Listen: http://wamc.org/post/capitol-connection-1349

During the 2012 election, far too many Americans had to stand in long lines for hours in order to cast their ballot.  Voters who were stuck waiting were all too frequently lower-income and non-white.  The President promised to act, in order to ensure that such a disgraceful situation would never happen again.

The President convened a blue-ribbon panel jointly headed by the top lawyers for the Obama and Romney campaigns.  Last week, the panel issued its findings.  The report, The American Voting Experience: Report and Recommendations of the Presidential Commission on Election Administration, called for – among other proposals – expanded early voting, online registration, and a goal of ensuring that no voter waited on line for more than 30 minutes to cast their ballot.

The report was the result of a six-month-long study.  The panel held public hearings as well as meetings with experts and election administrators. Read the rest of this entry »

Listen: http://wamc.org/post/blair-horner-budget-battle-begins

The New York State budget fight begins this week with the governor offering his budget plan.  The governor’s budget will be massive – probably $135 billion of spending.  Over 95 percent of it will become law without much fuss.

The budget is really about two things: spending, and the policies that trigger that spending.  The budget includes two sets of bills – bills to set spending limits and bills that propose policy changes that are necessary for the governor’s proposed spending.  How the budget battle plays out will likely hinge on whether – and to what extent – the legislature agrees with the governor’s proposed spending and with his policy initiatives.

If state spending levels are maintained and adjusted for increased costs, New York is facing a $1.7 billion deficit.  The governor maintains that his budget will turn that into a surplus big enough to fund tax cuts worth $2 billion. Read the rest of this entry »