New York

Focusing On Protecting Children And Families, Encouraging Economic And Job Development; Vetoes 14 Bills Representing More than $5.4 Million in Savings for 2009-10

August 27, 2009 -- New York Governor David A. Paterson this week signed a total 68 bills that together will lead to economic and job development opportunities for New Yorkers; keep children and families safer; and ensure that the State’s roads are more secure. Additionally, he vetoed 14 bills that, if signed, would have cost taxpayers some $5.4 million dollars.    » read more »

Investment will help to develop New York’s new economy; Requests for applications for stem cell research released

July 8, 2009 -- New York Governor David A. Paterson today announced the availability of $21.5 million in State funding for stem cell research in New York State through the release of two Requests for Applications (RFAs). This latest investment underscores New York’s commitment to stem cell research and its potential to strengthen the State’s position as a national leader in biomedical research.    » read more »

Richard Ravitch joins governor’s efforts to stabilize New York’s economy in time of crisis

July 8, 2009 -- New York Governor David A. Paterson today announced the appointment of Richard Ravitch to serve as Lieutenant Governor. The Governor announced the appointment in a televised statewide address during which he spoke about both the fiscal and government crises facing New Yorkers.

Mr. Ravitch has been called to public service numerous times throughout his career by Governors and Mayors at times of historic crises and he will now join Governor Paterson in his efforts to put New York on the road to recovery.    » read more »

Culvert Replacements to Improve Drainage on Highways

June 22, 2009 -- New York Governor David A. Paterson today announced the ground breaking of the first transportation infrastructure project in the North Country funded through the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Construction began on the $3.1 million project to rehabilitate four culverts on State Routes 72, 184 and 342 in Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties.

The Governor recently certified the project for economic recovery funding, along with 19 others for the North Country region. The area is expected to receive $34 million in ARRA funding for highway and bridge projects.    » read more »

Includes Maintenance for 54 Culverts in Steuben County

June 22, 2009 -- New York Governor David A. Paterson today announced the ground breaking of the first transportation infrastructure project in the Southern Tier funded through the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Construction began on the $807,000 project to rehabilitate 54 State-owned culverts on State Route 54A in the Towns of Urbana and Pulteney in Steuben County.

The Governor recently certified the project for economic recovery funding, along with 17 other projects that total $92.7 million in transportation infrastructure funds for the Southern Tier, including $32.5 million in ARRA funding. The area is expected to receive $33.3 million in ARRA funds for highway and bridge projects.    » read more »

Construction Begins on Four Highway Improvement Projects

June 22, 2009 -- New York Governor David A. Paterson announced that the ground breaking of the first transportation infrastructure projects in the Rochester area funded through the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) began this week. Construction started on four projects totaling $4.5 million, including the resurfacing State Route 77 in Genesee County; drainage improvements on State Route 39 in Wyoming County; resurfacing State Route 36 in Livingston County; and crack sealing on selected State highways in Genesee and Monroe counties.    » read more »

Paving Project to Improve Safety on Route 78 in Erie County

June 22, 2009 -- New York Governor David A. Paterson announced the start of construction on a $648,000 project to repave 1.5 miles of State Route 78, Transit Road in the Village of Depew and towns of Cheektowaga and Lancaster in Erie County. This is the first transportation infrastructure project funded through the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to get underway in Western New York.

The Governor recently certified the project for economic recovery funds, along with 45 other projects for a total of $58 million in ARRA funding for Western New York’s transportation infrastructure. The region is expected to receive $72 million in federal economic recovery funds for highway and bridge projects.    » read more »

Grants Will Expand Access to On-the-Job Work Experience and Training

June 19, 2009 -- New York Governor David A. Paterson today announced $14 million in grants to support and expand subsidized jobs programs throughout the State. The Wage Subsidy Program (WSP) and Transitional Employment (TE) Program help to place public assistance recipients and other low-income individuals into jobs and provide a much-needed boost to the local businesses that hire them.    » read more »

Funding Represents a 14.6 Percent Increase from 2008 Funds; More Than $145 Million for New York City; Rochester Awarded a Record 57.4 Percent Funding Increase

June 18, 2009 -- New York Governor David A. Paterson today announced that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has awarded New York State more than $283 million in federal homeland security funding, including more than $145 million for the New York City area.

