Governor Cuomo delivered his Executive Budget Proposal to a Joint Session of the Legislature this afternoon in Albany:

(Cuomo 1-21-20)

The budget totals about 173.8 billion & could top 175 billion during the budget negotiations, the legislature is expected to pass a budget & deal with the projected 6.1 billion dollars deficit by April 1st.

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The 2020 legislative session is underway in Albany and the first real sticking point is the issue of the controversial Bail Reform law that went into effect January 1st, & has had numerous problems with people being released after being charged with serious crimes, and committing crimes almost immediately after release.  Assemblyman Cliff Crouch comments:

(Crouch 1-21-20)

Governor Cuomo announced today that bail reform will continue to be discussed over the next couple of weeks.

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Congressman Anthony Brindisi announced more than $7 million in federal funds for housing assistance across Upstate and Central New York. The grant dollars are administered by HUD & will be dispersed to more than a dozen organizations across New York.  Brindisi will hold his January town hall today at 5:30 PM, at the Maine Endwell Middle School; it is free and open to the public.

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Governor Cuomo’s favorability rating got a slight boost, while his job performance got an even bigger boost in the latest Siena poll released this morning before the budget presentation.  New Yorkers are still 49% favorable rating with a 45% unfavorable, which improves the rating of 44% in favor & 49% unfavorable back in November.  41% approve of the job the Governor is doing, as compared to 35% in November.

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Members of the State Police held a private remembrance for the 10 year anniversary of Trooper Jill Mattice’s death at the State Police Barracks in Oneonta Monday.  A remembrance was held then laid a wreath in front of the station barracks.  Members of trooper Mattice’s family & police agencies, including the State Park Police, Otsego County Sheriff’s Department, Oneonta City Police Department, and The Town of New Berlin Police attended.  Trooper Mattice was killed in a crash with a troop car on State Route 23 near Morris in 2010.

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Binghamton University’s M. Stanley Whittingham will use his expertise to benefit the state, according to the Governor in his State of the State Address 2 weeks ago.  Whittingham was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 3 months ago, for his work in the development of the lithium-ion battery, he was asked by the Governor to head up the Blue Ribbon Task Force to expand the use of electric vehicles in New York. The task force will be co-chaired by NYSERDA.

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Bainbridge Chamber next general membership meeting will be held this morning, at the back of Bob’s Diner, the meeting starts at 7:30 AM.