The state’s Board of Regents’ decision to delay 19 education recommendations had many parents and educators at Monday night’s forum at the Lawrence-Woodmere Academy frustrated; they said they would prefer Common Core eliminated altogether. more

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, State Senate majority coalition leaders Dean Skelos and Jeffrey Klein, and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver! You led while others squirmed. more

Regardless of whether you’re a politician in Washington or in Albany, the word “leader” is a big deal. There isn’t a member of Congress or a state legislator who doesn’t aspire to that title. more

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. more

My last two columns, “As promised: keeping tabs” (June 30 – July 6) and “Is the bloom off the rose?” (July 21-27) provided information to evaluate the session-ending accomplishments of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. Two fundamental questions were raised. Has there been a real transformation in addressing the way the “people’s business” is being managed in Albany? Do our political leaders really understand that the state of New York is still headed down a path of fiscal instability and requires levels of real reform hardly evident to date? more

I have to admit, I’m having a problem understanding how, in just 33 working days, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Medicaid Redesign Team was able to recommend 79 cost cutting measures to save $2.3 billion in the upcoming budget. I’ll address this concern from three viewpoints. 
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Eight days remained until the April 1 budget deadline as state lawmakers pulled into their parking spaces on Monday in Albany. Except for hustling staffers and a smattering of … more