Poozer Politics

Cinderella stories are common in March, but what about in April? On April 24 the state’s political season kicks off with special elections from Long Island to Buffalo. There will be 11 potential upsets, with nine Assembly races and two in the state Senate. Most eyes are on the 37th Senate District because it’s viewed … Continue reading "Special Election Bracket Busters"

The expectation in New York that public information should be available online is only a recent development in the online era. Ten years ago the landscape was radically different (and not just because Netflix dealt solely in DVDs), which is why the creation of See Through New York was a game changer. In its first … Continue reading "Seeing Through New York"

If you ever stumbled across a late night television advertisement promising cash – maybe with a catchy jingle – then you might have unwittingly heard the sales pitch from a lawsuit lender. Lawsuit lenders can act as third-party financiers of lawsuits with a simple pitch: Need cash while you wait for the resolution of a … Continue reading "The Loan behind the Lawsuit"

In anticipation of the upcoming LCA Show, I wrote a song for Brian Kolb that is no longer relevant. Instead of letting the song die, like his candidacy for governor, it’s being released into the world. You’re welcome. Now what rhymes with Giambra…

For thousands of New Yorkers who find themselves unable to make critical life decisions, the state’s guardianship laws are designed to serve as a safety net of last resort to meet their needs. Reformed in 1992, the state’s overhaul of the Mental Hygiene Law was an attempt to move away from its benign paternalistic approach … Continue reading "Guardians of New York"

If 1992 was the “Year of the Woman,” then 2018 has the potential to be the Year of Women. Since the first Women’s March, following the inauguration of President  Donald Trump, there has been an obvious uptick in female participation in politics. More women are getting involved in political campaigns and there is the potential … Continue reading "The Women’s March to Office"

Republican elected officials from Manhattan once walked the halls of the Capitol. The last of this dying breed was John Ravitz, who represented the Upper East Side in the Assembly between 1991 and 2002, when he lost a special election for state senate and walked away from public office. Ravitz joined Poozer Politics to talk … Continue reading "Last of the Manhattan Republicans"

The anti-incumbency wave that swept the country in 2010 also made its way through the 58th Senate District in New York that year and handed Jack Quinn III the first election loss of his family’s political career. The son of a congressman from the Buffalo area, he set out for a career in medicine before … Continue reading "Mr. Quinn Goes to Albany"

Gambling has exploded in New York  during the last two decades, with the floodgates truly opening when the state approved electronic gaming at horse racing tracks. At the turn of the century your options for placing a bet were extremely limited in New York. Casinos could only be found on Indian reservations, the multi-state lottery … Continue reading "Donald Trump, 9/11 and the True Story of Electronic Gambling in New York"

You would be forgiven for mistakenly thinking that the biggest state income tax cut in the last millennia occurred under Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Despite the governor’s rhetoric about an historic cut, the most recent major income tax overhaul in New York came in 1995 under Gov. George Pataki. The impetus for the Income Tax Reduction … Continue reading "The Politics, Policies and Personalities of Tax Reform"

Selling energy could be even bigger business in New York, but whether those profits truly materialize could depend on a battle of acronyms in Albany. The state’s Public Service Commission is fighting on multiple fronts, including state and federal court, with the nearly 200 energy service companies that want to sell energy in New York. … Continue reading "Power to the People, Hold On"

Municipal leaders are taking a second look at how their governments operate following the adoption of a pet program by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in this year’s budget. The County-Wide Shared Services Property Tax Savings Plan (or CWSSPTSP as no one calls it) requires counties outside of New York City to draft plans for sharing services … Continue reading "Sharing is Caring"

All politics is local, even if you’re a billionaire. Robert Mercer, the conservative financier behind Steve Bannon and then-candidate Donald Trump, waded into the Westchester County Executive election last month with nearly $1 million for a super PAC supporting incumbent Rob Astorino. Journal News reporter Mark Lungariello joined Poozer Politics to explain Astorino’s ties with … Continue reading "EXTRA EXTRA: Alt-Right Financier Funds Local Attack Ad"

Thirty years ago, New York overhauled its tax code in response to major reforms at the federal level. Now, with Republicans in Congress hoping to cut cut cut, is reform at the state and local level around the corner? What would reform in New York look like?  Where is the low-hanging tax fruit? Do state … Continue reading "Planting the Seeds for Tax Reform in New York"

Do voters choose elected officials or do elected officials choose their voters? The answer is usually the latter, as redistricting has become an exact science with states legislators utilizing computer programs that allow them to tip the scales in elections. But now good government advocates have a metric for identifying partisan gerrymandering, the “efficiency gap,” … Continue reading "The Formula to Beat Partisan Gerrymandering"

What can’t Google do? Well, at this time, it might not be the best source for election poll information, according to Dr. Don Levy, director of the Siena Research Institute. He joined Poozer Politics to talk about the benefits and challenges of online surveys, including the possibility of Facebook polls, and explored the generic ballot … Continue reading "(Google) Survey Says…"

If at first you don’t succeed, maybe an Assembly seat will open up. Four years after an unsuccessful bid to be the Democratic nominee for an open-congressional seat in the Capital Region, Phil Steck was victorious in an effort to be his party’s representative in a race for the 110th Assembly District (Spoiler Alert: He … Continue reading "EXTRA EXTRA: A Primary Win, Loss and a Tar Heel"

You don’t listen to this podcast and the story ends. You believe whatever you want to believe about the safety of your personal information with your bank or insurance company. You listen to this episode, you stay in Poozerland, and Josefa Velasquez explains everything about New York’s new cyber security regulations for financial institutions. The … Continue reading "New York Regulations Target Cyber Crimes"

Everyone knows a Lannister always pays their debts and that Bruce Springsteen has debts that no honest man can pay, but how much do people know about New York’s debt and the state’s penchant for borrowing billions of dollars each year? E.J. McMahon, research director at the Empire Center for Public Policy, joined Poozer Politics … Continue reading "Debt 101: Paying Today’s Bills (Tomorrow)"

Don’t forget to turn over your ballot this November. The back has three referendums for voters, including a proposal to amend the state constitution’s “Forever Wild” clause. This amendment creates a land bank that is designed to preserve the unique nature of the Adirondacks and Catskills and meet the needs of the people who live … Continue reading "A Decent Proposal"