Blair Horner

One of the big political news stories last week was the effort by President Trump and his allies to steam roll through changes to Congressional lines in “red” states in order to boost the likelihood that Republicans will continue to control the House of Representatives after the 2026 elections.

As New Yorkers choked through another day of poor air quality – driven by ongoing Canadian wildfires – another environmental threat looms, this one found in the state’s surface waters. The threat of “harmful algal blooms,” which can jeopardize drinking water supplies and the public’s health, is spreading across the state.

There is an apt observation about government budget-making: They are the clearest way to see priorities. That makes sense of course. After all, when it comes to public spending, there are unlimited demands and limited funds. Balancing the needs of society with the available resources is the centerpiece of rational governmental budget-making.

Hospital care is a big component of the nation’s overall health care spending. Spending on hospital care totaled $1.5 trillion in 2023, representing nearly one third (31%) of national health expenditures in that year.

Last week, the big policy announcement was one made by Governor Hochul. The governor directed the New York Power Authority to develop one or more nuclear power plants with enough capacity to supply electricity to roughly 1 million households.

In the wee hours of Wednesday morning, the state Assembly wrapped up its 2025 legislative session, a week after the state Senate finished. In many ways the legislative session was a typical one: The budget was late (the latest in 15 years), lawmakers held campaign fundraising events in the capital district (at least 176 for the 42 nights that state elected officials planned to be in Albany) or were held by leadership, and hundreds of bills were approved in a flurry of activity in both houses.

Last week, New York’s State Senate wrapped up its legislative session. During the session, the Senate approved nearly 1,750 bills. In order for those proposals to become law, the state Assembly must approve identical legislation.

While Albany continued to slog along toward the end of the legislative session, a perhaps not surprising twist in Washington overshadowed much of New York’s politics: the public breakup between billionaire Elon Musk and President Donald Trump.

As the clock ticks down toward the end of the 2025 legislative session, environmental issues have moved to the forefront. Last week, the state Senate approved a new Commissioner for the Department of Environmental Conservation. The DEC is a sprawling agency that plays a leading role in a range of issues from permits for hunting and fishing, to overseeing state water quality, climate change, and the state’s mounting trash disposal problem.