still evaluating the full executive budget proposal, I am thrilled to see Gov. Cuomo&#8217;s plan maintains Title XX funding for senior centers at its current level and preserves a number of other important senior assistance programs,&#8221; said Krueger</p>
<p>&#8220;Despite the difficult economy, we cannot balance New York&#8217;s budget on the backs of the most vulnerable among us. Senior centers are a vital support for the older adults in our communities, and I applaud Gov. Cuomo&#8217;s action on this. Hopefully this marks the end of an ugly, annual tradition of threatening support for seniors.&#8221;</p>
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		<title>Cuomo: Carrots and Sticks for Schools</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/17/cuomo-carrots-and-sticks-for-schools/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/17/cuomo-carrots-and-sticks-for-schools/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:23:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gail Robinson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[City Hall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eye on Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Public Finance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work and Labor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[andrew cuomo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[board of regents]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gov. cuomo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[john king]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mayor Bloomberg]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[michael bloomerg]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[michael mulgrew]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ne york state department of education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[new york state budget]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[new york state united teachers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[state of the city]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[teacher evaluatin]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[united federation of teachers. race to the top]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=10468</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Two weeks after he signaled his intention to focus on education, Gov. Andrew Cuomo today filled in some of the details and inserted himself squarely in the dispute over teacher evaluation.
In his budget address Cuomo confirmed that, as announced previously, the state would up its aid to districts by 4.1 percent or $805 million next [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Two weeks after he <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/Education/20120117/6/3668">signaled his intention</a> to focus on education, Gov. Andrew Cuomo today filled in some of the details and inserted himself squarely in the dispute over teacher evaluation.</p>
<p>In his <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/17/budget-highlights-from-cuomos-office/">budget address</a> Cuomo confirmed that, as announced previously, the state would up its aid to districts by 4.1 percent or $805 million next year for a total of about $20 billion.</p>
<p>Unlike last budget year &#8212; when the governor cut spending across the board regardless of a district&#8217;s needs &#8212; the increase would be weighted toward higher needs areas. These parts of the state will receive 76 percent of the hike and 69 percent of all school aid, according to Cuomo&#8217;s  <a href="http://www.budget.state.ny.us/pubs/executive/eBudget1112/fy1112littlebook/BriefingBook.pdf">Budget Briefing Book</a>.This means New York City stands to gets almost $6.4 billion next year, an increase of 2.6 percent over the approximately $6.2 billion it is getting this year.</p>
<p>Districts also would be able to compete for some $200 million in special state grants, under a New York version of the federal <a href="http://www2.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop/index.html">Race to the Top</a> program.</p>
<p><strong>The Road to the Money</strong></p>
<p>But Cuomo put a big condition on all the additional money. To get it, districts will have to come up with a new evaluation system for teachers.</p>
<p>Details after the jump.<br />
<span id="more-10468"></span></p>
<p>Not a single district has yet implemented a new evaluation system as required under the state&#8217;s Race to the Top grant from the federal government, Cuomo said. The dispute has <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/york-state-faces-losing-1-billion-federal-education-funds-teacher-evaluation-issue-article-1.1006256?localLinksEnabled=false"> jeopardized</a> up to $1 billion in federal funding for New York schools.</p>
<p>Cuomo said the reason to change the way the state grades its teachers goes beyond financial considerations. &#8220;If we&#8217;re serious about education, we have no choice. This is the way to improve education,&#8221; he said.</p>
<p>Cuomo outlined a three-step plan to make a new evaluation system a reality.  First, he said, <a href="http://nyust.org">New York State United Teachers</a> and the state <a href="http://www.nysed.gov">Education Department</a> must end the legal wrangling over evaluations and agree to a new system incorporating observations, students achievement (test scores) and more. (The union successfully sued the state to halt such a plan last summer.)</p>
<p>If they can&#8217;t do it, Cuomo will propose a system.</p>
