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 Cla…

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. 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.Kirjoittanut WCNY

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. 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.Kirjoittanut WCNY

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 - 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.Kirjoittanut WCNY

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 Rese…

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.Kirjoittanut WCNY

Nov. 22, 2024 - New York State Higher Education Services Corporation President Guillermo Linares discusses efforts to promote FAFSA completion, the challenges of distributing tuition assistance, and the rate of engagement with the Excelsior Scholarship.Kirjoittanut WCNY

Nov. 11, 2024 - Assembly Agriculture Committee Chair Donna Lupardo, a Southern Tier Democrat, discusses a recent hearing that explored the agriculture workforce, future opportunities for the hemp industry, and seafood processing.Kirjoittanut WCNY

Nov. 21, 2024 - A judge in the Hudson Valley has declared New York's Voting Rights Act unconstitutional, but her arguments has left some legal scholars scratching their heads. We explore the decision with Richard Briffault, a professor of legislation at Columbia Law School.Kirjoittanut WCNY

Nov. 21, 2024 - Senate Deputy Majority Leader Mike Gianaris, a Queens Democrat, shares his thoughts on the 2024 election results, including the partisan enthusiasm gap and ticket splitting in New York.Kirjoittanut WCNY

Nov. 11, 2024 - Senate Minority Leader Robert Ortt, a Western New York Republican, shares his takeaways from the 2024 elections in the Empire State.Kirjoittanut WCNY

Nov. 20, 2024 - With the election of Donald Trump and Republicans taking control of Congress the future of undocumented New Yorkers has become a major question. We explore potential changes to immigration policy with Lauren DesRosiers, a visiting assistant professor and director of the Immigration Law Clinic at Albany Law School.…

Nov. 20, 2024 - We conduct an exit interview with Damian Fagon, the controversial outgoing chief equity officer for the state Office of Cannabis Management. We talk about efforts to promote equity in the marijuana marketplace, reflect on his tenure, and consider the challenges facing the marijuana industry in New York.…

Nov. 22, 2024 - There is a national reckoning about what to do with the aging highways leading into cities around the country and Albany is no different. We discuss possible alternatives to the stretch of highway dividing downtown Albany and the Hudson River with State Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez and the department's plannin…

Nov. 19, 2024 - New York State Democratic Party Chair Jay Jacobs joins the show to discuss the mixed election results for his party in New York. He explains why he was surprised by President-elect Donald Trump’s strong performance, considers Governor Kathy Hochul’s role on the top of the ticket in 2026, and addresses whether congestion pricing will…

Nov. 18, 2024 - Conservationists have long eyed Whitney Park, a 36,000-acre property in the heart of the Adirondacks under private ownership, whose future is up in the air. We discuss moving it under the state's stewardship with John Sheehan, of the Adirondack Council, and Pete Nelson, of the Adirondack Wilderness Advocates.…

Nov. 18, 2024 - The federal landscape is shifting, with Republicans taking control of Congress and the White House in 2025. We consider what one-party rule could mean for health care policies and funding in New York with the help of Paul Francis, chair of the Step Two Policy Project.Kirjoittanut WCNY

Nov. 18, 2024 - The state's Opioid Settlement Fund Advisory Board is calling on the governor to declare a public health emergency and wants access to better data to inform their recommendations. We discuss their recommendations with Christine Khaikin, senior health policy attorney for the Legal Action Center.…

Nov. 15, 2024 - Volunteer advocates around New York are responsible for overseeing the care at state-run facilities serving vulnerable New Yorkers, but is the Hochul administration doing enough to support these important watchdogs? We examine that question and learn about the state's boards of visitors with Patricia Wright, a representative of the …

Nov. 15, 2024 - The switch to cashless tolling has created opportunities for drivers to illegally avoid tolls, which has drawn the attention of state and local officials. We consider the effectiveness of this crackdown on "ghost vehicles" with Alfonso Castillo, transportation reporter for Newsday.Kirjoittanut WCNY

Nov. 15, 2024 - We explore why environmentalists have long coveted a tolling system for Manhattan's central business and whether Gov. Kathy Hochul's plan meets the state's environmental and transit needs with Julie Tighe, president of the New York League of Conservation Voters.Kirjoittanut WCNY

Nov. 15, 2024 - After initially blocking the implementation of congestion pricing in New York City this summer, Gov. Kathy Hochul is proposing a scaled back tolling system to take effect in early January. We discuss the potential legal and administrative hurdles to realizing this latest iteration of congestion pricing in Manhattan with Michael Gerr…

Nov. 12, 2024 - Politico New York health care reporter Katelyn Cordero provides an update on the effort to revitalize SUNY Downstate, a teaching hospital in Brooklyn that is running massive deficits and has deteriorating facilities.Kirjoittanut WCNY

Nov. 12, 2024 - Micron has fallen more than a year behind schedule with its construction projects in a Syracuse suburb. We explore what's happening and what the future could look like with Glenn Coin, a reporter with Syracuse.com and The Post-Standard.Kirjoittanut WCNY

Nov. 12, 2024 - Siena College Research Institute Director Don Levy compares his election surveys to the actual voting results in 2024. We explore an outlier poll from a respected Iowa pollster, consider how the media should cover polls, and identify areas of improvement.Kirjoittanut WCNY

