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john flanagan
Lawmaker demands removal of parole board members who freed cop killer
Gov. Andrew Cuomo must remove the state Board of Parole members who voted to free cop-killer Herman Bell, state Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan demanded Thursday. "Herman Bell is a...
State GOP lawmakers call for armed officers outside schools
Republicans in the state Senate Wednesday proposed putting armed officers outside New York schools to help prevent shooting massacres by a crazed gunman. “More money for security cameras and the...
Republican leader wants to get Cuomo a new plane
The Republican leader of the New York Senate joked Monday that he’s willing to take flak to get Gov. Andrew Cuomo a new government plane because the current one is...
State Senate leader slams Cuomo's payroll tax proposal
The leader of the state Senate on Thursday threw cold water on Gov. Cuomo’s proposal to impose a new payroll tax to offset changes to the federal tax code that...
State Senate Republicans propose tax cuts
With their majority hanging by a thread in an election year, state Senate Republicans are proposing tax cuts as part of their “affordability” agenda. The plan includes slashing energy taxes...
De Blasio, Flanagan discuss contentious tax proposal over lunch
A day after dismissing the mayor's new bid to hike taxes on the city's wealthy, state Sen. Majority Leader John Flanagan sat down with Hizzoner for a rare tete-a-tete in...
Senate leader Flanagan admits he went to alcohol rehab
Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan admitted Sunday he has drinking problem. The Long Island Republican issued a statement revealing that he got treatment for his alcohol addiction, which he blamed...
A win for charter schools -- and New York's children
Kudos to Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan: It turns out he did win something for the city’s charter schools in exchange for OK’ing a two-year renewal of mayoral control. City...
Lawmakers are ditching their duties for summer vacation
Lawmakers fled Albany for the summer without addressing several key issues that faced them in the 2017 legislative session — even after returning for a two-day session to tie up...
Lawmakers reach agreement to extend mayoral control for 2 years
Legislative leaders reached an agreement late Wednesday to extend mayoral control of New York City schools for two years, but the final bills being printed included nothing for charter schools....
Lawmakers push back on Cuomo's school control plan
Gov. Cuomo on Tuesday scheduled a special session of the Legislature for Wednesday to pass what he hopes will be a quick and simple one-year extension of mayoral school control...
Senate leader wants to name Tappan Zee after Mario Cuomo
Republican Sen. Majority Leader John Flanagan has proposed naming the new Tappan Zee Bridge after Democratic Gov. Cuomo’s father. Flanagan’s surprise bill was introduced at the last minute Wednesday night...
Every kid merits the same shot
New York’s primary obligation under the state Constitution is the fair and proper education of every child regardless of venue, regardless of ethnicity and, more importantly, regardless of wealth. Like...
De Blasio still jostling for control of city schools
ALBANY -- Mayoral control of New York City's schools is no closer to a resolution with just five days of the legislative session remaining. The Republican-led state Senate voted on...
De Blasio calls John Flanagan to end mayoral control standoff
Mayor de Blasio canceled plans to visit Albany on Monday, but reached out to state Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan in a phone call to try and end a standoff...
De Blasio is playing chicken over city schools
State Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan wants a deal, but Mayor de Blasio insists on playing chicken. Flanagan on Monday released three different bills for one-, two- and five-year extensions...
De Blasio offered deal to extend mayoral control over schools
State Sen. Majority Leader John Flanagan has offered to extend Mayor de Blasio's control of New York City public schools for five years -- but with a catch. In return...
Fight over mayoral control over NYC schools is heating up
The fight over extending mayoral control of New York City schools is heating up with state Sen. Majority Leader John Flanagan said he can’t consider the issue until he knows...
Demand for charter schools grows again
Demand for charter schools is up again: 73,000 kids applied for seats this year, up 7 percent from the 68,000 who applied last year, according to a study this week...
DiNapoli cooperating with probe of controversial stipends
State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli’s office is cooperating with a law enforcement probe of the state Senate’s controversial practice of paying out stipends to lawmakers for leadership posts they don’t hold,...