New York is renown for its taxpayer-funded subsidies — and Saturday Night Live loves it
And the State Troopers PBA tries to reassure members they've cleaned up their act.
Good afternoon — it’s Monday and International Literacy Day.
In today’s CapCon:
Dan Clark is on vacation this week, but his colleagues here at the Times Union’s Capitol Bureau will do our best to keep you up to date.
New York is known for doling out the most taxpayer dollars for private industry of nearly any other state, but some want the cash flow to Hollywood to stop.
An imminent criminal case against the former head of the NY Troopers PBA is not expected to snare his alleged “co-conspirators.”
Assaults in state prisons have declined this year, but a female officer at Marcy was attacked by an inmate who headbutted her during an alleged attempted sexual assault.
This Week in New York History: A look back at the Attica riots.
Names in today’s CapCon: Rob Astorino, Thomas H. Mungeer, Andrew M. Cuomo, Bryan Hluska, Robert L. Brooks, Joe Biden, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
Saturday Night Live celebrating 50 years. (Getty Images)
Hollywood filmmakers and TV producers continue raking in millions in taxpayer dollars. Reinvent Albany asks: Why?
New York has long been known for its practice of handing out billions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies. It’s often referred to as corporate welfare.
But, well, as one of the highest-taxed states in the nation, apparently lawmakers here think it’s their job to give that money to interests ranging from manufacturers to the folks who produce Saturday Night Live.
It even was an issue 11 years ago, when then-Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, in the midst of a gubernatorial campaign challenging Andrew M. Cuomo, said he would end what was then New York’s $420 million a year handout to the film and TV industries.
What’s happened since then? According to Reinvent Albany, which advocates for a transparent and accountable government, New Yorkers are on track this year to give that industry about $920 million. In the first quarter, that equates to about $65,000 in taxpayer dollars for each film and TV industry job.
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