Karen DeWitt

Albany, NY —

Thousands of state workers rallied in Albany and around the state today, protesting Gov. David Paterson’s plan to include one-day-a-week furloughs in the emergency spending bills issued to keep the state running while the budget is late.

Legislators planned to reluctantly vote on Paterson’s furlough plan, ...

Albany, NY —

Former New York State Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno was sentenced to two years in prison by a federal judge Thursday, but Bruno won’t have to begin serving his term until after the U.S. Supreme Court rules whether the law he was sentenced under is actually ...

Albany, NY —

Former state Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno will be sentenced tomorrow on two counts of felony federal corruption. Federal prosecutors are seeking eight years in prison for the crimes.

The former Senate leader, regarded as a benefactor in his district, has submitted numerous letters from community leaders ...

New York, NY —

Gov. David Paterson says he’s made up his mind to go through with a one-day-a-week furlough for unionized state workers and force a potential show down with New York's legislature.

“I have decided that I will include the furloughs in next week’s emergency appropriations,” Paterson says.

If ...

Albany, NY —

Gov. David Paterson says he’s creating a new panel to review the cases of immigrants facing deportation because of previous criminal convictions. The governor says the plan is a "challenge" to what he believes is unfair federal immigration policy.

The governor said the panel would recommend pardons ...

New York, NY —

Senator Espada's legal troubles are inspiring some lawmakers to call for new leadership in the chamber. Karen DeWitt has more from Albany.

REPORTER: State Senator Marty Golden, a Brooklyn Republican, has introduced an amendment calling for Senate Majority Leader Espada to step down from his leadership ...

New York, NY —

Earth Day celebrations will not be taking place at the New York State Capitol. Events originally slated for Wednesday were canceled by Gov. David Paterson. Paterson told environmental groups that he’s sorry he’s had to close parks, and make other unpopular budget decisions, but he ...

New York, NY —

Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada has been charged by the state Attorney General with stealing more than $14 million dollars from a Bronx not-for-profit run by the Senator and his family.

Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has filed a lawsuit against Senator Espada alleging he “looted” ...

Albany, NY —

Lawmakers have approved a third round of budget extenders to keep New York State, but not without some complaints.

Lawmakers grumbled over the governor's latest round of austerity spending extenders, which exclude any state-funded road and bridge repair projects, saying construction workers are being kept out of ...

Albany, NY —

With the New York State budget now two weeks overdue, lawmakers have left Albany with no signs of reaching a spending agreement with the governor.

Gov. David Paterson asked legislators to extend their session through the weekend to try to wrap up budget discussions.

"It's gonna require a ...

New York, NY —

School districts in New York are taking their own emergency budget measures now that Governor Paterson has delayed their state aid. Karen DeWitt reports.

REPORTER: Paterson withheld a $2.1 billion school aid payment at the end of March saying the state does not have the money. ...

New York, NY —

A new poll shows that Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, who is expected to soon announce a run for governor, continues his wide lead over all other potential challengers.

The Quinnipiac poll finds Cuomo has a job approval of higher than 70% for the ninth month in ...

New York, NY —

The New York State legislature voted to keep the state running for another week, as the state enters its second week without a budget. Gov. David Paterson’s stripped down spending extender does not include money for scheduled state worker pay raises or for road and ...

New York, NY —

The state’s budget director says New York is facing an "unprecedented" cash flow problem, and he says if there’s no budget in place in six weeks, delaying payments to schools and others won’t be enough to stave off a financial crash.

Gov. David Paterson’s budget director, ...

New York, NY —

New York lawmakers are not happy with Governor Paterson’s latest emergency spending bill which holds back raises for state workers. Karen DeWitt reports from Albany.

REPORTER: State workers, under terms of their contracts agreed to with Governor Paterson, were supposed to receive a 4 percent raise ...

With the New York state budget a week overdue Governor David Paterson says he's issuing another round of emergency spending measures.

New York, NY —

With the New York State budget a week overdue Governor Paterson says he's issuing another round of emergency spending measures. Karen DeWitt reports from Albany.

REPORTER: Paterson says, with no budget agreement in the foreseeable future, he's working on another bare bones budget extender to take ...

Asks public employees to forego a 4% raise, which takes effect today.

New York, NY —

On this first day of the fiscal year, Governor Paterson is urging New Yorkers to lobby their lawmakers to approve the now overdue state budget.

The Senate and Assembly have left Albany for a more than week long holiday break. Governor David Paterson in a statement ...

New York, NY —

Gov. David Paterson has once again put off some payments that the state owes to schools, citing lack of money.

Paterson, who originally included the school aid money in emergency spending bills approved by the legislature, now says he's going to withhold $2.1 billion in school ...