Keyword: 'Cuomo' | Herald Community Newspapers

The Lynbrook school district plans to use half of its retirement reserve fund to pay for pension costs increases, leaving only $500,000 in the fund.

For several local school districts, balancing budgets is becoming a daunting challenge. Higher pension costs, a loss of state aid and a possible state tax cap have many school officials looking to tighten their spending plans. Gov. Andrew Cuomo released his first budget proposal on Feb. 1, and districts are being told to tap into their reserve funds to make up for the possible, impending state aid cutbacks and a proposed 2 percent tax cap. Many administrators say they have few options for dealing with increasing costs. more

By Clarissa Hamlin | 2/16/11

Cuomo and Skelos get it right

On Feb. 1, Governor Cuomo delivered his first budget address. It was a no-holds-barred speech in which he admitted that years of dysfunction and mismanagement has driven our state into “functional bankruptcy.” more

by Al D'Amato | 2/11/11

Taxpayers, whose side are you on?

It’s not even February yet, but so far it looks like 2011 will finally be the year New York gets moving in the right direction. more

by Al D'Amato | 1/27/11

Prepare for the pain of budget-cutting

They say misery loves company, and if that’s the case, New York state has lots of company. It’s no secret that New York is faced with a budget deficit of at least $10 billion. But compared with some of the other big states, New York’s budget dilemma may be small change. Or is it? more

by Jerry Kremer | 1/21/11

Taxes and ethics are on Cuomo’s agenda

With the inauguration of Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Saturday, New York state officially ended its brief but disastrous Spitzer era. Eliot Spitzer, the former attorney general, was elected governor in 2006 … more

1/17/11

Tax cap, ethics reform are high on the Cuomo agenda

With the inauguration of Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Saturday, New York state officially ended its brief but disastrous Spitzer era. Eliot Spitzer, the former attorney general, was elected governor in 2006 in a landslide and then entered office not to make friends in Albany, not even to govern, but to rule the land. He crashed and burned in one of the country’s most notorious sex scandals, after which he resigned and Lt. Gov. David Paterson assumed the state’s reins. more

1/10/11

Can the pundits only count to 100?

For some unexplained reason, success in politics is measured by what happens in the first 100 days of a politician’s time in office. For Gov.-elect Andrew Cuomo, his success or progress will be held to the same standard, however unrealistic it may be. more

Jerry Kremer | 12/2/10

Cuomo: Local governments are antiquated, inefficient

During his campaign, Governor-elect Andrew Cuomo’s transition team released a detailed and well-annotated report outlining plans for “Rightsizing Government.” The report’s findings and recommendations reiterate much of what the previous columns in this series have suggested: that New York state’s Public Authorities and agencies have “become too big, too expensive, and too ineffective — an ever proliferating tangle of boards, commissions, councils, departments, divisions, offices, task forces and public authorities, [that] the taxpaying public can no longer afford.“ Amen. more

Hal Peterson | 12/1/10

All eyes are on Andrew Cuomo

There’s usually a lot of guessing when it comes to a new governor. Does he have a plan? Does he understand the dynamics of the Capitol? Is he captive to any group that gave him financial support? Will he be independent enough to make tough decisions? more

Jerry Kremer | 11/18/10

Curran wins assembly seat; Becker loses to McCarthy

The anticipated nationwide wave to oust incumbents didn’t make it all the way to the South Shore this Election Day, as most current office holders — both Democrats and Republicans — retained … more

Herald staff | 11/3/10