Albany Shutdown Showdown
Go big on cig taxes: Paterson a staggering $1.60-a-pack tax hike on cigarettes (NYP) * New York Reaches Deal to Raise Cigarette Tax (NYT) * Paterson Targets Tobacco (WSJ) * Gov. Paterson proposes a $1.60 per-pack increase on cigarettes to help plug state's budget deficit (DN) * Dave's wild walk: Paterson's sudden demand for tobacco taxes makes no sense(DN Ed) *Sunday Dave: To bankruptcy - & beyond! (NYP)
Coney Island Mermaid Parade TodayMermaid Parade Takes Over Coney Island (Pictures)Sunday Update Gov to slash LMDC (NYP) * One-third of retired cops getting disability $$ (NYP) * 'Thrifty' jails boss spends 18G on décor (NYP) * Independ-'ain't' 3rd-party big a 100G Dem Senate aide * Lords of labor $urvive nicely Union Bigs earn 250G+ amid work-force woes (NYP) * Andrew M. Cuomo’s Future New York A book by Andrew M. Cuomo lays out an innovative, if at times somewhat vague, vision for the future of New York State. (NYT) * Congress Defends the Big Guys In talks over the financial reform bill, Democratic lawmakers are catering to corporate interests that prefer the status quo — and write big campaign checks. (NYT Ed) * Cuomo praises Paterson's handling of budget mess (DN) * BP's Gulf of Mexico oil spill tragedy to most, but to Sheldon Silver and law pals, it's a gold mine (DN) * Frank Rich: Obama Must Come Clean On Oil Spill And Clean House (NYT Rich) * Gulf residents outraged by BP CEO's yacht outing * TV SoundOff: Sunday Talking Heads
Bloomberg's Divergence War on Mr. Softee
When Your City is in An Economic Meltdown You declare war on Sexing, Street Fairs and Microstamping. The press enables the mayor who promised free crosstown bus service to get the public mind off the cutback in bus, subway and other services coming this week. Mayor targets rogue Mr. Softee in crackdown * Bloomberg wants fewer street fairs (WABC TV) * NYC Declares War On Teen 'Sexting' -- In The Home... * Bloomberg: Microstamping can help reduce gun crime (DN)
The Pension Funds Left With Nothing Double talk: After swearing off borrowing, the governor is trying to take out a loan New York and local governments owe the state pension system huge sums of money over the coming years to make up for investment losses suffered in the national economic meltdown. Paterson wants the state controller to accept only partial amounts over the next several years on the agreement that the state and locals would make good in the future while paying interest on the money * ** Sunday UPDATE State's $9.2 billion budget deficit does not deter some local pols from increasing pension costs(DN) * State lawmakers have more than 50 proposals to sweeten pension benefits at taxpayers’ expense in spite of skyrocketing pension costs. * States Forced To Cut Back On Pensions As Wall Street's Bets Hit Budgets * Gates: Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Repeal May Be Vetoed * The Pension Stretch(Citizens Budget Commission) * Transportation Bills in Albany Crush (Tri-State Transportation Campaign)
Zelig of Queens Political ScandalsMeeks 50,000 Hides 50,000 Loans
This woman is trouble Scandal follows Dem aide Lawyer and Democratic political operative Joan Flowers keeps popping up in misdeeds tied to Queens politicians and community leaders. Flowers has long been tied to, and done work for, prominent Democratic politicians, including Gov. Paterson, US Rep. Gregory Meeks and state Sen. Malcolm Smith.* Meeks who? Donor needs 'realty' check (NYP) * Queens congressman Meeks tries to hide $50,000 in loans Congressman Gregory Meeks has received tens of thousands of dollars in personal loans that he didn't report publicly. * Adam Libserg notes the connection between Manhattan DA Cy Vance Jr. and John Catsimatidis and wonders what that might have to do with the indictment of John Haggerty.
Insider Leaks Tarnish Aqueduct Casino Plans New revelations of insider leaks involving the proposal for a casino at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens have further marred a selection process that has attracted the attention of state and federal investigators. (NYT) * Dem defends 'legal' leak in the Aqueduct (NYP)
The NYP Reports Longer Bus & Subway Waits at NightWait' gain on subway, bus routes Bring a book, straphangers -- your late-night and weekend rides are about to take even longer. (NYP)
The Daily News Spins MTA Crap
MTA holds treasure trove of forgetful riders' valuables (DN)
New York's Economic Meltdown
For Neighbors, a Hospital’s Demise Leaves a Hole The Greenwich Village hospital closed in late April, and the neighborhood’s store owners and residents are feeling the effects. (NYT) * City Jobs Get Signs of Hope Mayor Bloomberg raised the possibility of reversing plans to lay off 1,600 city workers, two days after thousands of city employees gathered outside City Hall to denounce the mayor's budget plan. (WSJ) * Neighbors to Fairway Cafe: Let Us Do Your AdvertisingMore than 1,000 people have signed a petition to Save Fairway Cafe (WSJ) * Enough horsing around The state Legislature this month rushed to the aid of the cash-strapped New York Racing Association, forwarding the agency some $8.4 million, the first installment of a $25 million unsecured loan (NYP Ed) * Selling like hot fakes amid city crackdown * The State’s Housing Slump (NY Fiscal Watch)
Dumb Government Park Domes Fenced Off to Protect Children (NYT) * Defective part may have caused May ferry crash (NYP)
Election 2010 Cuomo Releases Details on His Wealth Attorney General Andrew Cuomo stores his wealth in a Colorado-based investment boutique and recently liquidated his interest in a defunct investment partnership. (WSJ) * Andrew Cuomo: "Three Men In A Room" Doesn't Cut It * But Bob McCarthy of The Buffalo News says otherwise, Cuomo's still playing it pretty close to the vest.
High Rate for Deaths of Pregnant Women in New York State (NYT)
Terrorism NY For Federal Defenders, Suspect in Times Square Bomb Case Is Just Another Client * BIG SIS: Internet Monitoring Needed to Fight Homegrown Terrorism... Sunday Update Arraignment Set For Times Square Bombing Suspect
A City Councilman Who Wants Special Treatment It's traffic agent vs. Team Halloran Law and Order Jurors Watch Video of Officer Hitting Man With a Baton * Rash of Murders in the Bronx (WSJ) * Suspect in synagogue plot: 'I just don't have the money' (DN) * Cell phone crackdown! NYPD to ticket of chatty drivers (DN) * Jury sees vid of cop beating cuffed vet * Lawyer: Girl busted in teen's slay is victim, too*** Sunday Update *** Subway kills gal on tracks (NYP)* Undercover cop tells how he helped clean streets (DN)
* Bite the bullets: State Senate GOP must come around on tracing gun ammo (DN Ed)
Facebook Joseph Mercurio On this day in 1873 Susan B. Anthony was fined and refused to pay $100 after attempting to vote in the Presidential election.
