Cuts overall spending by 2 percent, caps education and medicaid growth by 4 percent. Achieved by threatening to use budget extenders. Revolutions in the Middle East and a nuclear tragedy in the Far East have gobbled up media space that in normal years would have been devoted to exploring how Cuomo’s budget cuts could hurt senior citizens and poor kids." "The budget doesn't contain any caps on local property taxes, a key campaign promise of the governor's." "Senate Republicans, meanwhile, plan to kill stronger rent protections for New York City tenants and, in the process, deep-six Cuomo's proposed cap on runaway suburban property taxes, key insiders predict."
NYT Plays the Cuts
N.Y. Budget Deal Cuts Aid to Schools and Health Care The $132.5 billion budget would end an income tax surcharge on high earners and impose big spending cuts on education and health care. (NYT) * Cuomo, Legislature Strike Budget Deal (WSJ) *'Tough gov' approach pays off (Dicker, NYP) * Analysis: Spitzer talked the talk, but Cuomo is true 'steamroller' (DN) * Gov. Cuomo, state lawmakers reach budget deal (DN) * Gov wins $10B in budget-cut pact (NYP) * State Leaders Reach Tentative Budget Deal (NY1) * State Budget: "The final budget still cuts New York City more than ever before," said Bloomberg. * State Budget: "The budget agreed to by Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the leaders of the state Legislature would restore $272 million – or about 18 percent – of the $1.5 billion in education-related cuts that Cuomo proposed in his budget, according to the governor’s office."* State Budget: "Democrats beat back the governor's call to cap medical malpractice awards." * State Budget: "The plan also gives Cuomo sole discretion to decide which of the state’s prisons to close." * It remains unclear how that cash will be allocated, and that’s just one of a number of details that wasn’t available last night.* Budget reax: Congratulations and condemnation (TU) * It does not, however, include a millionaire’s tax, a property tax cap, extension of the rent laws, a med-mal cap or UB2020. * Insiders predict the Senate Republicans will kill stronger rent protections for NYC residents and kill the tax cap in the process.* The state has not adopted an early budget since the first year of former Gov. Mario Cuomo’s administration.* Mayor Bloomberg: Budget Deal Bad For NYC (DN) * They Have a Budget Deal but Who Will Vote for It?(Gotham Gazette) * Cuomo's popularity still sky high: poll (NYP) * Business groups gush over budget(TU) *School boards: No silver lining here (TU) * NY Chief Judge: expect 'a lot of layoffs' under new state budget (LoHud) * State Budget: "[I]t still fails to address many of the issues near and dear to New Yorkers' hearts, including reforms on property taxes, rent control and teacher layoffs." [Money.CNN.com] * State Budget: "The mayor has said 6,100 teacher positions would have to be eliminated even if that money came through. Now even more positions could be at risk." [NY1] * State Budget: Expecting to collect cigarette taxes from Indian reservations, which is tricky. * Discretionary Spending: "So Cuomo will direct $30 million of his own pot of capital projects funding, and will get the other $100 million by canceling plans to construct a consolidated data center." * Parking Perks: 3,500 parking placards given out by Cuomo's administration.*
In Budget Fight, an Albany Titan Is Overshadowed (NYT)
Of All the Elected Officials in NYC Only the Mayor Calls the Budget An Outrage
What Do the 2013 Mayoral Candidates Think?
Bloomberg Doesn't Like the State Budget, Says Expect More City Cuts (NYO) * Bloomberg Calls State Budget An "Outrage" (NY1) * Cuomo Admin Volleys Back At Bloomberg (YNN) * Mayor @mikebloomberg says state budget means more cuts for NYC.(WNBC) *State Budget Deal Is an ‘Outrage,’ Bloomberg Says (NYT) * Cuomo To Bloomberg On Budget: Whatever, Mayor (DN) * Bloomberg says state budget means more NYC cuts (WOR)
Charm Wine and Dine Them “and you know, every once in a while, you gotta take one of these guys outside and shoot him.” Rockefeller Operative Alton Marshal and Cuomo Mentor
The Gamer
Using stealth, seduction, and the threat of a government shutdown, Andrew Cuomo is on the verge of winning round one in the perennial battle of the governor versus Albany. (NY Magazine)
Siena Poll: NYers Back Cuomo In Budget Battle (YNN)
Blame the Hired Help Page
Behind City Payroll Project, Lax Oversight and 1 Powerful Insider An examination of the events that led to the CityTime scandal revealed mismanagement and the determination of one powerful insider: the budget director, Mark Page.(NYT) An examination of the events that led to the CityTime scandal reveals lax oversight, mismanagement and a basic failure to control costs. It also showed that much of the fervent drive to install the system could be traced to the determination of one powerful administration insider: the budget director, Mark Page
Thompson Aid Says CityTime "This Was A Peripheral Issue," . . . His Successor Liu Hammered Contract and Bloomberg
The mayor shares supervision over the agency that awarded the contract, the Office of Payroll Administration, with the comptroller. But William C. Thompson Jr., who was comptroller from 2002 to 2009, never met the head of the payroll agency. Nor did he audit CityTime, despite a crescendo of grumblings.* Spare my flawed dad prison, Alan Hevesi's son pleads to judge (DN)
Comptroller Liu's Audits on CityTime and Criticism of the Bloomberg Outsourcing Left Out of the NYT Story
One pivotal moment occurred in 2004, with the retirement of Richard R. Valcich, who, as the payroll office’s executive director, had accused SAIC of delaying the project to get paid more, and failing to meet industry standards. Valcich 2003 Letter in CityTime Corruption Case
Valcich was succeeded by Joel Bondy, who had been recommended by Mr. Page, according to several people. N.Y.C. Pay Project Overseer Warned About Management in ’03(NYT)
Before working at the payroll agency, Mr. Bondy had worked for Spherion, which was hired in 2001 to provide quality-assurance over the CityTime contract. That contract has since been amended 11 times, inflating its value to more than $48 million from $3.4 million. Joel Bondy, N.Y.C. Payroll Office Chief, Is Suspended (NYT) * Spherion consultants are now at the heart of the criminal case. The man accused of being the ringleader was Mark Mazer, the Spherion consultant who had previously reported to Mr. Bondy in the mid-1990s, when they worked at the Administration for Children’s Services.
