Politics and Government

Republicans in the state Senate Tuesday night brought up a bill that would give $10 million in extra aid to schools. 

The New York Racing Association (NYRA) is under fire for skimming $8.5 million from bettors.

In a new report, the Cuomo administration says NYRA pocketed a larger-than-allowed "takeout" percentage on "exotic bets" - special wagers on multiple horses or races.

The report alleges that NYRA then tried to cover up the wrongdoing.

Governor Cuomo cast further doubt on issues like campaign finance reform and increasing the states minimum wage to become law this year, and says he’s “shifting” to a new phase of governing instead.

Governor Andrew Cuomo says he has some goals for the rest of the legislative session, including reforming the campaign finance system and possibly raising the state’s minimum wage.

The State Assembly has introduced a bill to permit voluntary public financing of some election campaigns for the first time in New York State.

Mitt Romney won New York’s presidential primary Tuesday without much difficulty. Romney won 62.4% of the vote statewide. Ron Paul finished second, picking up 15.7%. Newt Gingrich finished third, with 12.9% and Rick Santorum picked up 9% of the vote, despite dropping out of the race earlier this month.

Even before the doors opened for students to find a seat to see Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speak at Syracuse University Monday morning, a line began to form. Over the next couple of hours, it kept growing as a sturdy column of students, faculty, and community members stretched through campus in the cold rain.

Republican Presidential primary politics comes to New York state Tuesday. It's the first of three different primary days across the state this year. Election officials worry that all these primary days will end up confusing voters.

The state Republican Party held it's annual dinner in New York City five days before the state's presidential primary. Only one of the remaining candidates was scheduled to speak at the dinner, and it wasn't Mitt Romney.

Ron Paul's presidential campaign came to Cornell University Thursday ahead of next week's all-but- decided Republican primary. Congressman Paul's speech was half lecture and half rally-cry.

With just two months left in the legislative session, advocates of campaign finance reform are pressing Governor Cuomo and the legislature to adopt a New York City style public financing system for the state.

Democrats in the State Senate held a forum promoting a hike in the state’s minimum wage, while a conservative group says there’s already a government program in place that  boosts the earnings of low wage workers well above the current minimum standard.

It’ll be election deja-vu for some Onondaga County voters this year when it comes to the 127th Assembly District seat. An incumbent who lost two years ago is jumping back into the ring.

Pro-choice advocates promoting the women’s reproductive health act say they are counting on Governor Andrew Cuomo to help the bill become law this year.

The Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in New York State is taking on tax reform. Wendy Long used a tax-preparing site in Syracuse to make her point.

Pittsburgh school teacher Phyllis Scherrer is the Vice Presidential nominee of the Socialist Equality Party.