Dec. 3, 2024 - Upstate New York businessman and political outsider Anthony Constantino shot into the national spotlight this campaign season with his very public support for Donald Trump and is now looking to capitalize on his newfound celebrity with a bid to succeed Rep. Elise Stefanik, who is likely headed to the United Nations in 2025. We discuss the role of a congressman, areas where he has more to learn, and much more.
Dec. 2, 2024 - Assembly Member Anna Kelles, an Ithaca-area Democrat, makes the case for mandating a certain number of electric-vehicle charging stations for state-run parking lots and in off-street parking for new residential construction.
Dec. 2, 2024 - Assemblymember Sarahana Shrestha, a Hudson Valley Democrat, argues the Hochul administration could be more aggressive in its development of state-owned renewable energy projects and defends the costs associated with taking on more projects.
Dec. 2, 2024 - Assemblymember John McDonald, a Capital Region Democrat, discusses new regulations addressing the relationship between pharmacies and pharmacy benefit managers and explains what they could mean for consumers.
Dec. 2, 2024 - New York Law Journal litigation reporter Brian Lee talks about a unique case before the state's top court that questions the effective date of the Child Victims Act.
This spring, state lawmakers and Gov. Kathy Hochul - after a contentious battle over education funding in the state budget - directed the Rockefeller Institute of Government to examine how the state doles out the bulk of school funding and consider how to improve this process. We discuss the think tank's report with their president, Bob Megna, who explains the approach they took to this project and outlines some of the key recommendations.
Nov. 27, 2024 - A proposed update to the Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan that is supposed to provide greater access to New Yorkers with disabilities by expanding the use of motorized vehicles is getting pushback from environmentalists. We explore these concerns and the master plan more broadly with Protect the Adirondacks Deputy Director Claudia Braymer and Conservation Director & Counsel Chris Amato.
Nov. 27, 2024 - This fall the state Child Poverty Reduction Advisory Council has put together a list of recommendations intended to cut child poverty in half. We talk about the problem of child poverty and the path forward with Kate Breslin, president and CEO of the Schuyler Center for Analysis and a member of the council.
Nov. 27, 2024 - We explore what the state is doing and should be doing to provide health care services to rural New Yorkers with Alison Coates, president of the board of directors for the New York State Association for Rural Health.
Nov. 27, 2024 - A state program intended to provide consistently lower energy bills for New Yorkers and small businesses hasn't always delivered on its promise. We discuss the implementation of the Community Choice Aggregation program and whether it can be improved with John Howard, former chair of the state Public Service Commission.
Nov. 26, 2024 - We explore what the second Trump administration could mean for environmental policies impacting New York, with the help of Judith Enck, a regional administrator for the EPA in the Obama administration and president of the advocacy group Beyond Plastics.
Nov. 26, 2024 - This campaign season was marked by competing visions of the anti-discrimination language voters were being asked to add to the state constitution. We explore how the new protections might be utilized in the future with Evan Davis, former counsel to Governor Mario Cuomo and a proponent of the Equal Rights Amendment.
Nov. 26, 2024 - An audit from the state comptroller's office suggests the Hochul administration could have done a better job tracking how more than $14 billion in Medicaid dollars spent on personal and home care services. We discuss the findings with Tina Kim, deputy comptroller for the office's Division of State Government Accountability.
Nov. 25, 2024 - New nuclear energy projects appear to be part of Gov. Kathy Hochul's agenda, as she is formally looking for input on developing "advanced" nuclear technologies in the Empire State. We discuss this process, including why the governor's plans are limited to upstate, with Doreen Harris, president & CEO of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.
Nov. 25, 2024 - State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government Executive Director Sandy Berland discusses the government watchdog's wish list for the 2025 legislative session and addresses initiatives championed by good government advocates.
Nov. 22, 2024 - New York State Chief Cyber Officer Colin Ahern talks about recruiting his team, protecting the power grid from digital threats, and responding to the hack of the state legislature in the spring.