<p>The districts then will have until September to implement the state&#8217;s evaluation plan. Any that fail to do that will not qualify for the state&#8217;s competitive grants.</p>
<p>And finally &#8212; and this is huge &#8212; any districts that one year from today have not implemented a system will lose their chunk of the 4 percent increase in state education aid. This puts teacher evaluations smack in the middle of the state&#8217;s budget process.</p>
<p><strong>Bloomberg&#8217;s Bluster</strong></p>
<p>In pushing for his change, Cuomo picked up the mantle of the so-called reform movement that, he said, has shifted the country to a greater focus on students and their achievement (and, critics say, to an excessive reliance on test scores). He invoked both President Barack Obama and former President George W. Bush.  And he styled himself as a champion of kids. &#8220;This was not supposed to be about the adults. It was supposed to be about the children,&#8221; he said.</p>
<p>For all that, though, he did not single out teachers for criticism. In fact, he said, they &#8220;deserve the best evaluation system and help when they need it&#8221; as well as rewards and bonuses.</p>
<p>While that puts him at odds with the teachers union, it represents a very different tone from that used by Mayor Michael Bloomberg in his <a href="http://http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/searchlight/20120113/203/3667">State of the City speech</a> last week. Bloomberg then blamed teachers for the impasse over evaluations. In his comments on Cuomo&#8217;s speech today, he kept up that refrain.</p>
<p>&#8220;The governor has made it clear that he is determined to be a champion for our students – and that he will not allow the teachers union to drag its feet any longer on implementing new teacher evaluation systems across the state. I hope the [United Federation of Teachers] will not recklessly jeopardize hundreds of millions of dollars for our schools by insisting on endless obstacles to removing ineffective teachers from our classrooms,&#8221; Bloomberg said in a <a href="http://www.nyc.gov/portal/site/nycgov/menuitem.c0935b9a57bb4ef3daf2f1c701c789a0/index.jsp?pageID=mayor_press_release&amp;catID=1194&amp;doc_name=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nyc.gov%2Fhtml%2Fom%2Fhtml%2F2012a%2Fpr023-12.html&amp;cc=unused1978&amp;rc=1194&amp;ndi=1">statement</a>. He seemed not to notice that Cuomo had said he would not allow &#8220;adults&#8221; and the &#8220;bureaucracy&#8221; &#8212; not just the union &#8212; to drag their feet.</p>
<p>Michael Mulgrew, the president of the city&#8217;s teachers union, though clearly thinks he has spotted a bit of sunlight between Bloomberg and Cuomo. Earlier this week, Mulgrew <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/17/nyregion/cuomo-and-bloomberg-on-attack-on-teacher-evaluations.html">told the Times</a> that he has &#8220;“no disagreement with the governor over the evaluations,” and welcomes his involvement. As for Bloomberg, though, Mulgrew accused him of &#8220;political grandstanding.&#8221;</p>
<p>Mulgrew even has tried to enlist Cuomo as a kind of ally, <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2012/01/ny-statewide-teacher-evaluations-on-the-skids">saying</a>, according to the Daily News, that the governor&#8217;s proposal provides &#8220;all the more reason why Mayor Bloomberg and the Department of Education should come back to the negotiations they walked out on and work to resolve the remaining issues.”</p>
<p>Not surprisingly, in his speech Cuomo did address Bloomberg&#8217;s plan for the city to remove up to half the teachers from struggling schools &#8212; whether the union likes it or not and even if it costs the city millions of dollars. The state education department, which is independent of the governor , gets to rule on that, not Cuomo.</p>
<p>For his part the state education commissioner, John King, struck a conciliatory note with the union today saying in his <a href="http://statepolitics.lohudblogs.com/2012/01/17/education-commissioner-welcomes-cuomos-proposals-hopes-they-will-spur-negotiations/?utm_medium=twitter&amp;utm_source=twitterfeed">statement</a> that  the department and the union should use the next &#8220;30 days to have a healthy public debate on evaluations.&#8221; The department, he said, is ready to sit down and start talking.&#8221;</p>
<p>The city &#8212; justifiably or not &#8212; broke off its negotiations with the city teachers union on Dec. 30. At least officially, those discussion have not resumed.</p>
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		<title>Cuomo Raises BIG! Bigger Than Spitzer Big!</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/17/cuomo-raises-big-bigger-than-spitzer-big/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/17/cuomo-raises-big-bigger-than-spitzer-big/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:26:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>David King</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eye on Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[andrew cuomo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bill Mahoney]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Committee to Save New York]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=10465</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Bill Mahoney, New York Public Interest Research Group&#8217;s numbers guru has been churning through the most recent fundraising filings and boy has he come up with some interesting facts.
