The state’s energy summit will continue on Thursday in Syracuse with panel discussions on next generation technologies and nuclear power, among other issues.

Protests are planned around the event by those groups who were not invited to participate: communities on the front lines of the climate crisis, including environmental justice organizations.

Gavin Donohue, president and CEO of the Independent Power Producers of New York (IPPNY), is hoping to hear that the Hochul administration will be investing more in workforce development to ensure that New York can quickly bring online any new energy technologies.

He spoke with Capital Tonight’s Susan Arbetter about the issue from the governor’s energy summit in Syracuse.

When Jerome Powell delivered a high-profile speech last month, the Federal Reserve chair came the closest he ever had to declaring that the inflation surge that gripped the nation for three painful years was now essentially defeated.

And not only that. The Fed's high interest rates, Powell said, had managed to achieve that goal without causing a widely predicted recession and high unemployment.

Zoe McGrady makes her living as a beauty and print model. She loves the industry, but says it's missing structure, like consequences for bad actors.

She says she still hasn't been paid for a job she did a year ago.

A three-month push to shut down unlicensed cannabis stores has led to hundreds of shops seeing their doors padlocked and issued notices of violation, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Monday.

The Illicit Cannabis Enforcement Task Force was launched on May 21. In accompaniment with several other statewide agencies and law enforcement groups, more than 150 investigators have been sent to inspect, padlock and seize products from illicit cannabis operators since that time.

As voters prepare to go to the polls this November, small business owners are taking a close look at the issues and policies that are most urgent to them.

Thousands of small business owners in New York state participated in a survey ranking issues they say rank as the most severe for them.

Cidermaker Chris Jackson says that at the height of the pandemic, shipping cider to customers who didn’t want to leave their homes helped keep the century-old Fishkill farms afloat.

“Obviously, that really saved a lot of cideries through COVID," he said. "The biggest thing was that it proved that it's not a big deal to do that. It's easy to manage. It doesn't take away from anybody else's business, and it really helps some of these cideries stay in business."

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has signed a bill into law that will allow small craft manufacturers of spirits, cider and mead to ship directly to consumers, a practice put in place temporarily during the COVID-19 pandemic that will now be allowed again for good.

The new law will expand opportunities for the craft beverage industry by allowing them to ship their products to consumers within and across state lines.

A surge in optimism by Democrats over the prospects of Vice President Kamala Harris lifted U.S. consumer sentiment slightly this month.

The University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index edged up to 67.8 after coming in at 66.4 in July. Americans' expectations for the future rose, while their assessment of current economic conditions sank slightly.

The number of private sector jobs in New York increased over the month by 10,800, or 0.1% in July, according to preliminary seasonally adjusted figures released Thursday by the state Department of Labor.

These put the total number of private sector of jobs in the state to 8,401,600 in July. Private sector jobs in the U.S. also increased by 0.1% in July, the department said.

This week, Vice President Kamala Harris came out in favor of a proposal to eliminate taxes on the tips that subminimum wage workers receive.

The vice president’s support of the proposal comes after former President Donald Trump announced his support for the same thing.

New York state’s infrastructure spending is higher than expected on multiple projects due to inflation. Additionally, a recent report out by the state comptroller found that the condition of one in 10 local bridges in New York is rated poor.

At the same time, the Citizens Budget Commission is projecting outyear budget gaps ranging from $5 billion in fiscal year 2026 to $9.9 billion in fiscal year 2028.

New York farmers have been working with state agencies to improve efficiency and safety to reduce the need for overtime hours amid changes to the threshold.

Introducing a lean management style on farms was one way that the New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health is using to improve efficiency.

Edwards Vacuum invited government leaders Tuesday to the future site of its newest facility at the Genesee County Science Technology and Advanced Manufacturing Park to break ground on the construction project it began in April.

Edwards parent company, Atlas Copco Group, said it expects to begin production by late next year and will hire 280 new employees as part of Phase 1.

Some state lawmakers are hoping to make it so debt collectors cannot use your social media accounts to collect that debt. The bill passed this session and is awaiting a decision from Gov. Kathy Hochul.

State Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn insists the experience of using social media free from debt collection agencies trying to get in touch, or worse, is something all New Yorkers should have.

A new Siena College Research Institute poll, in partnership with Feeding New York State, indicates strong support for a package of legislative and Farm Bill proposals active in Congress.

According to the poll of 1,000 U.S. residents aged 18 and older, there is 80% support for increasing SNAP benefit levels; 77% support for the Universal School Meals Program and 82% support for making the local Food Purchase Assistance Program, or LFPA, a permanent program.

