Tag: Andrew Cuomo

Apr 2

2013

The problem with Albany governing in the dark

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As if we needed more evidence that New York’s “Three Men in a Room” way of governing doesn’t work, there is this year’s legislative session. First there was the wham-bam bill to toughen gun control laws. Among other things, it limited magazines to no more than seven rounds of ammunition. Turns out that few such magazines are actually manufactured and sold. O0ps. The mistake was fixed – in more secret deliberations, of course. Then there is the budget passed last week that included two provisions that are looking worse with each passing day, now that they are actually seeing the light[...]

Posted 11 years ago

Feb 22

2013

Beyond controlling

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A state employee praises Gov. Andrew Cuomo, is threatened with termination, resigns, and gets raked over the coals anyway. His sin: talking to a reporter without permission. The New York Times details the lengths to which Cuomo and Co. micromanage the release of information.

Posted 11 years ago

Feb 17

2013

Q&A: Nanotech guru Alain Kaloyeros

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Alain Kaloyeros works in Albany but is emerging as a key player in Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s effort to revitalize the Western New York economy.  Kaloyeros is the senior vice president and CEO of the College of Nanoscience and Engineering at the University of Albany. Since 1988 he has lead the effort to develop a nanotechnology sector in the capital region, and by extension, the state, which has resulted in the creation of some 18,000 jobs. “He has spent the past two decades building the nano facility as the most advanced research complex of its kind at any university in the world,”[...]

Posted 11 years ago

Feb 15

2013

Details on Cuomo’s first Billion To Buffalo investment

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I’ve been reporting on economic development in this town for more than a decade and the way Andrew Cuomo and Co. plan on spending the first installment of the $1 billion they’ve pledged to revitalize the Buffalo area economy is like nothing I’ve ever seen. I mean this in a good way. Gov. Cuomo in December announced a state investment of $50 million to set up a drug research facility to attract Albany Molecular Research to the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. State officials have refused to discuss details since then. Until now. Alain Kaloyeros, architect of the successful effort to[...]

Posted 11 years ago

Feb 4

2013

High taxes land one-third of local governments on fiscally distressed list

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Gov. Andrew Cuomo wants to cap binding arbitration rulings involving public employee union contracts working for local governments deemed in “fiscal distress”. Localities would earn this dubious distinction if their reserves represent less than 5 percent of their operating budgets if their tax rates rank among the state’s top quartile. The Albany Times Union has a good primer, including a table listing the status of each county, city, town and village in the state. Investigative Post has broken out the list for Erie and Niagara counties. The bottom line for the locals: 23 of 75 units of government are defined as in[...]

Posted 11 years ago

Jan 27

2013

Sweetheart deal in Honeymoon Capital

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New York State extended the Maid of Mist contract without seeking bids; Canadian competitor said Cuomo and Co. left $100 million on the table. A report by The Buffalo News, following dogged coverage by the Niagara Falls Reporter.

Posted 11 years ago

Dec 20

2012

Job claims inflated for Billion To Buffalo project

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Governor Andrew Cuomo summoned hundreds of muckety-mucks to the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center two weeks ago to make the kind of announcement that politicians live for: government aid to bring jobs to an economically struggling region. In this instance, Cuomo told the assembled that the first $50 million of his $1 billion in promised state economic development funds had leveraged a commitment from Albany Molecular Research Inc. to bring 250 jobs and up to $250 million in private investment to the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. Reads the headline on the governor’s press release: “Governor and (Western New York Regional Economic[...]

Posted 11 years ago

Dec 16

2012

Q&A: Howard Zemsky

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Howard Zemsky is one of the most influential people in Western New York. And certainly one of its busiest. He’s perhaps best known for his revitalization of the Larkin Building and the surrounding area into one of the hottest – and coolest –  commercial, residential and retail districts in the region. It’s only one of several of his business ventures, including Taurus Capital Partners. Zemsky, 53, has emerged as a key community leader and political player in recent years. Most significantly, he is co-chairman of the Western New York Regional Economic Development Council, which is guiding Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s initiative to spend $1[...]

Posted 11 years ago
Investigative Post

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