Cinderella stories are common in March, but what about in April? On April 24 the state’s political season kicks off with special elections from Long Island to Buffalo. There will be 11 potential upsets, with nine Assembly races and two in the state Senate. Most eyes are on the 37th Senate District because it’s viewed … Continue reading "Special Election Bracket Busters"

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The expectation in New York that public information should be available online is only a recent development in the online era. Ten years ago the landscape was radically different (and not just because Netflix dealt solely in DVDs), which is why the creation of See Through New York was a game changer. In its first … Continue reading "Seeing Through New York"

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If you ever stumbled across a late night television advertisement promising cash – maybe with a catchy jingle – then you might have unwittingly heard the sales pitch from a lawsuit lender. Lawsuit lenders can act as third-party financiers of lawsuits with a simple pitch: Need cash while you wait for the resolution of a … Continue reading "The Loan behind the Lawsuit"

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In anticipation of the upcoming LCA Show, I wrote a song for Brian Kolb that is no longer relevant. Instead of letting the song die, like his candidacy for governor, it’s being released into the world. You’re welcome. Now what rhymes with Giambra…

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For thousands of New Yorkers who find themselves unable to make critical life decisions, the state’s guardianship laws are designed to serve as a safety net of last resort to meet their needs. Reformed in 1992, the state’s overhaul of the Mental Hygiene Law was an attempt to move away from its benign paternalistic approach … Continue reading "Guardians of New York"

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If 1992 was the “Year of the Woman,” then 2018 has the potential to be the Year of Women. Since the first Women’s March, following the inauguration of President  Donald Trump, there has been an obvious uptick in female participation in politics. More women are getting involved in political campaigns and there is the potential … Continue reading "The Women’s March to Office"

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Republican elected officials from Manhattan once walked the halls of the Capitol. The last of this dying breed was John Ravitz, who represented the Upper East Side in the Assembly between 1991 and 2002, when he lost a special election for state senate and walked away from public office. Ravitz joined Poozer Politics to talk … Continue reading "Last of the Manhattan Republicans"

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The anti-incumbency wave that swept the country in 2010 also made its way through the 58th Senate District in New York that year and handed Jack Quinn III the first election loss of his family’s political career. The son of a congressman from the Buffalo area, he set out for a career in medicine before … Continue reading "Mr. Quinn Goes to Albany"

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Gambling has exploded in New York  during the last two decades, with the floodgates truly opening when the state approved electronic gaming at horse racing tracks. At the turn of the century your options for placing a bet were extremely limited in New York. Casinos could only be found on Indian reservations, the multi-state lottery … Continue reading "Donald Trump, 9/11 and the True Story of Electronic Gambling in New York"

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You would be forgiven for mistakenly thinking that the biggest state income tax cut in the last millennia occurred under Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Despite the governor’s rhetoric about an historic cut, the most recent major income tax overhaul in New York came in 1995 under Gov. George Pataki. The impetus for the Income Tax Reduction … Continue reading "The Politics, Policies and Personalities of Tax Reform"

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