New York News

Education was one of the leading topics discussed Monday when New York Governor Andrew Cuomo convened his cabinet at the state capitol in Albany. There was high optimism regarding Cuomo's New York State Master Teacher program.

The governor proposed the program in his State of the State address in January: SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher says it will provide $15,000 each year for four years to math and science teachers who mentor new and aspiring teachers.

New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver has issued an apology for his handling of a sexual harassment case that spanned years involving at least four women staffers before it was detected.

Silver specifically apologized for the $103,000 secret settlement he crafted last summer to end the first accusations against Assemblyman Vito Lopez and for failing to stop subsequent incidents claimed by more women staffers.

New York residents are voting on their school districts' proposed budgets for next year.

Authorities say the average proposed tax levy increase is 2.8 percent, with school spending rising about the same amount, driven by increases in contributions to employee retirement systems.

This is the second year school districts are working under New York's tax cap law, which generally limits tax levy increases to 2 percent or the rate of inflation, whichever is less. Budget proposals that exceed the cap need a 60 percent supermajority of votes to pass.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo held a cabinet meeting this afternoon at the state capitol.   Issues discussed included jobs, education reform, drunk driving laws, pistol permits, and perhaps inevitably on the same day Brooklyn Assemblyman Vito Lopez resigned his seat, ethics. Cuomo says corruption is rampant throughout government and society, and telegraphed the idea people are accustomed to it.

Weeks of negative headlines involving state legislators are having sway with public opinion. A new Siena College Research Institute poll measures New York voter attitude on political corruption, the state Legislature and Governor Andrew Cuomo.

There's good news and bad news about how New Yorkers feel about state government and the governor's refrain that it is "working again."