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Kathy Hochul in front of a map of New York Route 17.
A $1.3 Billion Project That Would Save Drivers Six Minutes Max

As the state’s plans to get New Yorkers out of their cars stall, Governor Hochul is championing a highway expansion in the Hudson Valley.

Sam Mellins   ·   September 24, 2024
‘It’s a Sham’: A Former Parole Commissioner Dissects New York’s Stubborn System

Carol Shapiro spent two years trying to reform the state Board of Parole. Little has changed.

Chris Gelardi   ·   September 20, 2024
The image depicts a traffic jam in New York City, with a cluster of yellow taxi cabs at the front.
New Yorkers Are Driving More, Even as Climate Plan Hinges on Driving Less

From New York City to Buffalo, people are driving a lot more than they did before the pandemic.

Colin Kinniburgh   ·   September 17, 2024
Three empty seats inside of a wood-paneled hearing room.
Kathy Hochul’s Parole Board Blunders

The governor promised to fill the chronically understaffed Board of Parole. Nearly half of her nominations have ended in disaster.

Chris Gelardi   ·   September 10, 2024
Governor Cuomo signing a bill
Small School Districts Face Costs of Settling Decades-Old Abuse Claims

Hundreds of Child Victims Act cases have been filed against New York schools, some over accused serial offenders that could leave districts with tens of millions of dollars in liability.

Bianca Fortis   ·   September 5, 2024
Hochul reading a piece of paper against the backdrop of energy bills
As Utilities Push for Higher Energy Bills, Will New York Fund the Watchdogs Pushing Back?

New York’s consumer advocacy groups struggle to compete with well-funded utilities and corporations. Lawmakers want to level the playing field.

Colin Kinniburgh   ·   August 29, 2024
Donald Trump walking
Trump Plans to Kill Congestion Pricing. Hochul’s Pause Could Let Him.

There are at least three ways a Trump administration could try to stop the transit-funding toll.

Sam Mellins   ·   August 26, 2024
New York State Is Illegally Stalling on Food and Cash Aid Decisions, Lawsuit Charges

More than 53,000 New Yorkers are allegedly facing delays regarding eligibility for benefits.

Julia Rock   ·   August 19, 2024
Senator Proposes $1,000 “Baby Bonus” to Help People Afford to Have Children

Payments for newborns have reduced poverty elsewhere, but are a novel idea in New York.

Julia Rock   ·   August 15, 2024
Three small pails sit atop a counter, one filled with pencils, another filled with markers, and another filled with sticky notes.
Are You a New York Teacher Spending Your Own Money on School Supplies?

We’re collecting stories from teachers across the state.

Bianca Fortis   ·   August 14, 2024
Watchdog Asks Hochul to Veto Real Estate Tax Break Until It’s Clear If It Works

The Citizens Budget Commission wants the governor to halt a just-passed extension of the Industrial and Commercial Abatement Program so a study of the controversial subsidy can be completed.

Julia Rock   ·   August 13, 2024
Legislators Wrote a Bill in 2023 to Address the Housing Crisis — But Never Got to Vote on It

A newly discovered 80-page housing package would have included good cause eviction, but legislators were dissuaded by Kathy Hochul’s opposition.

Sam Mellins   ·   August 12, 2024
Hochul at a podium
Hochul Punts on How to Reduce Traffic and Pollution in NYC

Hochul says she’s working with the legislature to replace congestion pricing, but key legislators say they aren’t aware of any conversations.

Sam Mellins   ·   August 9, 2024
A distorted image of transmission lines.
New York’s Energy Transition Faces a Staffing Shortage

The state’s energy regulator has more work than ever — and far fewer employees than it did three decades ago.

Colin Kinniburgh   ·   August 7, 2024
The New York state Capitol against a wall of code
Hackers Nabbed State Employees’ Credit Card and Social Security Numbers

It’s unclear whether the legislature is taking steps to address its security vulnerabilities.

Sam Mellins   ·   August 6, 2024
A Long Island Rail Road conductor standing inside a train gestures with his hand.
Why Did the MTA’s Union Turn Against Congestion Pricing?

Before Kathy Hochul paused it, the tolling program lost the little labor support it had when the Transport Workers Union withdrew its backing this spring.

Julia Rock   ·   July 26, 2024
A $100 bill behind a transparent photo of an EKG reading.
Deaths Abound in New York’s Jail Infirmaries. So Do Profits.

More counties are turning to private corporations to run medical care in jails. The companies have deadly track records.

Laura Robertson   ·   July 18, 2024
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie at his desk in the state Capitol
The Lobbyist Dating Carl Heastie Was Just Laid Off. He Was Not Pleased.

Rebecca Lamorte was let go by her employer in June, prompting the Assembly Speaker to place an upset call to her boss.

Chris Bragg   ·   July 17, 2024
Kingston Made Rent Law History Two Years Ago. That Was the Easy Part.

For tenants in the first upstate city to adopt rent stabilization, benefiting from the law’s basic protections is an uphill battle.

Emma Whitford and Sam Mellins   ·   July 16, 2024
An electric MTA bus is charging at an electric charging port.
New York Idles on Green Transportation Plan

As the state has backpedaled on congestion pricing, it has made no progress on nearly half of its other transit-related climate goals.

Colin Kinniburgh   ·   July 15, 2024
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