Hevesi in Hospital Sentence Delayed Again
Hevesi was originally scheduled to be sentenced Monday for his role in influence-peddling at the state pension fund. The case has been transferred to another judge, and the next court date is April 4. Judge: Former NY comptroller is in hospital * Disgraced ex-Controller Alan Hevesi rushed to hospital on sentencing day on felony corruption charge (DN) * Hevesi Sentence Postponed, AG Seeks Max Penalty (YNN) * Andrew Hevesi To Judge: Please Let My Dad Come Home To Our Family
liu Was Already Reacting to Hevesi Sentence
NYC comptroller wants pension fund data online
Feds slap ex-Bronx pol Espada Jr. with new fraud charges (NYP) *Charges Mount Against Espadas (YNN)
Bloomy in 'Turn off the Dork' 'Superhero' Mike left hanging at jokefest (NYP) * New York’s Mayor Bloomberg Dressed Up Like Spider-Man And Was Dangled Over A Stage This Weekend
More Mike Twists and Turns
Without A Sting Carl Kruger Would Never Have Been Caught
The 75-year-old Seminerio, who often boasted that he was “John Gotti’s assemblyman,” was nabbed after a sting operation in which he brazenly brought an undercover FBI agent posing as a businessman looking for state contracts onto the floor of the Assembly. It was the Seminerio wire taps and contracts that led the FBI to kruger's corruption * Carl Kruger Shares His Thanks -- And Home Phone * State Senator in Graft Case Won City Privileges for Housemates (NYT)
A New York Prosecutor With Worldwide Reach The office of the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York has sent prosecutors into many countries, but some defense lawyers have criticized its stings. (NYT) * FBI getting mobsters to rat out cohorts (NYP)
How Will the Education Cuts in State Spending Affect the Education Wars?
In Fight for Space, Educator Takes On Charter Chain (NYT) * A new lease on LIFO Fat hike$ snag pact (NYP) * AFL-CIO plays fast and loose with facts in ad against ending last in, first out teacher layoffs (DN Ed)
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City to Fight Census Count(WSJ) * New York City set to fight census numbers, Bloomberg says DN) * Non-Hispanic Whites Are Now a Minority in the 23-County New York Region (NYT)
Of Ferraro’s Roles in Many Arenas, a Favorite: Gerry From Queens (NYT)
For Schumer, a Bike Lane Far Too Close for Comment (NYT)
Officials: Manhattan Building Had Numerous Violations Prior To Fire (NY1)
Vornado Project Hits Hard Spot(WSJ) * A Hotel Empire Unravels(WSJ) * Fake Real Estate Agent on the Loose in New York City (Village Voice)
Snake Escape Makes Zoo Squirm(WSJ) * 'Hissy' fit at Bronx Zoo (NYP)
Bronx Zookeepers Search For Missing Venomous Cobra (NY1)
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Back to the Future: Organized Crime Betting
'Bettor' biz for bookies Jubilant bookies say that business has tripled since the city's OTB parlors closed(NYP)* OTB Closures: Great News For Bookies!
Hospital refuses to treat dying homeless man, and then fires nurse who exposed gaffe: suit (DN)
Another Reason Why it is So Hard For Challengers To Incumbent Pols to Petition to Get on the Ballot
Staten Island voters, long deceased, live on in NYC Board of Elections records (SI Advance)
NYC Medical Examiner. He will have to layoff 181 employees if budget cuts go through. Consequences of ME cuts: delays in autopsies, funerals, death certs, settlement of estates, and criminal investigations.
DA eyes 'bogus' crime stats (NYP)
Law and Order Hip-Hop DJ Is Found Slain(WSJ) * NY police: Suspect dies after swallowing drugs (WSJ) * Qns. jogger foils attack (NYP) * Hot 97 DJ gunned down near SI home (NYP) * Who was DJ Megatron? Friends & colleagues mourn the popular BET star's death (DN) * Top three E-ZPass scofflaws owe $130,000 (DN) * Mayor Bloomberg, is that you?! (DN * ACS indictments in little Marchella's death are extraordinary move in even more extraordinary case (DN Ed) * Shooting Claims Life Of Radio DJ On Staten Island (NY1) * Rabbi pleads guilty in connection with Brooklyn money-laundering, corruption scheme (NYP)
NYPD: Some Pigs Are More Equal Than Others
Socialite's gripe sets off NYPD frenzy Big-name Democratic Party and charity fund-raiser Toni Goodale complained to Police Commissioner Ray Kelly that the NYPD hadn't done enough to find her missing jewels, The Post has learned.(NYP)
Why Did the Technology Revolution Pass Over Police Radios?
JFK radio daze imperils PA cops (NYP)
Ted Koppel On ‘Wildly Opinionated’ Fox, MSNBC: ‘Our Times Require A Little More Serious Objectivity’
News Budgets Busted By Cost Of Covering Disasters (Huff Post)
It Has Always Been About Oil