&#8220;Governor Cuomo has raised nearly twice as much in his first full year in office as former Governor Spitzer did,&#8221; Mahoney writes. (Bill&#8217;s cash raising comparison is [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Bill Mahoney, New York Public Interest Research Group&#8217;s numbers guru has been churning through the most recent fundraising filings and boy has he come up with some interesting facts.</p>
<p>&#8220;Governor Cuomo has raised nearly twice as much in his first full year in office as former Governor Spitzer did,&#8221; Mahoney writes. (Bill&#8217;s cash raising comparison is after the jump.)</p>
<p>Not only did Cuomo <a href="http://www.elections.ny.gov:8080/plsql_browser/getreports?filer_in=A31966&amp;fyear_in=2012&amp;rep_in=J">raise gigantic</a> but the Committee to Save New York, the group of business and real estate interests formed to back Cuomo&#8217;s policies has set records with their fundraising.</p>
<p>&#8220;New lobby filings indicate that the Committee to Save New York spent $2,130,792 in November and December.  This brings their annual total up to $11,898,400, the fifth highest total in modern New York history,&#8221; writes Mahoney</p>
<p><span id="more-10465"></span>Here is Mahoney&#8217;s comparison between Cuomo and Spitzer:</p>
<p>And look at the numbers:</p>
<p>Contributions:</p>
<p>$11,672,277.87 (Cuomo)</p>
<p>$6,654,015.73 (Spitzer)</p>
<p>Expenditures</p>
<p>$2,200,818.51 (Cuomo)</p>
<p>$9,306,019.90 (Spitzer)</p>
<p>$ In Bank, end of year</p>
<p>$2,914,522.06 (Spitzer)</p>
<p>$14,382,577.13 (Cuomo)</p>
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		<title>Anti-Frackers Encouraged By Cuomo Budget</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/17/anti-frackers-encouraged-by-cuomo-budget/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/17/anti-frackers-encouraged-by-cuomo-budget/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Jan 2012 20:46:29 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>David King</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Environment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eye on Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[andrew cuomo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hydraulic fracturing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hydrofracking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[water rangers]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=10463</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The New York State Water Rangers, a group of environmental organizations that oppose hydraulic fracturing, are encouraged that Gov. Andrew Cuomo did not include revenue from hydrofracking in his budget, or add money for increased staff to process fracking permits. Here is their statement:
&#8220;Governor Cuomo has clearly taken his foot off the gas pedal and [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The New York State Water Rangers, a group of environmental organizations that oppose hydraulic fracturing, are encouraged that Gov. Andrew Cuomo did not include revenue from hydrofracking in his budget, or add money for increased staff to process fracking permits. Here is their statement:</p>
<p>&#8220;Governor Cuomo has clearly taken his foot off the gas pedal and appears to be taking to heart the state’s obligation to conduct a thorough environmental review before deciding whether to proceed with industrial gas development by means of fracking in New York. By not including industry-exaggerated fracking revenue or ramping up agency staff to process drilling permits, the Governor&#8217;s budget proposal signals that he’s not rushing to judgment and is giving the Department of Environmental Conservation the time necessary to review and respond to the more than 40,000 comments the agency has received on the state&#8217;s fracking proposals.</p>
<p>The New York Water Rangers are encouraged by the executive budget proposal and Governor Cuomo&#8217;s recent statements on fracking, which demonstrate he&#8217;s adopted a more responsible approach to considering the issue.&#8221;</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Bloomberg and Quinn on Cuomo&#039;s Budget</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/17/bloomberg-and-quinn-on-cuomos-budget/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/17/bloomberg-and-quinn-on-cuomos-budget/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Jan 2012 20:40:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>David King</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[City Hall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eye on Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work and Labor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[andrew cuomo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christine Quinn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[michael bloomberg]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[NYS Budget]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=10461</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Council Speaker Christine Quinn have major praise for Gov. Andrew Cuomo&#8217;s 2012-2013 fiscal year budget. “This is the strongest state budget that New York City has seen in a long time. With this new budget, Governor Cuomo is establishing a stronger financial basis for a more vibrant and healthy New York,&#8221; [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Council Speaker Christine Quinn have major praise for Gov. Andrew Cuomo&#8217;s <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/17/budget-highlights-from-cuomos-office/">2012-2013 fiscal year budget</a>. “This is the strongest state budget that New York City has seen in a long time. With this new budget, Governor Cuomo is establishing a stronger financial basis for a more vibrant and healthy New York,&#8221; Quinn said in a statement.</p>
<p>“Governor Cuomo put forward a budget that demonstrates a bold commitment  to tackle some of the toughest challenges facing our great state. He  has my strong support,&#8221; said Bloomberg in a statement.</p>
<p>Bloomberg hasn&#8217;t had the smoothest relationship with Cuomo so far but the Mayor is especially pleased with Cuomo&#8217;s plans for mandate relief and pension reform.</p>