The 2024 elections were a mixed bag for New York Democrats, who reversed the 2022 gains Republicans made in the state’s congressional delegation, but also saw their traditional electorate shrink. To make sense of the results, as well as the polls leading up to Election Day and where Democrats in the Empire State go from here, we're sharing an excer…

Nov. 8, 2024 - Assembly Children and Families Committee Chair Andrew Hevesi, a Queens Democrat, discusses his recent hearing on the statewide central register for reporting child abuse and reflects on how this process can be improved.Kirjoittanut WCNY

Nov. 8, 2024 - New York Attorney General Letitia James was dealt a setback this fall in her legal effort to hold Pepsi accountable for its alleged role in plastic pollution in Buffalo. We talk about this stalled lawsuit and where it could go from here with Eugene Welch, a partner with the law firm of Tully Rinckey.…

Nov. 7, 2024 - New York's court system has until late 2027 to set up processes for implementing the Clean Slate Act, so we consider the road ahead with Laura Harshbarger, a labor and employment attorney with Bond, Schoeneck & King.Kirjoittanut WCNY

Nov. 7, 2024 - Is it time for the 50-year-old Emergency Tenant Protection Act to get a major face lift? We examine an update to the rent control system with Cea Weaver, coalition director for Housing Justice For All.Kirjoittanut WCNY

Nov. 6, 2024 - We consider the current and future impact of state environmental regulators authorizing permits for carbon-based power plants that fuel energy intensive cryptocurrency mining efforts. Our guests are Liz Moran, policy advocate with Earthjustice, and Deb Gondek, chair of the North Tonawanda Climate Smart Task Force.…

Nov. 6, 2024 - New York Focus reporter Chris Gelardi shares the brief and erratic experience of a commissioner on the state Board of Parole, who was fired by Gov. Kathy Hochul less than a year after she suddenly appointed him.Kirjoittanut WCNY

Nov. 11, 2024 - In advance of regulations taking effect in 2025 that are intended to get more zero-emission trucks on the road in New York, Trucking Association of New York President Kendra Hems is warning of unintended consequences.Kirjoittanut WCNY

Nov. 6, 2024 - We break down the 2024 election results in New York and consider what they mean for the Empire State's future with the help of Jack O'Donnell, managing partner of O'Donnell & Associates.Kirjoittanut WCNY

Nov. 5, 2024 - We analyze the state's fiscal position with Patrick Orecki, director of state studies for the Citizens Budget Commission, who helps us break down the mid-year financial update from the Hochul administration.Kirjoittanut WCNY

Nov. 5, 2024 - After years of requiring municipal bond auctions to be held by the mail, state lawmakers have finally begun letting these sales happen with online bidding. We discuss this evolution with Dave Lucas, of the New York State Association of Counties, and Aaron Kohler, a financial analyst for Onondaga County.…

Nov. 5, 2024 - We shine a spotlight on the big and small initiatives underway in New York to spur innovation, including grants to startups and partnerships between businesses and higher education institutions. Our guest is Ben Verschueren, executive director of Empire State Development's Division of Science, Technology, and Innovation…

Nov. 4, 2024 - Riverkeeper staff attorney Victoria Leung explains the rationale behind legislation requiring state environmental officials to proactively disclose the results of background radiation monitoring they're conducting.Kirjoittanut WCNY

Nov. 1, 2024 - A new survey of former service members in New York is providing a fresh perspective on the challenges facing veterans and how to meet their needs. We discuss these findings and what should come next with Derek Coy, a senior program officer for the New York Health Foundation, which commissioned the study.…

Nov. 1, 2024 - Chronic absenteeism spiked during the pandemic around the country and continues to be a problem, with nearly one in three kids meeting this distinction in the 2022-2023 school year in New York, according to a report from the state comptroller's office. We discuss the issue and how it can be addressed with Lynn Jennings, senior direct…

Nov. 11, 2024 - In light of the severe and unique mental health needs of some veterans there is an effort to treat them with specially trained mental health providers. We discuss the idea behind a veterans mental health training initiative with Dr. Frank Dowling, an associate professor with Stony Brook University, and Aynisa Leonardo, a licensed cl…

Oct. 31, 2024 - SUNY is looking to build on the existing partnerships between local news outlets and students journalists with a summer internship program starting in 2025. We explore the potential benefits of these relationships with Todd Franko, project manager for the Center for Community News, which is working with SUNY on these initiatives.…

Oct. 31, 2024 - In the wake of the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, more than 200 state and local government employees from New York were deployed to help communities across the South. We talk about this experience with Adam Picket, Nick Johnston, and Erin Hanczyk, who are part of the state's incident management team and were deployed to Nor…

Oct. 31, 2024 - To better prepare for future wildfires the State Department of Environmental Conservation is partnering with the early warning weather detection system at the University at Albany. We discuss the new partnership with June Wang, director of the New York State Mesonet at UAlbany, and Scott Jackson, a captain with the state forest rang…

Oct. 31, 2024 - Sen. Andrew Gounardes, a Brooklyn Democrat, wants to get creative with federal and state resources by doling out an $1,800 cash payment for families on Medicaid who have a child.Kirjoittanut WCNY

Oct. 30, 2024 - SUNY Chancellor John King discusses the effort to bring higher education into New York's prisons, ensure a smooth transition for transferring students, and a campaign to automatically accept qualifying students into select public institutions.Kirjoittanut WCNY