Recent Streetsblog NYC posts about Albany Reform

Cuomo’s Office Opens Up Transpo Data, But Not Crash Locations

By Stephen Miller | Jul 26, 2013 | No Comments

On Wednesday, Governor Cuomo announced a new raft of publicly-accessible data on the state’s data transparency website, data.NY.gov. Some of the data sets include information that was already accessible in different forms, while other sets are newly available to the public. The release also includes detailed information about individual crashes from the Department of Motor Vehicles, but […]

Will Cuomo Sign the Transit Lockbox Bill?

By Stephen Miller | Jun 20, 2013 | 2 Comments

The transit lockbox bill, which would require Albany to disclose the impacts of any raid of dedicated transit funds, passed both the Senate and Assembly unanimously in the final days of the legislative session, reports the Tri-State Transportation Campaign. It now heads to Governor Andrew Cuomo’s desk. A nearly identical bill reached Cuomo in 2011, […]

After Unanimous Senate Vote, Transit Lockbox Bill Heads to Assembly

By Stephen Miller | Jun 13, 2013 | 2 Comments

Albany has long used the MTA as a piggy bank, raiding dedicated transit funds on a regular basis to cover gaps in the state budget. As a result, straphangers are squeezed as transit agencies resort to fare hikes and service cuts to make up the difference. Legislative attempts to crack down on transit raids have […]

State DOT “Multi-Modal Funds” Have Starring Role in Malcolm Smith Scandal

By Stephen Miller | Apr 9, 2013 | 1 Comment

In the wake of a scandal-soaked week in Albany, Governor Cuomo held a press conference this afternoon with district attorneys from across the state to announce a new anti-corruption law. As he seeks to tighten the rules in Albany, Cuomo could take immediate steps to make sure a transportation funding mechanism that featured prominently in […]

State Budget Includes $625 Million Road Bailout for 2013

By Stephen Miller | Feb 11, 2013 | 1 Comment

For years, Albany has raided the state’s highway trust fund, using general tax revenue to patch holes. This year, the governor’s budget, as filed in the Senate and Assembly, includes a mammoth $625 million road bailout, larger than the $519 million projected in the financial plan and higher than most trust fund bailouts in previous years. The Dedicated Highway and […]

The Day After

By Aaron Naparstek | Mar 27, 2009 | 22 Comments

Well, here we are again. One year after State Assembly Democrats killed New York City’s attempt to fund mass transit and reduce traffic gridlock, sustainable transport advocates find themselves suffering yet another huge defeat in Albany. Fixing Albany requires volunteers dragging themselves out to the Kings Highway Q train platform in the middle of Carl […]

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