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Nov 15, 2023 | 
timesunion.com | George Hearst |Casey Seiler |Jay Jochnowitz |Chris Churchill
Last week, Albany County Family Court Judge Susan Kushner was reelected to a 10-year term, even though an internal investigation had in May substantiated an attorney’s complaint that she had made a racially offensive comment. Don't blame voters. They were kept in the dark.
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Nov 14, 2023 | 
timesunion.com | George Hearst |Casey Seiler |Jay Jochnowitz |Chris Churchill
Ask any social services nonprofit and chances are they’ll tell you that their agency is underfunded — that the government money they’re receiving is unequal to the needs of the community. But in the eyes of the state, some programs are more unequal than others, and the disparity is a head-scratcher. Consider these two supportive housing initiatives: the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative and the New York State Supportive Housing Program.
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Nov 13, 2023 | 
timesunion.com | George Hearst |Casey Seiler |Jay Jochnowitz |Chris Churchill
The Court of Appeals will hear arguments Wednesday in the matter of Hoffmann v. the New York State Independent Redistricting Commission, a lawsuit brought by those seeking to give the snakebit IRC a second shot at drawing the state's congressional districts. The plot summary so far: The commission's first attempt at designing these maps resulted in partisan deadlock among its members, which led to the Democrat-dominated Legislature taking over the work.
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Nov 11, 2023 | 
timesunion.com | George Hearst |Casey Seiler |Jay Jochnowitz |Chris Churchill
House Republicans who are stalling aid to Ukraine were shocked — shocked! — this past week to “discover” that the U.S. is encouraging Russia’s nuclear saber-rattling in Ukraine. You read that right: At a time when House Republicans are refusing to help Ukraine repel an invasion by Russia, they’re deeply concerned that the Biden administration is emboldening Russia.
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Nov 9, 2023 | 
timesunion.com | George Hearst |Casey Seiler |Jay Jochnowitz |Chris Churchill
For the second year in a row, the state Opioid Settlement Fund Advisory Board has urged the state to fund overdose prevention centers. And for the second year in a row, it looks like Gov. Kathy Hochul wants nothing to do with the idea. That’s a mistake. These facilities save lives, and although the governor is concerned about their legality, she should take a second look at them. Even if she can’t support the approach at the state level, she should push for its acceptance at the federal level.
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Nov 7, 2023 | 
timesunion.com | George Hearst |Casey Seiler |Jay Jochnowitz |Chris Churchill
Here's a basic tenet of democracy that we should all be able to agree on: If you want to plunk down hundreds of thousands of dollars in an effort to influence a governmental action, you are engaged in what is known as "lobbying," and you should expect to be required to disclose your spending. The very reasonable thinking behind this non-radical idea is that the public deserves to know who is funding such campaigns.
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Nov 6, 2023 | 
timesunion.com | George Hearst |Casey Seiler |Jay Jochnowitz |Chris Churchill
In years without a marquee state or national race, it might be tempting to leave voting off your Election Day to-do list – maybe it doesn’t feel so pressing this time around. That would be a mistake. In races for mayor, city council, sheriff, judgeships and more, we’re choosing the people who’ll have the power to shape our communities. Local government can have outsized impact on our day-to-day lives, and voting is our chance to set the priorities.
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Nov 2, 2023 | 
timesunion.com | George Hearst |Casey Seiler |Jay Jochnowitz |Chris Churchill
New York state and local governments spend nearly $10.7 billion on economic development annually. And it’s been well documented over the years that some of that money goes to uses that are at best questionable, and at worst unnecessary.
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Nov 1, 2023 | 
timesunion.com | George Hearst |Casey Seiler |Jay Jochnowitz |Chris Churchill
In many ways, it is the best of times and the worst of times in Saratoga Springs: The city has bounced back from the pandemic with booming summer tourism, but is grappling with homelessness and a related affordable housing crisis, ongoing racial divisions and — especially in recent months — feuds among elected officials that might have begun with policy differences but have evolved into personal battles that have brought the city little more than embarrassment and legal bills.
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Oct 31, 2023 | 
timesunion.com | George Hearst |Casey Seiler |Jay Jochnowitz |Chris Churchill
Republicans running for local offices in Malta and Clifton Park, among other towns, refuse to debate their opponents. The reason? They say the League of Women Voters is partisan. Most members of the group are Democrats, the claim goes, who support progressive causes and candidates. Ted Willette, chair of Malta Republicans, even accuses the League of morphing from an advocacy organization into a sort of political party.
