My first guest column, “Reforming New York’s dysfunctional state government” was published in the Herald back in August 2010. It addressed political and operational irresponsibility in Albany and noted that if not corrected, they could lead to a new phase of fiscal instability beyond anyone’s imagination.
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Hal Peterson
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4/18/12
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With everything that has been going on in New York lately, it’s almost hard to remember that, just 24 months ago, we were the laughingstock of the country.
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4/5/12
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Last week, state leaders approved a $132.6 billion budget for 2012-13 that includes funding and a study for the redevelopment of Belmont Park. For many local residents, who've been urging development there for years, the announcement was considered a bout of luck.
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By Jackie Nash
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4/2/12
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On Feb. 22, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said, “There must be pension reform in the budget.” I couldn’t agree more, budget or otherwise, as I wrote in my last column, “Cuomo mandates reform of $140 billion state pension system.”
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Hal Peterson
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3/14/12
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Looking at the current New York state government, you could almost forget that until recently it was an ineffective embarrassment, a decidedly non-functional democracy.
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2/9/12
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In his budget address, Governor Andrew Cuomo highlighted his two key initiatives for New York State — reducing public-sector pension costs, and implementing an evaluation system for schoolteachers. Gov. Cuomo is the state’s top executive, elected by the people, so who’s supporting his plans? It’s the state’s public workers unions and the teachers’ union — they are suing the governor in court. Did anyone elect the unions to be in charge of the state’s pension and school systems?
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By George Rand
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2/7/12
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On Jan. 14, the New York Times reported that “President Obama on Friday announced an aggressive campaign to shrink the size of the federal government, a proposal less notable for its goal — the fight against bloat that has been embraced by every modern-day president — than for the political challenge it poses to a hostile Congress.”
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Hal Peterson
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2/1/12
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Last week, Governor Andrew Cuomo unveiled his 2012-13 Executive Budget and Reform Plan, which he says will close the $2 billion budget gap and increase state aid to schools and municipalities.
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Alex Costello
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1/25/12
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“Saddened,” “upset” and “disappointed” were among the many dispirited words people used to describe Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s decision to veto a bill that would …
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Lee Landor
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1/11/12
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The year 2011 is coming to a rapid close. Like all other years, especially at this stage of my life, it has gone very quickly.
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12/22/11
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