Carl Heastie

Voters get a chance to decide in the fall whether the state should have a constitutional convention. Both legislative leaders, however, say they are against it.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo is warning that the state might not be able to add more money for schools this year because of uncertainties in Washington over federal funding.

Many proposals in Washington right now including the changes to the Affordable Health Care Act, could mean multi billion dollar budget gaps for New York State. With the budget due this week, Governor Cuomo and legislative leaders think that at the very least, they may have to come back later in the year to revise the spending plan.

Senator Chris Jacobs is calling on the State Assembly to include ride hailing in the state budget by the of the month.

The New York State Senate and Assembly will release their one-house budgets early next week, as the March 31 deadline for a new spending plan draws near. They have already given some hints as to what the plans will include.

One of the chief arguments over the state budget will be whether to renew an income tax surcharge on New York’s wealthiest. The debate stands next to Governor Cuomo's push to create new initiatives, such as free tuition at state colleges and universities.

Some state lawmakers are rejecting Governor Cuomo’s proposal to extend a tax on millionaires. Cuomo spent Tuesday rolling out his spending plan to individual groups of lawmakers in private briefings, then at night, released details to the public.

Discussions over a December special session has turned to finger pointing, as Governor Cuomo and Senate Republicans blame each other over lack of progress.

Talks between Gov. Andrew Cuomo and legislative leaders are still continuing over whether to hold a special session before the holidays — and the clock is ticking.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo is pressuring state lawmakers to come back in December for a special session that includes a number of reform items to address recent corruption scandals. In exchange, he said, they could potentially be rewarded with a pay raise.

It’s looking less likely that state lawmakers will be getting a long-awaited pay raise next year. A commission designed to take politics out of the issue is now coming under political pressure to not grant the salary increase.

Governor Andrew Cuomo has not been getting along with other Democrats in the state this summer. For some time, Cuomo has appeared to have a feud with the Democratic mayor of New York City, but in recent weeks, the governor has directed scathing comments toward state Assembly Democrats.

A commission is considering granting as much as a 47 percent pay raise for state lawmakers, and the proposal is generating some backlash, including from Governor Andrew Cuomo.

As part of the push to end the legislative session by Thursday, state lawmakers representing the PFOA contaminated village of Hoosick Falls want to extend the statute of limitations to bring lawsuits against polluters.

Expectations for major ethics reform in the state legislature are low, even though both former leaders of the legislature are facing prison time for corruption. With just over a week to go before the session ends, only one measure — to take back the pensions of lawmakers who are convicted felons — seems to be in play.

Two separate bills to legalize and regulate daily fantasy sports and some other forms of gambling are moving through the legislature, but anti-gambling groups say they should be stopped.

Former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver was  sentenced to 12 years in prison Tuesday and told by a federal judge that he must give back $5 million that he stole from the public, as well a pay another $1.75 million in fines.

Prior to holding a rally at the Cohoes high school, Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton held an event in New York City with Governor Cuomo. The former New York Senator is scheduled to appear in Buffalo this Friday.

The newly approved state budget includes a minimum wage increase that is the result of several compromises.

When the state budget is approved next week it will likely not include a discount for frequent users of the New York State Thruway. The legislature has rejected Governor Cuomo’s plan to use some of the state’s surplus to subsidize tolls.

Governor Cuomo concedes that ethics reform is unlikely to be a part of the New York State budget, despite the conviction of the two legislative leaders on major corruption charges. Cuomo blames the legislature for lack of will to enact changes.

Senate Republicans say their version of the state budget will include a 9-year phase-in of tax cuts that would eventually total a 25 percent reduction for middle class taxpayers.