mandates

School districts worry about state aid while budgeting for next year

Ellen Abbott — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 13:15:44 +0000

School districts across New York state are in the midst of their budget process right now, with many facing dwindling state aid and more state mandates. A weekend legislative conference in Syracuse focused on the story that doesn't seem to change.

Cuomo says local governments need to cope with tax cap

Karen Dewitt — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 13:01:11 +0000

Governor Andrew Cuomo is telling local governments they are on their own when it comes to coping with a recently imposed property tax cap, saying it is up to county and city government leaders to make the hard choices, and to stop complaining.

Counties face budget crunch in New York state

Ellen Abbott — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 10:06:33 +0000

Fall means budget season in counties across New York State. Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney makes her budget pitch to lawmakers Friday. Many governments are facing the same pressures.

Duffy campaigns in Syracuse to lift "dark cloud" of mandates

Ryan Delaney — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 16:23:19 +0000

Lieutenant Governor Robert Duffy has been beating a path back and forth across upstate New York, as he campaigns for Governor Andrew Cuomo’s budget initiatives.

Duffy made his second stop in Syracuse this week on Thursday, this time to drum up support for changes to pensions and Medicaid funding.

But this time he brought some friends.

Duffy led a hearing of the 11-member Mandate Relief Council [PDF], made up of members of Cuomo’s administration and elected lawmakers. The group heard testimony from central New York government and business leaders at Le Moyne College.

Joanie Mahoney on The Campbell Conversations

Grant Reeher — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 18:49:16 +0000

Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney works on the front lines of the "unfunded mandate" issue, a phrase we've been hearing with increasing frequency at all levels of political discussion. What exactly is the problem with unfunded mandates?