Klavinuccilesky still waiting for TPPP

Libous On Horse-Trading (Bad), Millionaires Tax (Maybe)
Sen. Tom Libous this morning lamented the idea that the Assembly Democrats might try to tie a Property Tax cap to rent control, saying that might not be “healthy” and noting that such linkages have caused late Budgets in the past. “That’s, I think, one of the things that has kept this place from moving forward in the past is that everything got tied into othe budget, everything got tied into one negotiation,” Libous said. “Everything got tied into one negota...

To The State Senate Renegade Go The (Bigger Office) Spoils, At Least For Now
In what appears to be the most public perk of telling Senate Minority Leader John Sampson to take his leadership and shove it, Dissident Sen. Jeff Klein has some new official digs: The office space formerly occupied by Sen. Tom Libous when he was deputy minority leader. The head of the new four-person Independent Democratic Caucus, who was formerly Sampson's deputy Majority Leader, has moved into 413 Cap, as LoHud noted today. "It's clear that independence for Jeff Klein comes with...

DeFran On Millionaires Tax: No Way, No How For GOP
During a CapTon interview last night, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sen. John DeFrancisco shot down the suggestion the GOP might be open to reauthorize the so-called millionarie’s tax under the pretense that to do so would not technically be breaking the “no new taxes pledge.” “There’s no way the Senate Republicans, in my mind, are going to reauthorize the Millionaire’s tax. I just don’t see it happening,” the senator told me. “We’...

New Senate caucus could become a force for reform
Corruption in the in Brooklyn Democratic party is a central problem for progressive groups in the borough, but the emergence of a new Caucus in the state Senate may provide a unique opportunity for reform. Infighting and self interests have paralyzed Democratic initiatives since the party took the senate majority two years ago. Republicans took back the majority last week. In response Senator Jeffery Klein has lead a defection followed by three other Senators, Diane Savino, David Valesky, and Da...

Breslin tapped deputy leader
ALBANY -- Sen. Neil Breslin has been tapped as deputy leader of the 26-member Democratic Conference, a post that requires him to coordinate the legislative flow on the chamber floor and serve as the second-in-command to Minority Leader John Sampson, D-Brooklyn. "I think it brings honor to the County of Albany that I have been selected as deputy minority leader, but it also means that I will have a great deal of work to do to make sure that we get out of the $10 billion Deficit while at the same ...

Sampson Consolidates Power Through Committees
Senate Minority Leader John Sampson released the full list of his ranking committee and leadership assignments today, revealing he is moving to shore up his support with three key constituencies within the conference: Hispanics, women and upstaters. As has been reported (H/T CapCon), Sen. Neil Breslin is Sampson’s new No. 2, replacing Sen. Jeff Klein, who stepped down from the post and then promptly bolted the conference, taking three fellow Caucasian Conservatives with him. So, that tak...

Independent Democratic Caucus: What We Want
The Sen. Jeff Klein-led Independent Democratic Caucus is meeting the press in Albany, with the four members of the breakaway group laying out what they want. You can read more below, but to sum up, the quartet -- which has said it can no longer go along with Senate Democratic Leader John Sampson -- wants to "Crack Down on overtime abuses, develop new accountability standards for outside contractors, review the use of state assets, and eliminate duplicative administrative functions." I...

Did Senate Republicans Promise To Prevent Pell Grant Cuts In 2011?
Did Senate Republicans Promise To Prevent Pell Grant Cuts In 2011? The continuing resolution that was passed by Congress in December — which kept the government’s lights on through March 4 — addressed a key problem by providing $5.7 billion to cover a funding shortfall in the Pell Grant program that resulted from increased demand for grants in the face of the Great Recession. House Republicans griped that the funding was included, but were not successful in getting it remove...

The Story of a Lifetime
Gov. Jerry Brown gestures as he discusses his approach to dealing with an estimated $25.4 billion state Budget Deficit during a news conference in which he released his $84.6 billion general fund state spending plan at the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif. on Monday. Covering the statehouse or City Hall is regarded as the minor leagues of political journalism. A substantial number of those so employed would rather be in Washington, on the campaign plane or in an editor’s chair tyrannizing rep...

Sampson Elevates Latino Members
Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr. this afternoon issued a statement praising Senate Minority Leader John Sampson for appointing fellow Hispanic lawmakers to “high-ranking positions” within the Democratic conference. According to Diaz, who chairs the Senate’s Puerto Rican/Latino Caucus, Sampson has appointed Sen. Martin Malavé Dilan to serve as assistant minority leader for Senate Policy and Administration; Sen. José Peralta to serve as Senate Democratic Conference Minority Whip; a...

Cuomo Solicits Medicaid Input
Gov. Andrew Cuomo just launched a new Website that seeks input from the public on how to reform the Medicaid system and also track the progress of his newly-created Medicaid redesign Task Force. The site includes electronic forms for Medicaid stakeholders and the public to write in with their cost-cutting ideas It will also include listings of the team’s public hearings and prepared reports. The administration hopes it will be an “integral component to the reform process.” ...

Here And Now
President Obama, who was supposed to be in Schenectady today, is headed to Tuscon, Az. tomorrow to attend a memorial service for the Saturday Shooting Victims. House members are considering adopting an enhanced security system that would make it easier for them to receive protection at home in their districts. “I believe Gun Ownership is an individual fundamental right,” Rep. Tom Reed said. “And regardless of the Regulation and prohibition you put on it, weapons are a fact of...