New York Attorney General Letitia James issued a report Monday on the potential of benefits and risks associated with artificial intelligence in anticipation of the Legislature drafting future legislation or regulations related to the new technology.

The AG's office has led conversations about the use of AI, including lawmakers and academic experts as part of a symposium held Monday.

In a second funding round, six New York farmers markets have been awarded a combined nearly $250,000 to strengthen their markets and make products more accessible to customers, the state Department of Agriculture and Markets announced.

“The Farmers’ Market Resiliency Grant Program continues to help our farmers’ markets by providing them funding they need to expand online sales, improve infrastructure and create stronger ties between New York farmers, their products and New York consumers,” said Commissioner Richard Ball in a press release.

New York's tourism industry has rebounded in a big way since pandemic lockdowns began more than four years ago, according to a new state report on travel released ahead of an extended Fourth of July weekend.

An analysis of travel by state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli found people are visiting New York state close to pre-2020 levels. But there are still some challenges to face.

Whether New Yorkers are buying a new outfit for a special occasion at a local boutique, or getting everyday food items from area grocers, they rely on small businesses. Yet many of those businesses face challenges, and need support to stay afloat.

"Things are going in the wrong direction, particularly for independent retailers," said Ashley Ranslow, New York state director of the National Federation of Independent Business.

According to a National Economic Impact study by WineAmerica, New York’s wine industry poured $15 billion into the United States economy in 2022. With a new National Grape Improvement Center on the way in New York, officials believe that number is only going up.

“We’re here in Geneva to break ground on a facility that will make this region the center of research and innovation for the future of America’s entire wine industry," said Democratic U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

NORTH TONAWANDA, N.Y. -- Neighbors of the Digihost crypto mining operation in North Tonawanda said they are burdened by constant noise from the plant, similar to living next to a busy airport or Niagara Falls.

Resident Mark Polito said it keeps him, his guest and even pets from spending extended periods outside and is worse at night.

There are updates to homegrown cannabis cultivation in New York state.

According to the state’s Office of Cannabis Management, adult-use cannabis has been legal in New York state since March 31, 2021.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — In the day and age we live in, we see development and revitalization through overhauls, but there's something to be said for keeping historic architecture and places intact.

"For every dollar that's given back through these tax programs, $4 is invested," said Preservation Buffalo Niagara's lead preservationist Brandon Kennedy.

Albany lawmakers are doubling down.

The state Senate and Assembly passed legislation to, in essence, try to force the governor’s hand.

Many of New York state’s mayors celebrated a long-awaited bump in state funding for their municipalities in the recently passed state budget.

AIM, or aid and incentives for municipalities, will see a $50 million boost in unrestricted funding for cities, the first in 15 years.

New York dairy farmers will get $21 million to implement on-farm projects to protect water quality and mitigate the impacts of climate change, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office said Tuesday.

The funding will help CAFO-permitted farmers to help offset some of the cost of implementing projects for better manure management systems that reduce carbon and preserve nutrients used as fertilizer on fields. It can also fund precision feed management programs that reduce methane emissions.

Gov. Kathy Hochul made three new leadership appointments to the New York Office of Cannabis Management, her office said Monday, following an assessment of the office targeted to find opportunities for improvement amid the legal cannabis rollout.

Among the appointments is Felicia A. B. Reid as the executive deputy director and acting executive director. A nationwide search is underway for a permanent executive director and Hochul said the governor’s office will work with an experienced recruitment firm to identify qualified candidates from across the state and the country.

The New York state Assembly on Friday passed legislation related to the state's new farmworker overtime law that, if signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul, would make it easier for some farm businesses to receive reimbursement.

Currently, some farms are ineligible to file for the reimbursement if they have a management company or LLC for payroll purposes or if they go through a thrid-party contractor for paycheck services.

With jobs waiting to be filled, some argue that it’s a no-brainer to allow undocumented immigrants to take professional licensing exams.

But according to New York state Assemblymember Catalina Cruz, legislation to do just that is having a hard time navigating the Legislature this late in the session.

ALBANY, N.Y. -- At the crux, the arguments for and against bills the state Legislature is considering to expand corporate liability in New York are simple.

Opponents like the Lawsuit Reform of Alliance in New York said they will make living in the state more expensive.

As New York is slated to become the first U.S. state to regulate social media algorithms and young New Yorkers' addiction to the digital platforms, legislation amended late Monday is expected to clear the state Legislature at the end of the week to require people under the age of 18 to verify their age and mandate parental controls for minors who use the platforms.

