Karen DeWitt

New York, NY —

Gov. David Paterson says New York's deficit has grown to $8.2 billion, and he says he’ll present lawmakers with new plans to balance the budget next week.

Paterson says a larger than expected decline in Wall Street earnings and higher than anticipated Medicaid costs contributed to ...

New York, NY —

Gov. David Paterson vetoed the legislature's package of ethics reform, saying it "does not go far enough in addressing the corrosive effects of outside influence and internal decay," that he says plagues "Planet Albany".

Earlier in the day, the governor spoke of his concerns about the ...

New York, NY —

Gov. David Paterson says despite growing calls for him to not seek a full term he’s staying in the race.

Republican Scott Brown's upset win in the Massachusetts Senate race has led to a drumbeat of Democrats calling for Paterson, who is underfunded and struggling with ...

New York, NY —

The New York State legislature has approved an ethics reform package but the bills don't go as far as Governor Paterson would like. Karen DeWitt has more from Albany.

REPORTER: The bill strenghtens the notoriously weak legislative ethics commission, requires greater disclosure of lawmakers outside income, ...

New York, NY —

Saying that this is "not a budget of choice, but of necessity", Paterson proposes closing a $7.4 billion gap by cutting school aid, health care and state agencies by more than one billion dollars each.

"Our revenues have crumbled, and our budget has crashed," said Paterson. ...

New York, NY —

Gov. David Paterson is proposing a $134 billion budget that cuts schools, health care, and state agencies and would impose new taxes on cigarettes and soda pop.

Saying New York faces an "inevitable fiscal reckoning," Paterson would close a $7.4 billion gap by cutting school aid ...

New York, NY —

New campaign filings show Governor Paterson has a fraction of the cash that his potential primary opponent Andrew Cuomo has on hand. From Albany, Karen DeWitt reports.

New York, NY —

Governor David Paterson says he's raised enough money to run for governor, despite reports that potential rival Andrew Cuomo may have raised millions more.

Campaign contribution filings are not required to be made public until January 15, but Governor Paterson is already saying he'll raise enough ...

New York, NY —

Governor Paterson says he'll stick to a self-imposed cap on state spending when he releases his budget this month, and even promises to generate a surplus that can be given back to New Yorkers in the form a property tax credit. But the governor is ...

New York, NY —

Governor Paterson is expected to focus on ethics reform...during his State of the State address this afternoon. The speech comes during the state’s worst fiscal crisis in decades...and as the governor struggles to make a comeback for an election campaign. Karen DeWitt has more from ...

New York, NY —

The state comptroller says he's identified nearly $100 million in Medicaid fraud.

Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli says three separate audits uncovered a number of mistakes in Medicaid payments and overcharges that, he says, needlessly cost taxpayers $92 million. One of the most egregious errors involved a Poughkeepsie ...

New York, NY —

Education groups hoping to stop Gov. David Paterson's move to withhold payments to schools this month have filed a lawsuit. The state's school board, superintendents, and teachers union claim the governor has violated the constitutional separation of powers.

Kevin Casey with the School Administrators Association says ...

New York, NY —

Governor Paterson says he'll take the weekend to look over his options before deciding which payments to postpone or curtail to prevent the state from running out of cash later this month. Karen DeWitt reports:

New York, NY —

Future employees of the state of New York will get less generous retirement benefits, now that Gov. David Paterson signed into law a bill creating a new pension tier.

Paterson says the state can no longer afford to be as generous with pension benefits as it ...

New York, NY —

Albany may approve ethics reforms, now that former Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno has been convicted on federal corruption charges. Karen DeWitt reports from Albany.

REPORTER: Senator Dan Squadron, a Democrat who's sponsoring ethics reform legislation, says the conviction of the former senate leader for hiding ...

New York, NY —

Former New York Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno says he plans to appeal his conviction on two counts of federal corruption. A jury also found him not guilty of five other counts. Karen DeWitt reports from Albany.

REPORTER: The jury agreed with the prosecution on two ...

New York, NY —

A new quarrel has opened up between Governor Paterson and state senate Democrats. They say his plan to unilaterally cut payments to schools and local governments this month is unconstitutional. Karen DeWitt reports.

REPORTER: Governor Paterson has wasted no opportunity to condemn the legislature's budget-balancing package ...

New York, NY —

A bill to legalize same-sex marriage in New York was defeated in the State Senate, 38-to-24, with no Republicans voting in favor of the measure. Karen DeWitt has more from Albany.

REPORTER: Supporters expressed bitter disappointment and the sponsor of the bill, Senator Tom Duane, said ...

New York, NY —

State lawmakers are hoping to pass bills today that help close a large part of the budget deficit. Karen DeWitt has more on the plan Governor Paterson reluctantly agreed to yesterday.

REPORTER: Legislative leaders had characterized the settlement as a deal in private meetings with their ...

New York, NY —

Governor Paterson has given the state legislature an ultimatum - either vote on his deficit-closing plan, or give him the authorization to fill the gap himself. Karen DeWitt reports from Albany.

REPORTER: Governor Paterson in a pre-taped message billed as a special address to New Yorkers ...