In 2004, the Brennan Center for Justice and New York University’s School of Law released a report describing the New York Legislature as “the most dysfunctional state [government] in the nation.” It was an excellent critique and its findings were well founded. more

In his State of the State address, Gov. Andrew Cuomo authorized two committees, one reviewing Medicaid spending; the second, needed relief from costly and burdensome state mandates. more

State Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos says he is optimistic that despite the difficult choices they face, this is the year when Albany lawmakers will finally make the structural changes to the state budget needed to rein in spending. more

I have to admit, I’m having a problem understanding how, in just 33 working days, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Medicaid Redesign Team was able to recommend 79 cost cutting measures to save $2.3 billion in the upcoming budget. I’ll address this concern from three viewpoints. 
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My last column, “Stop playing games with the budget deficit” (Feb. 3) was written one week before New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli issued his analysis of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s executive budget draft. The irrationality I outlined fell short of anticipating the following mea-culpa expressed in the comptroller’s analysis. “The SFY 2010-2011 enacted budget relied on $16.7 billion in non-recurring or temporary budget resources; and overly optimistic tax revenue projections, causing a dramatically worsened state structural deficit.” How dramatic? These tenuous entries constituted 30 percent of all the monies in the state’s operating fund. more

In one of its first orders of business in the new legislative session, the State Senate passed the Job Creation and Taxpayer Protection Act of 2011 on Jan. 19. Supporters of the three-part plan say it will encourage the creation of new private-sector jobs with a tax credit, ensure fiscal responsibility with the enactment of a 2 percent state spending cap and require a two-thirds “super-majority” vote to increase taxes if the Assembly, and then voters, approve a constitutional amendment. more

Twice last week, authorities discovered neglected animals inside dilapidated Rockville Centre homes. The second discovery was by far the worst ... At 14 Montauk Ave., Faith Ross, 54, and her … more

Sen. Dean Skelos assumed the two most powerful posts in the State Senate — majority leader and president pro tem — last week. more

Susan Williams will spend the next 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison after Nassau County Judge Norman St. George sentenced her on Dec. 17 at the Nassau County Courthouse in Mineola. more

Long Island’s nine senators will become part of the Republican majority in the New York State Senate next month, and as their leader, Sen. Dean Skelos of Rockville Centre is expected to have their … more