Varied Bills for Special Interests Move Quietly Through Albany
Check-cashing stores could make high-interest payday loans. Funeral homes could offer all-in-one package deals that are now banned in New York and that critics say prey on the families of the recently deceased. And so-called rubber rooms, where New York City schoolteachers languished during disciplinary proceedings until officials moved to close them this year, may soon reopen, this time for city firefighters and police officers. Part of the end-of-session rush to pass bills sought by their political allies or campaign donors * State Senate Continues Budget Negotiations (NY1) * The smart money: City's responsible handling of tough budget shames Albany (DN Ed)
After the Published Papers: Paterson flees from hedge fund tax * NY Senate is back in session, Assembly plows ahead (NYP) * Gov. Paterson: "I'm Not Having A Meeting Today. I'm Vetoing."
“You know things are bad when the guy they call ‘the accidental governor’ is the only one in the room who seems to have a clue,” writes Tom Wrobleski * The TU applauds Paterson’s plan to veto member items. * Senate Democratic Conference Leader John Sampson conceded Paterson’s veto threats are pushing him back to the negotiating table. * That's a lot of vetoing -- 29 hours' worth for some 6,900 bills.
Twitter azipaybarah Paterson speeds up "Aides said they expect the governor to sign or initial upward of 30 vetoes a minute" http://bit.ly/cye2Ue #nygov #albany
Brooklyn Park Is Ready to Rock, but Some Neighbors Aren’t A summer series at Asser Levy Park in Coney Island has pitted two synagogues against the Brooklyn borough president, Marty Markowitz (NYT)
Another Council Arrest Aide to Bronx Assemblywoman Is Arrested (WSJ) * Corruption Arrests Hit Record in City * Fake cop bust on pol aide An aide to a Bronx assemblywoman was arrested yesterday for impersonating a cop while stealing $4,000 from a man's apartment (NYP) * City Department of Investigation Points to Aggressive Enforcement for 12% Jump (WSJ)Former City Councilman Kendall Stewart is back to being a podiatrist (something that may help him pay off that $22K he still owes the Campaign Finance Board) and says he only voted for extending term limits so he could work a few more years and qualify for a full pension.
City Council Looks Into Member's "Touching" Incident Gothamist
MTA Incompetence Put Us All in the Poor HouseStrapped MTA's sad real estate of affairs The cash-strapped MTA has squandered a fortune in botched real-estate transactions -- failing to collect millions in outstanding rent, refusing to charge interest on that money, and hanging onto lucrative air rights over some property, a bombshell investigation found.(NYP) * Molloy: MTA prefers olives over foreign cash (DN)
Freewheeling Bloomberg Tackles Senate Race, His Immigrant Medical Team and Charity (WSJ)
New York Economic Meltdown In Manhattan, Apartment Sales Rose but Prices Were Flat (NYT) * Aid Is Cut to Programs for Sex-Crime Victims (NYT) * Funding for art supplies falls by 68% at city schools (DN) * The $1.60 cigarette tax hike kicks in today.
Report Says City Elections Should Be Nonpartisan (NYT) The report issued by the Citizens Union said that turnout had grown so low and elections so preordained that parties should lose their domineering power.
One Room School Houses?Small Schools A study showing that New York City’s specialized high schools are outperforming large, factory-style ones should breathe more life into the small-school movement. (NYT Ed) * Group Makes Push For Muslim School Holidays (NYT) * Teachers to Lose Positions, Keep Pay (WSJ)
Russian Spys Love NYRussian Spies Have Long Loved New York *Sexy red agent's locks to dye for
Terrorism NY Jury selection begins next month for trial of accused Riverdale bomb plotters (NYP) * NY 'spy' life was double-o heaven (NYP) * Man in New York Subway Plot Tied to Senior Qaeda Figure (NYT) * Lawyers Dispute Suspects’ Intent in J.F.K. Bomb Plot Trial (NYT) * Accused of Espionage, but Praised as Moms and Dads (NYT) * Looking Back, That Did Seem a Little Suspicious (NYT) * Accused Russian spy Cynthia Murphy tried to recruit Columbia profs, students (NYP) * Producer: Alleged Russian Spy "Knew Her Agenda" (NY1) * Officials: Al-Qaida Terrorist Met With Subway Bomb Plotter (NY1) * Accused Spy From Russia With Gripes (WSJ) *China's Propaganda Arm Nears Times Square Office (WSJ) *Fiend subway link Al Qaeda master met '09 plotter * Accused spy Anna Chapman dated 60-year-old: pals (DN) * Suspected Russian spy Metsos goes missing in Cyprus (DN) * Spy vs. Spy games play out in D.C. suburb (DN) * Al Qaeda's First English Language Magazine Is Here
Widows victimized once again by double cop killer (DN) Law and Order Standard Hotel rape trial set to begin (NYP) * B'klyn man killed 'execution style' (NYP) * Death penalty overturned in 2003 Staten Island cop killings (NYP) * U.S. Court Strikes Down Death Sentence for Killer of Two New York Officers (NYT) * In Civil Suit, Mixed Verdict for Accuser and Officer (NYT) * Death Penalty Scrapped in Police Killing (WSJ) * Michael Jackson of Jewish Music' Takes His Act to Prison (WSJ) * Brooklyn gets shot to hell (NYP) * Rich trader dead in SoHo (NYP) * Dead wrong: Judges' grotesque decision lets killer of two cops off death penalty (DN Ed)Gore accuser claims she's victim of 'sexual predator' (NYP) * Police Reopen Al Gore Investigation (WSJ) * Portland police re-open Al Gore sex case (DN)
Wall Street and the Economy The Fed and Your Credit Card There is a lot to like about the Fed’s new rules on credit card penalty fees, but it dropped the ball when it refused to regulate penalty interest charges. (NYT Ed) * Fed Made Taxpayers Unwitting Junk-Bond Buyers (Huff Post)
No Contest?Don't gag me: Nathan's hot dog eatin' star The competitive-eating titan says the beef keeping him out of this year's competition is Nathan's itself. (DN)