<p>“The Governor’s push for mandate relief and pension reform could save  the City billions in the long term,&#8221; Bloomberg&#8217;s statement continues. &#8220;New York City spends more than $8  billion annually – more than 12 percent of our budget – on pension  costs, more than we spend on the operating budgets for the Police, Fire  and Sanitation Departments combined. Without a new pension tier, which  will not diminish the retirement benefits of a single current employee,  taxpayers will continue to spend more and more on pension costs, leaving  less and less for public education, public safety, job creation,  affordable housing and other critical services.</p>
<p>Here are Quinn&#8217;s and Bloomberg&#8217;s full statements: <span id="more-10461"></span></p>
<p>Statement by Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn</p>
<p>“This is the strongest state budget that New York City has seen in a long time. With this new budget, Governor Cuomo is establishing a stronger financial basis for a more vibrant and healthy New York. By appropriately reducing spending, the Governor is reforming the way state government allocates taxpayer dollars. I strongly commend Governor Cuomo for this budget. I am confident that working with the Governor and the State Legislature, we can ensure New York&#8217;s prosperous future.”</p>
<p>STATEMENT OF MAYOR MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG ON GOVERNOR CUOMO’S BUDGET ADDRESS</p>
<p>“Governor Cuomo put forward a budget that demonstrates a bold commitment to tackle some of the toughest challenges facing our great state. He has my strong support.</p>
<p>“The Governor’s push for mandate relief and pension reform could save the City billions in the long term. New York City spends more than $8 billion annually – more than 12 percent of our budget – on pension costs, more than we spend on the operating budgets for the Police, Fire and Sanitation Departments combined. Without a new pension tier, which will not diminish the retirement benefits of a single current employee, taxpayers will continue to spend more and more on pension costs, leaving less and less for public education, public safety, job creation, affordable housing and other critical services. Further, the Governor’s budget will reduce onerous local Medicaid costs by limiting – and then eliminating – the rate of growth in the City’s Medicaid bills in the years to come.</p>
<p>“Governor Cuomo also has proposed two important justice system reforms we have been seeking: a sweeping, progressive reform of our juvenile justice system and the expansion of DNA collection. Our administrations have worked closely together to forge an agreement that will transfer responsibility for all but the most seriously delinquent youth from State to City care, enabling more young people to stay closer to their families and transition into productive lives in their communities. And expanded DNA use can help solve more crimes and prevent wrongful convictions.</p>
<p>“Most urgently, the Governor has made it clear that he is determined to be a champion for our students – and that he will not allow the teachers’ union to drag its feet any longer on implementing new teacher evaluation systems across the state. I hope the UFT will not recklessly jeopardize hundreds of millions of dollars for our schools by insisting on endless obstacles to removing ineffective teachers from our classrooms. The Governor has rightly said he will not tolerate this and will help deliver rigorous teacher evaluations for our State and City.</p>
<p>“The Governor’s priorities are the right priorities for the State and I will be working with him to move his agenda forward. We will be reviewing the details of the budget over the coming days and I look forward to testifying before the Legislature next week.”</p>
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		<title>Budget Highlights From Cuomo&#039;s Office</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/17/budget-highlights-from-cuomos-office/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/17/budget-highlights-from-cuomos-office/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:27:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>David King</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eye on Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[andrew cuomo]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=10458</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Here is the general budget overview sent out by the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Cuomo is still delivering his remarks and you can watch them here.
Highlights of the plan include:
· Closing the current budget gap with no new taxes, fees or gimmicks, and including zero growth in State agency spending;
· Eliminating automatic spending inflators [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Here is the general budget overview sent out by the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Cuomo is still delivering his remarks and you can watch them <a href="http://www.governor.ny.gov/">here</a>.</p>
<p>Highlights of the plan include:</p>
<p>· Closing the current budget gap with no new taxes, fees or gimmicks, and including zero growth in State agency spending;<br />
· Eliminating automatic spending inflators and implementing reforms throughout the budget to ensure that spending increases for service providers reflect performance and actual cost;<br />
· Allocating $1.3 billion in State investment designed to spur a total of $25 billion from other sources to launch and accelerate major infrastructure projects and create thousands of jobs;<br />
· Creating a plan for the State to take over 100% of the costs of Medicaid growth that will be phased in over three years, saving local governments $1.2 billion over the next five years;<br />
· Creating a pension reform plan that will save State taxpayers and local governments outside New York City $83 billion, and will save New York City $30 billion over the next 30 years; and<br />
· Increasing school aid by $805 million, including $250 million linked to improved academic performance and management efficiency, and implementation of an enhanced teacher evaluation process.</p>
