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If sunlight is the best disinfectant then why do some New York lawmakers want to shut out its rays?

A bill that would clarify precisely what it means to be a state retiree – those collecting a taxpayer-funded pension – is being block by Republicans in the State Senate (It was approved in the Assembly). This legislation would actually clarify what it means to be a “retiree” versus a “beneficiary.”

Why...

The news that there are more than a few politicians in New York with a price tag is not surprising. What's shocking is that the felony charges filed yesterday against one of the state's top-ranking Albany Democrats, Sen. Malcolm Smith of Queens, is the distinct possibility that  federal prosecutors might finally have a way to penetrate this culture of corruption.

U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara...

When Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo proposed his $143-billion budget in January, he said it was “simple and straightforward.”

In his quest to deliver a third-consecutive on-time state budget, Cuomo said putting a plan together ought to be relatively simple exercise — one that wasn’t political and one where the numbers added up.

Unfortunately, this year’s budget turned into more than numbers. While...

Mark Wilson is a New York political cartoonist and illustrator who lives in the Adirondacks. He publishes under the pen name Marquil.

MORE CARTOONS: Mark Wilson's cartoon gallery...

The enormous power of Sandy savagely exposed the flaws of the Long Island Power Authority -- flaws that had been hidden for years by a political establishment that benefited from its cronyism.

LIPA’s vulnerable. The public is demanding change. But do state legislators have the political will to make a bold move? Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo told Newsday’s editorial board Thursday that “the moment...

Ask any county executive or school superintendent how they’d spell relief and the letters would surely look like this: M-A-N-D-A-T-E-S.

All across New York, political leaders, notably Republicans, want to know how Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo will deal with those crushing expenses like pensions, Medicaid or any number of school programs that are growing at a far greater pace than the state’s cap on...

When will we find out exactly what a “modest” toll hike is in New York?

The New York State Thruway Authority isn’t saying. Not exactly.

The agency’s board, which controls more than 570 miles of the state’s roadways canceled a third meeting — this one scheduled for Tuesday — where it was expected to increase tolls by as much as 45 percent on commercial vehicles and trucks. (A meeting...

Meet the most powerful lawmakers in Albany.

The Independent Democratic Conference of the New York State Senate likely holds the balance of power in its hands.

At least at the moment.

With a 33-30 split in the Democrats’ favor, these four “Independents” -- Sens. Jeffrey Klein of the Bronx and Westchester, David Carlucci of Rockland County, Diane Savino of Staten Island and David...