New York NOW

NYN Podcast: Rich Funke on politics, sports and the media

Rochester-area State Senator Rich Funke talks about his nearly four decades in broadcast TV, his views on “fake news,” and reveals which Hall of Fame basketball coach decided to ditch a live shot with him.

Health Care Drama; More Indictments

Current Senator Rob Ortt and former WNY Senator George Maziarz were indicted in Albany this week and both plead not guilty. Also, Governor Cuomo’s administration and Congressmen John Faso and Chris Collins disagree on their amendment to the GOP's health care bill. Finally, interim UAlbany president Jim Stellar discusses the governor’s free tuition proposal and a first-of-its-kind college program.

Western New York Politics in Spotlight

It was quite the week in Western New York politics.
First, Rep, Chris Collins made headlines with his amendment to the Republican's health care plan that angered Governor Andrew Cuomo.  Called the "Buffalo Bribe" by some, the amendment would shift Medicaid costs from the counties back to the state. We discuss the back and forth between the governor and Collins that spilled over-the-air and on-line,
Also, a current and former WNY state senator were indicted in Albany.  Rob Ortt and the man he succeeded, George Maziarz, were charged with eight total charges of filing a false instrument. 
Our guest to help us try and make sense of it all is Niagara County native Jon Campbell of the USA Today Network. 

Reproductive Health Rights in New York

Andrea Miller of the National Institute for Reproductive Health discusses her old college classmate, Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch, and worries she has about women’s rights under President Trump’s administration.
Also, on the 30 year anniversary of the creation of Governor’s Cuomo’s non-profit “HELP USA,” we look back at the 1988 ribbon-cutting he had for the organization in the Capital Region.  

NYN Throwdown: Karlin v. Mahoney

Our latest New York State trivia battle between reporters Bill Mahoney of Politico New York and Rick Karlin of the Times Union goes to overtime!

Indian Point Closure Worries Local Community

Earlier this year Gov. Andrew Cuomo accomplished something in his home county of Westchester that he's been after for over a decade. The eventual closing of Indian Point. He says it's a big win for the people in and around New York City but what about for those closest to the nuclear power plant?   We have reaction and analysis this week including a look at the week's headlines. 

Horner on upstate bailout for nuclear power plants

This week on the program we focus on the decision to close the Indian Point nuclear power plant and how it will affect the Village of Buchanan and northern Westchester County.  On this podcast, however, we focus our attention upstate.
Blair Horner of NYPIRG discusses their latest report on the impact of the $7.6 billion bailout for three nuclear power plants near Lake Ontario and the lack of transparency by the Cuomo administration since.  The longtime good-government advocate also recalls the surreal events around the Capitol nine years ago when Governor Eliot Spitzer was caught on a federal wiretap arranging to meet a high-priced prostitute and why NYPIRG's work is never done.  

Budget Countdown Begins

March is the busiest month of the year at the State Capitol as advocates for and against ideas in the budget swarm the historic building. We wrap up the week's news in our headlines and Karen DeWitt of New York State Public Radio and Jon Campbell of the USA Today Network join us to help make sense of it all.  

Former EPA Admin Enck on the Future of the Agency

Longtime environmental advocate and former regional EPA Administrator, Judith Enck, expresses her concerns about the future of the agency under President Trump. Also, Casey Seiler gives a rare look at the heating and cooling complex beneath the State Capitol and Empire State Plaza.

Conference of Mayors Against Consolidation Plan

Governor Cuomo's State of the State consolidation initiative proposal drew scrutiny this past week from the New York State Conference of Mayors. Cuomo's idea requires county officials to develop localized plans to help lower property taxes  by "coordinating and eliminating duplicative services." Taxpayers would then vote on the final product in a November referendum. The Executive Director of the NYS Conference of Mayors joins us to further explain why they call the plan "just another top-down state mandate."