<p>Due to the structural reforms enacted in last year&#8217;s budget as well as the reforms proposed in this budget, the budget gap in 2013-14 is projected at $715 million. That is the lowest &#8220;first out-year&#8221; budget gap in two decades. The Executive Budget recommendations cut the projected four-year deficit by more than half, from $16.4 billion to $7.4 billion.<br />
<span id="more-10458"></span><br />
The Executive Budget includes:</p>
<p>· All Funds spending of $132.5 billion in the fiscal year that begins April 1, 2012, a decrease of $225 million from 2011-12. The back-to-back decline in All Funds spending represents the first time in decades that this has occurred.<br />
· State Operating Funds spending of $88.7 billion, an increase of $1.7 billion, or 1.9 percent. State Operating Funds exclude federal funds and long-term capital spending.</p>
<p>Financial Plan</p>
<p>The financial plan outlined by the Governor is based on the principles of fiscal discipline and reality-based budgeting that do not include using new taxes, fees, or one-shot gimmicks. State agency operations growth is held flat, while local assistance programs grow by 2.6%.</p>
<p>Maintain fiscal discipline: The $3.5 billion budget gap identified in December is closed through $2 billion in spending reductions in the Executive Budget proposed today, and $1.5 billion in revenues from the middle-class tax reforms enacted last year that made the tax code more fair and equitable. Even with 4% increases in education and Medicaid spending, and a 2.6% increase in Aid to Localities, there will be a net reduction in All Funds spending. Zero growth in State agency spending is achieved by redesigning State agency operations to reduce duplication, redundancy and waste.</p>
<p>Eliminate and reform automatic growth inflators: Last year, the Governor brought reality back to the definition of &#8220;deficit&#8221; in Albany by eliminating certain automatic inflators and pegging increases in education and Medicaid spending to rational and affordable measures of growth. These actions saved New York billions of dollars and helped to stabilize the State&#8217;s finances. The 2012-13 financial plan works to further control automatic cost growth and tie growth to rational measures. For 2012-13, inflators like cost of living adjustments will be kept flat and reforms will be introduced to ensure that spending increases in future years reflect performance and actual cost.</p>
<p>Economic Development</p>
<p>The 2012-13 Executive Budget funds a comprehensive and coordinated blueprint for economic development. The plan is designed to create jobs in New York State through public-private partnerships that leverage State resources to generate billions of dollars in economic growth, improve the State&#8217;s infrastructure and support regionally-based economic strategies.</p>
<p>Leverage State assets to spur billions in private sector investment and create thousands of private sector jobs: The Executive Budget lays the groundwork for an innovative $25 billion economic development agenda, funded largely by leveraging billions in private sector investment rather than taxpayer dollars. The New York Works Fund and Task Force will coordinate $1.3 billion in State funding to spur up to $25 billion in investment from other sources, including private companies, the federal government, and authorities, to allow major projects to move forward that will create jobs and improve the State&#8217;s infrastructure. To accelerate select infrastructure projects with maximum economic impact, the Governor&#8217;s plan will use provisions from the Design Build legislation, which was passed in the 2011 December extraordinary session, that will allow projects to begin now and reduce costs by hundreds of millions of dollars.</p>
<p>A Second Round of Regional Economic Development Awards: The budget includes a new round of $200 million in competitive resources for the Governor&#8217;s Regional Economic Development Councils. Of this total amount, $130 million is capital funding included in the New York Works program and $70 million comes from Excelsior Tax Credits. The Councils have transformed the State&#8217;s economic development approach from a top-down model to a bottom-up, community-based one. The second round of awards will allow each region to continue shaping its own economic destiny.</p>
<p>Reimagining Government</p>
<p>The Executive Budget builds on Governor Cuomo&#8217;s work to reinvent state government to perform more efficiently and better protect taxpayer money. The Executive Budget provides additional funding for the work of the Regional Economic Development Councils, and advances SAGE commission proposals to reverse decades of bureaucratic growth and refocus agencies&#8217; operations in ways that benefit service recipients and taxpayers alike. The Governor is also proposing sweeping structural reforms to relieve local governments of State mandates that drive up local costs. These reforms, which address the largest cost-drivers for local governments, will help municipal leaders meet the pressures of the prolonged economic downturn, and will help local governments meet the goals of the property tax cap.</p>
<p>Healthcare Redesign: The Executive Budget calls for continued reforms to make the State&#8217;s health system perform better and cost less. By enacting the Health Exchange, 1 million uninsured New Yorkers will gain coverage. It will reduce costs to individuals who purchase coverage directly by 66% and small businesses by 22%, all financed by the federal government at no cost to New York.</p>
<p>Reduce burden on counties by taking over Medicaid growth costs: Medicaid growth is a major cost driver for counties. In 2006, the State capped the amount of Medicaid cost growth that counties have to pay. Currently, the cap is 3% of growth; all growth over 3% is paid by the State. To provide significant fiscal relief to counties and to New York City, the State will phase in a 100% takeover of the costs of Medicaid growth. In the 2013 fiscal year, the county cap will fall to 2% of Medicaid growth; in county fiscal year 2014, the county share will be reduced to 1%. Starting in county fiscal year 2015, the State will pay 100% of the costs of Medicaid growth. The takeover by the State of a greater share of local Medicaid expenses will save counties and New York City $1.2 billion over the next five years.</p>