The Weekend That Was
A troubled 22-year-old College Student, Jared Lee Loughner, has been charged with trying to assassinate Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, during a shootout that left 20 people wounded, six of them fatally. Here’s the Criminal Complaint against Loughner, who acted alone. Giffords lived through the attack and remains in critical condition. Giffords’ Chief of Staff is a Saratoga Springs native and was not hurt in the shootout. The House called a halt to all work in Washington. Being in the ...

Brown to talk budget with legislators this afternoon
Gov. Jerry Brown is meeting with State Legislators this afternoon to urge quick action on the Budget proposal he released yesterday, his office announced. Brown wants lawmakers to approve Spending Cuts and a proposal to ask voters to approve a five-year extension of temporary taxes by March, in time to call a June Special Election on the tax piece. The second part is a tough sell for Republicans, who said yesterday they wouldn't vote for the Special Election as the plan stands now. The serie...

U.S. attorney sues New York City over Medicaid
NEW YORK | Tue Jan 11, 2011 3:46pm EST NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York sued New York City on Tuesday for civil penalties and damages "of at least tens of millions of dollars" over its Medicaid program. From 2000 to 2010, some patients wrongly received "continuous" or 24-hour home care while others who should have such extra help did not. "The City's alleged conduct has resulted in patients receiving more services through the program than necessary ...

U.S. attorney sues New York City over Medicaid
From 2000 to 2010, some patients wrongly received "continuous" or 24-hour home care while others who should have such extra help did not. "The City's alleged conduct has resulted in patients receiving more services through the program than necessary or warranted by their condition, resulting in substantial additional costs to Taxpayers," U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said in a statement. New York City has one of the nation's costliest and most generous programs for Medicaid, which provides health...

Senate Independent Dems: No Bonus For Bolting
Our Glenn Blain, who is standing on the floor of the state Senate as we speak, notes that Senate Majority Leader Skelos is handing up committee assignments today. GOP sources confirmed to him that no Democrats would get committee chairs, and according to the list Skelos just sent out, Blain's on the money. That means ex-Deputy Leader Jeff Klein and his breakaway Independent Democratic Caucus didn't get rewarded with any lulus for rejecting Sen. John Sampson's leadership. Well, at le...

Wyoming loves its politicians
There isn't a state in the country we've polled that loves its politicians like Wyoming. Two weeks ago we posted a chart showing Approval Ratings for all 59 Senators we'd polled on during the second half of 2010. At the top of that list was Minnesota's Amy Klobuchar with a 59/29 approval rating. Both of Wyoming's Senators exceed that, now making them the two most popular Senators we've ever polled on. Tops is John Barrasso with a 69/25 approval breakdown (+44 spread) and not too far behind Mike...

New Michigan Legislature convenes on Wednesday
Michigan's new State Legislature is getting ready to convene for the first time. Lawmakers are scheduled to gather at the State Capitol on Wednesday for swearing-in ceremonies. Republicans retain their majority in the Senate and are replacing Democrats for control of the House as the 2011-12 session begins. Lawmakers likely will focus much of their energy on the state's projected $1.8 billion Budget shortfall for the Fiscal Year that starts in October. Republicans want to try and erase the defic...

Sommerhauser Nails It
Mark Sommerhauser’s article on the reforms introduced yesterday totally nails it. This is part of what Sommerhauser reported: GOP legislative leaders put such a proposal by Banaian, R-St. Cloud, in the spotlight Monday at the Capitol. They featured Banaian’s bill as an example of how Republican freshmen will reform State Government, after the GOP took control of the Legislature this year. The other Reform Bill introduced ( HF1 ) was written by Rep. Dan Fabian, a freshman representin...

State Of The Boroughs: The Bronx
Ruben Diaz Jr. (Credit: Spencer Platt/Getty Images) NEW YORK (CBS 2) — In the continuing State of the Boroughs series, CBS 2’s Otis Livingston sits down with Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. live in studio to talk about The Bronx....

Infidel Bloggers Alliance
The Hill: Poll: Rhetoric, Arizona shooting unrelated By Jordan Fabian - 01/11/11 08:13 AM ET Almost 60 percent of the public believes that heated political rhetoric has nothing to do with an Arizona Shooting Spree that gravely wounded Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D) and killed a Federal Judge. Fifty-seven percent of respondents in a new CBS News poll said rhetoric is unrelated to the shooting, while 32 percent said they believe the two are connected. Many pundits and lawmakers have keyed in on ...

Republicans Go After EPA Climate Change Rules
Maybe the biggest failure of the Democrats over the past few years has been that they didn’t pass Climate Change Legislation, even when they had simultaneous control of the House, the Senate, and the White House. Luckily for them, they have a backup plan with the Environmental Protection Agency. Under the Clean Air Act, the EPA can issue regulations for air pollutants that they determine “endanger Public Health and welfare.” On January 2nd, the first round of EPA regulations on...

Midday open thread
The weekly Daily Kos State of the Nation poll is back! Results will be published shortly after this midday linky thread, and we'll have a results widget up in a day or so. It's really shamless how the Wingnuts just make shit up. Wait, the BLUE DOGS are bitter? The Blue Dog complaints over the 111th Congress start at the beginning. Ross said the $787 billion stimulus package in 2009 was poorly drafted, with too much spent on Tax Cuts that most people didn’t realize they received and s...

Do or die for massive Illinois tax hike
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Democratic state lawmakers in Illinois are scrambling to pass massive personal and corporate Income Tax hikes Tuesday to bring their state Budget back from the fiscal abyss. Timing is critical because it will be much harder to raise taxes after Republicans take over more seats on Wednesday. The state GOP is firmly opposed to hiking taxes, preferring instead to cut spending. Email Print Comment While the proposal is still in flux, it contains a mix of Tax Increases and new...