This allotment totals $36,133,877 more than the 2008 funds distributed to New York, a 14.6 percent increase from 2008 funding levels. Each year, this funding helps communities and first responders across the State to better prepare for and respond to terrorist attacks, natural disasters, and other emergencies.    » read more »

Office Will Work to Eliminate Waste, Fraud and Abuse in State Government; Furthers Governor’s Mission to Reduce Spending and Increase Efficiency

June 15, 2009 -- New York Governor David A. Paterson today announced the creation of the Office of Taxpayer Accountability. As part of the Executive Chamber, the Office will have a full-time mission to save taxpayers money by lowering costs, sharing services, eliminating duplication, improving service delivery, limiting unnecessary and unfunded mandates, and attacking waste, fraud and abuse.

It will also have an ongoing focus on local government reform and implementing recommendations made by the Local Government Commission on Efficiency and Competitiveness and the Property Tax Commission    » read more »

New Gillibrand Report: More Than 100,000 Additional Nurses Needed Across New York State in 2020

June 10, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. - According to a new report released by U.S Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, New York State is projected to need an additional 105,739 nurses by 2020. In response to the growing need for nurses statewide, Senator Gillibrand today unveiled plans to create more educational opportunities at nursing institutions, train more nursing instructors, and incentivize new nurses to work in underserved areas.    » read more »

Ahmed Ghailani Transferred from Guantanamo Bay to New York for Prosecution on Terror Charges

June 9, 2009 -- Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani, a Tanzanian national who had been held at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility since September 2006, arrived early this morning in the Southern District of New York to face criminal charges stemming from his alleged role in the Aug. 7, 1998 bombing of the U.S. Embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Nairobi, Kenya.

After a thorough review of his case by the interagency Guantanamo Review Task Force, Ghailani was recently referred for criminal prosecution in the Southern District of New York pursuant to a March 12, 2001 superseding indictment against him.    » read more »

Fact Sheet: Prosecuting and Detaining Terror Suspects in the U.S. Criminal Justice System

June 9, 2009 -- I. Terror Prosecutions in the Southern District of New York

Since the 1990s, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York (SDNY) has investigated and successfully prosecuted a wide range of international and domestic terrorism cases—including the bombings of the World Trade Center and U.S. Embassies in East Africa in the 1990s. More recent cases include those against individuals who provided material support to al Qaeda and other terrorist groups, as well as against international arms trafficker Monzer al Kassar and the Somalian pirate charged in the hijacking of the Maersk Alabama.

Major Historical Cases in SDNY:    » read more »

Jobs Plan to Capitalize on Federal Stimulus Dollars with Investments in Clean Energy, Technology, Health Care Sectors to Drive Economic Recovery

June 8, 2009 -- New York Governor David A. Paterson today unveiled Bold Steps to A New Economy: A Jobs Plan for the People of New York. Speaking at the New York Academy of Sciences in lower Manhattan, the first stop on his statewide New Economy Leadership Tour, the Governor highlighted the emergence of a New Economy based on knowledge, technology and innovation – and outlined his vision for how New York will lead this New Economy.

The Governor’s Jobs Plan capitalizes on federal stimulus dollars to drive economic recovery in the fields of energy, environmental protection, technology and health care.    » read more »

Unions Will Support Most Significant Reform of the State and Local Pension System in 25 Years to Provide Long-term Savings to Taxpayers

June 5, 2009 -- New York Governor David A. Paterson today announced that he has reached an agreement with the Civil Service Employee Association (CSEA) and the Public Employees Federation (PEF) that will provide long-term savings to New York taxpayers and achieve immediate workforce savings while avoiding large scale layoffs in a difficult economic climate.

In addition, these unions have announced that they will support the Governor’s efforts to implement the most significant reform of the state’s pension system in more than a quarter century.    » read more »