<p>Enact pension reform: Next to Medicaid, pension costs are the most significant burden on local governments. The Governor called for a new tier in the State pension system that will save the State and local governments outside of New York City $83 billion and New York City $30 billion over the next 30 years. The new pension plan would have progressive contribution rates between 4% and 6% with shared risk/reward for employees and employers to account for market volatility. It includes a voluntary option for Defined Contribution following the TIAA-CREF model. Employees taking this Defined Contribution will vest in this system after one year. This option will be portable. No current employees will be affected by the Governor&#8217;s pension reform plan.</p>
<p>Aid to Local Governments: In addition to these reforms, the Executive Budget provides $715 million to local governments in unrestricted operating aid, and an additional $79 million in grants to promote greater efficiency. The budget also reforms the Early Intervention program to reduce counties&#8217; administrative burdens and cut their costs by $99 million over five years, and reforms the Preschool special education program to reduce costs for counties outside of New York City by $150 million over five years. The Executive Budget does not include any cuts to Early Intervention or Preschool special education services.</p>
<p>Reforming the State&#8217;s Education System</p>
<p>The Executive Budget includes major reforms to the State&#8217;s public education system that are aimed at bolstering student achievement and improving efficiency for the taxpayer.</p>
<p>Increase in School Aid: The budget includes a total increase of $805 million in School Aid, including $250 million for performance grants linked to improved academic performance and management efficiency. High need school districts will receive 76 percent of the 2012-13 allocated increase and 69 percent of total school aid. The additional aid is linked to implementation of an enhanced teacher evaluation process.</p>
<p>Teacher Evaluation System: The Governor announced that the State Education Department and school employee unions will have 30 days to agree on a new effective teacher evaluation system or the Governor will propose an evaluation system in the 30 day budget amendments. Schools will be given one year to implement the system or risk forfeiting an increase in education aid in the 2012-13 and 2013-14 school budgets.</p>
<p>Program Overview</p>
<p>Environment and Energy: This year&#8217;s Executive Budget maintains services at current levels for parks, environment and agricultural programs, and makes capital investments to strengthen infrastructure and improve energy management. The Executive Budget continues to support critical programs, including the Environmental Protection Fund, which will be maintained at $134 million, the same level as in 2011-12. As part of the New York Works program to accelerate capital infrastructure projects statewide, the Budget includes $102 million in new funding for DEC to advance flood control, coastal erosion and critical dam safety projects, and $94 million for the large backlog of capital rehabilitation and improvement needs in 48 State parks and historic sites as well as the ski facilities operated by the Olympic Regional Development Authority.</p>
<p>Health Care: The Executive Budget reflects the continuation of the Medicaid spending cap enacted in 2011-12 and recommends a 4% funding increase consistent with its provisions. To achieve savings needed to address the State&#8217;s budget gap, the Budget recommends $19.2 million in reductions to public health and aging programs, including $3.5 million in savings from administrative efficiencies.</p>
<p>Higher Education: Consistent with the provisions in the NYSUNY 2020 Challenge Grant Program, the Executive Budget maintains General Fund operating support for SUNY and CUNY colleges at prior-year levels. The Executive Budget also accommodates authorized 2012-13 tuition increases by providing $113.2 million in additional spending authority for SUNY and $66.6 million for CUNY. The Executive Budget maintains base operating aid funding for community colleges at 2011-12 levels of $2,122 per full-time equivalent student.</p>
<p>Human Services: The Executive Budget provides funding for core supportive services for needy populations, limits spending growth to address the State&#8217;s fiscal challenges, and implements measures to improve program performance. In child care, the Executive Budget increases General Fund support for child care subsidies by $93 million to offset a reduction in funding through the Federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.</p>
<p>Mental Hygiene: The Executive Budget supports significant and fundamental reforms that will strengthen the oversight of care provided to individuals in institutions and community residences. It also makes investments to improve the accountability of mental hygiene agencies, and reforms the payment process for not-for-profit providers. These proposals result in mental hygiene system funding of $8.2 billion in 2012-13, an annual spending increase of $85 million, or 1.0 percent.</p>
<p>Public Safety: The Executive Budget advances key initiatives to enhance public safety, including expanding the DNA database to include all crimes and improving emergency response and preparedness, while supporting recovery from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee and continuing to lower the cost of ongoing operations. The budget includes $4.6 billion to protect New York&#8217;s residents.</p>
<p>Revenue Actions and Tax Reform: This budget includes no new or increased taxes or fees. The Executive Budget proposes tax enforcement and loophole closing actions to ensure that all individuals pay their fair share of tax liabilities. The budget includes $1.5 billion in net revenues in 2012-13, reflecting fair tax reform enacted in December that implemented a new tax bracket for higher income earners, cut taxes for middle class New Yorkers to the lowest level in 58 years, and increased the overall fairness of the tax system.</p>
