Keyword: 'government' | Herald Community Newspapers

West Hemsptead resident Gary Port is challenging Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray for her seat this year.

West Hempstead resident Gary Port is challenging Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray for her seat this year... more

By Lee Landor | 6/22/11

A.G. names new public integrity officers

As part of his effort to crack down on corruption and restore the public’s trust in government, Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced the appointments of public integrity officers … more

By Mary Malloy | 6/22/11

Assemblyman Ed Ra, a Republican from Franklin Square, spoke to fifth- and sixth-grade students about state government at the James A. Dever School last week.

Dever students learn first hand about government

With just four months on the job, New York State Assemblyman Ed Ra has spent much time traveling his district. On April 26, he visited the James A. Dever School to talk to students about state government. more

By Andrew Hackmack | 5/5/11

The public's right to know

This is Sunshine Week, a national initiative to increase government transparency. Since its inception in 2005, it has helped raise awareness of the importance of open government and freedom of information. more

3/23/11

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

An open letter to Sen. Dean Skelos

Back in early August, I began to consider writing a series of columns on reforming New York’s dysfunctional state government. Friends and neighbors were not aware of my interest in this subject; others suggested that no amount of disclosure and transparency could possibly make a difference. more

11/17/10

An open letter to Sen. Dean Skelos

Back in early August, I began to consider writing a series of columns on reforming New York’s dysfunctional state government. Friends and neighbors were not aware of my interest in this subject; others suggested that no amount of disclosure and transparency could possibly make a difference. more

Hal Peterson | 11/10/10

The illusion of reform: What happened to change we can believe in?

As I’ve mentioned in my four prior columns, our state authorities and agencies are not sufficiently accountable to the public. In the past decade alone there have been multiple reports by the state Comptroller’s office, governors’ commissions and public sector watchdog groups about this. Efforts to legislate greater accountability by officials who have focused their attention on authorities have met with limited success. more

Hal Peterson | 10/27/10

The federal deficit — a thorn in the taxpayer’s side

Last week, I took part in an insightful panel on Fox Business News on which we focused the debate on government waste. Although I went postal after one of my fellow panelists made rather ignorant remarks, some of the issues we discussed will really blow your mind. more

Al D'Amato | 9/30/10

Oceanside's Sanitation District 7 is a main target of the group, which wants to know what taxpayer money is being spent on within the district.

Good-government group wants to take out the trash

Most Long Islanders know — thanks to pocket-draining experience — that living here carries a hefty price tag. What many don't seem to know is that they can change that. How? One way is … more

Lee Landor | 9/22/10