<p>Transportation: The Executive Budget makes strategic and accelerated investments in the State&#8217;s highway and bridge infrastructure including a new $1.16 billion in New York Works State and federal capital funds that will create jobs and improve the transportation system to support business and economic expansion. The New York Works program will accelerate capital investment, building upon core transportation funding, to provide a total DOT capital program of nearly $4.5 billion in 2012-13, including highways, bridges, rail, aviation, non-MTA transit, and DOT facilities. Funding for local highway and bridge projects under the Consolidated Highway Improvement Program is maintained at $402.8 million. The MTA&#8217;s capital program will receive $770 million in new State support over a multi-year period to help fund the MTA&#8217;s $22.2 billion 2010-14 program.</p>
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		<title>Alliance For Quality Education Commends Cuomo</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/17/alliance-for-quality-education-commends-cuomo/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/17/alliance-for-quality-education-commends-cuomo/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:19:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>David King</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eye on Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Alliance for Quality Education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[andrew cuomo]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=10456</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Alliance for Quality Education issued this statement on Gov. Andrew Cuomo&#8217;s proposed budget:
School Aid and Competitive Grants
&#8220;We commend Governor Cuomo for restoring $805 million in school aid; these funds will help students throughout the state.  The exact distribution of these funds and how much is prioritized to high need and average need school districts [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Alliance for Quality Education issued this statement on Gov. Andrew Cuomo&#8217;s proposed budget:</p>
<p>School Aid and Competitive Grants<br />
&#8220;We commend Governor Cuomo for restoring $805 million in school aid; these funds will help students throughout the state.  The exact distribution of these funds and how much is prioritized to high need and average need school districts will take a few days to evaluate. We are greatly concerned that almost one-third of these funds could be distributed based on competition between school districts which has the potential to create a system of educational winners and losers among our students.  It is important to note that last year the state moved backwards on its commitment to quality education by enacting huge classroom cuts that resulted in larger class sizes and narrowing of the curriculum.  Students need the budget to focus on restoring these classroom cuts for all, not only for those whose schools win at a competition.”</p>
<p>Cost Savings through Centralizing School Bus Purchasing<br />
“Governor Cuomo has proposed a new cost savings initiative that would centralize the purchasing of school buses through a single statewide contract. This is the type of cost saving initiative from the state we need to see more of and we commend Governor Cuomo for providing the leadership to advance this type of common sense cost savings solution.”</p>
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		<title>Ruben Diaz Jr. On Living Wage Deal</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/13/ruben-diaz-jr-on-living-wage-deal/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/13/ruben-diaz-jr-on-living-wage-deal/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:25:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>David King</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[City Hall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work and Labor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christine Quinn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ruben Diaz]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=10454</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Council Speaker Christine Quinn has decided to back a compromise legislation on the living wage that according to the Wall Street Journal would require,  &#8220;businesses that receive subsidies of $1 million or more will be required to pay their employees $10 an hour with benefits or $11.50 an hour without benefits. But in a compromise, [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Council Speaker Christine Quinn has decided to back a compromise legislation on the living wage that <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/metropolis/2012/01/13/quinn-seeks-middle-ground-in-living-wage-fight/?mod=google_news_blog">according to the Wall Street Journal</a> would require,  &#8220;businesses that receive subsidies of $1 million or more will be required to pay their employees $10 an hour with benefits or $11.50 an hour without benefits. But in a compromise, the bill will no longer require the tenants who move in after these projects are completed to also abide by the higher wages.&#8221;</p>
<p>Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz approves of the deal and he released this statement:</p>
<p>“I am extremely happy that we have reached a deal on the ‘Fair Wages for New Yorkers’ Act, and that this important bill will finally see a vote in the City Council. The deal we have reached today creates the strongest ‘living wage’ legislation in the nation, one that will demand that direct recipients of significant taxpayer subsidies will do better by their employees. This will guarantee that happens and marks an important shift in the economic development policy in the City of New York. This bill sends an important message to the business community.  Indeed, New York City is open for business, but not at the expense of the taxpayer. <span id="more-10454"></span></p>
<p>“I would like to thank Speaker Quinn for working closely with my office on this compromise. I would also like to thank City Council members G. Oliver Koppell and Annabel Palma, all of our City Council co-sponsors, and the entire Living Wage NYC coalition for their strong advocacy on this legislation.”</p>
<p>“This bill will ensure that taxpayer subsidies are spent not only to enrich developers, but to improve the quality of life of their employees. Today’s announcement is a victory for the people of this City, and I look forward to this legislation becoming law,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.</p>
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		<title>UFT Wants Mediation With City</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/13/uft-wants-mediation-with-city/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/13/uft-wants-mediation-with-city/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 13 Jan 2012 19:51:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>David King</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eye on Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gotham City]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mayor Michael Bloomberg]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[michael mulgrew]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=10452</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The United Federation of Teachers is holding a press conference at 3:15 p.m today to announce that it asking the state labor board to mediate talks with the city because of the breakdown over teacher evaluation talks and the Mayor&#8217;s insistence in his State of the State speech that he will unilaterally move forward with [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The United Federation of Teachers is holding a press conference at 3:15 p.m today to announce that it asking the state labor board to mediate talks with the city because of the breakdown over teacher evaluation talks and the Mayor&#8217;s insistence in his State of the State speech that he will unilaterally move forward with a teacher evaluation system in low performing schools. Here is the full press release:</p>
<p>Teachers Union Asks State to</p>
<p>Order Mediation in Evaluation Talks</p>
<p>UFT seeks order from state labor board that would</p>
<p>force city to take part in mandatory mediation</p>
<p>on new teacher evaluation system</p>
<p>UFT President Michael Mulgrew holds news conference to announce that in the wake of the city’s walking out of negotiations on a new teacher evaluation system, the union has filed an impasse petition with the state’s Public Employment Relations Board (PERB).  If PERB finds that an impasse exists, it will appoint a mediator and force the city to participate in attempts to resolve the issue.</p>
<p>WHEN:           Friday, January 13, 2012      3:  15 p.m.</p>
<p>WHERE:         52 Broadway, 2nd floor</p>
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		<title>Cuomo on Bloomberg&#039;s State of the City</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/12/cuomo-on-bloombergs-state-of-the-city/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/01/12/cuomo-on-bloombergs-state-of-the-city/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 12 Jan 2012 22:26:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>David King</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eye on Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gotham City]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Governing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[andrew cuomo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mayor Michael Bloomberg]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=10449</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Michael Bloomberg may not be the best of buds but Cuomo found a lot to like in Bloomberg&#8217;s State of the City message&#8211;especially the parts about education and pension reform. &#8220;I commend Mayor Bloomberg for outlining a positive vision for New York  City&#8217;s future and the most important part [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Michael Bloomberg may not be the best of buds but Cuomo found a lot to like in Bloomberg&#8217;s State of the City message&#8211;especially the parts about education and pension reform. &#8220;I commend Mayor Bloomberg for outlining a positive vision for New York  City&#8217;s future and the most important part of building that future, our  students. The State and City&#8217;s education system is facing a crisis in  accountability and performance. Our continuing pattern of being number  one in the nation on spending in education and thirty-eighth in  graduation rates hurts our students across the State, including the over  1.1 million public school students in New York City,&#8221; said Cuomo in a statement.</p>
<p>Here is the full statement: <span id="more-10449"></span><br />
&#8220;I commend Mayor Bloomberg for outlining a positive vision for New York City&#8217;s future and the most important part of building that future, our students. The State and City&#8217;s education system is facing a crisis in accountability and performance. Our continuing pattern of being number one in the nation on spending in education and thirty-eighth in graduation rates hurts our students across the State, including the over 1.1 million public school students in New York City.</p>
<p>As I said in my State of the State Address, and Mayor Bloomberg reiterated in his State of the City today, we need an education system that puts students first. Both the Mayor and I agree that this starts with implementing a teacher evaluation system that holds teachers accountable for their performance. I look forward to working together to create an accountability system that puts the interests of students ahead of the interests of the education bureaucracy.</p>
<p>Additionally, I appreciate Mayor Bloomberg&#8217;s support for the much needed reform of our pension system. There is no longer any doubt that we need to reform the pension system by creating a Tier VI and we need to do it now.</p>
<p>I look forward to working with Mayor Bloomberg on these and other issues outlined in his speech today to build a better future for New York City and New York State.&#8221;</p>
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