The bill, known as the SAFE for Kids Act, would require social media companies have addictive algorithms turned off for New York users under the age of 18 — making the chronological feed the platform default for minors — unless a parent or guardian gives consent.

Before the legislative session ends in Albany this week, dairy farmers and advocates are pushing for a change to the language of the overtime tax credit that so far has excluded some farm businesses from getting reimbursed.

Keith Kimball, owner of La Casa de Leche, a dairy farm in Alexander, Genessee, is one of the farmers currently ineligible for a tax credit that offsets increased overtime costs due to new state regulations.

Many of New York state’s mayors celebrated a long-awaited bump in state funding for their municipalities in the recently passed state budget.

AIM, or Aid and Incentives for Municipalities, will see a $50 million boost in unrestricted funding for cities — the first in 15 years.

People living with disabilities have a tough time finding work. But in New York, there’s another issue: If a person with a disability finds a job, there’s a chance that he or she will be paid a subminimum wage.

In 1938, during the Great Depression, President Franklin Roosevelt signed section 14C of the Federal Labor Act into law, allowing the lower wage. Many people living with disabilities think it’s time for New York state to make the subminimum wage for people with disabilities a thing of the past, as 16 other states have done.

Environmental advocacy groups like We Act 4 Change are making passage of the NY HEAT Act their top priority as legislative session nears its close.

Climate Justice Campaign Manager Annie Carforo said the legislation aims to align state policy with climate goals already on the books.

There have been many uncommon and historic aspects of the economy over the past several years. Experts say the job market is only now starting to resemble pre-pandemic conditions. What does that mean for those looking for employment opportunities?

The nation’s unemployment rate has remained below 4% for more than two years. Hiring at the beginning of 2024 was more robust than all of 2023, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The New York Farm Bureau’s new CEO Deanna Fox grew up on family farms in Chenango and Madison counties in Central New York, where her family raised dairy cattle, tapped maple sugar and raised horses.

In her new role, Fox told Capital Tonight that the organization is strongly supporting one bill and strongly opposing another in the few weeks left in the current legislative session in Albany.

Last year, New York state expanded its film tax credit to $700 million a year. The hope was that filmmakers would opt to make their movies here in New York rather than in Los Angeles or Vancouver or Atlanta.

The problem is that the film tax credit is paid for with taxpayer money, and several studies have come out showing that the return on this kind of investment isn’t that good. One consulting group the state paid to figure out whether the tax credit was worth it said that it is "at best a break-even proposition and more likely a net cost for the state.”

The House Committee on Agriculture released a nearly 1,000-page document drafting the long-awaited 2024 Farm Bill totaling $1.5 trillion – the first trillion-dollar farm bill in history.

“The Farm, Food and National Security Act of 2024 is the product of extensive feedback from stakeholders and all members of the House and is responsive to the needs of farm country through the incorporation of hundreds of bipartisan policies,” House committee chair Glenn Thompson, a Republican, said in a press release.

A bankruptcy court judge has approved a plan by the cryptocurrency lender Genesis Global to return about $3 billion to its creditors and investors, including thousands of people who New York regulators say were defrauded by the company.

The plan and settlement approved Friday by Judge Sean H. Lane includes up to $2 billion to settle a lawsuit by New York Attorney General Letitia James, who said the company misled investors about the risks of putting their money into a company program known as Gemini Earn.

With declining membership, rising costs and heavy impact legislation debated in the halls of the state capitol and Congress, the new New York Farm Bureau leader says she hopes to push for new youth career initiatives and advocate for support for Empire State farmers.

CEO Deanna Fox grew up on a dairy farm in Chenango County, and many of her family members were farmers.

Through a partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, New York will offer $14.7 million in funding for farmers and food businesses to strengthen the infrastructure of the food supply chain, according to Gov. Kathy Hochul's office.

“The Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program provides critical funding to support our food supply chain by investing in projects that modernize agricultural facilities, improve training and facilitate the purchase of new equipment,” Hochul said in a statement.

There are a variety of worker protections that New York advocates are pushing hard to pass during the final few weeks of the legislative session.

Rochester Democratic state Assemblyman Harry Bronson, who chairs the Assembly Labor Committee, is the lead sponsor of many of them.

The Central New York Regional Market Authority's financial position has deteriorated and will continue to see annual net losses if measures are not taken to increase revenues and reduce expenses, according to an audit released Tuesday by state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli's office.

The audit found the Syracuse-based public authority, which operates a farmers market and flea market to help vendors sell their products and has programs and services to promote agriculture in the region, has seen a total net decline from $6 million at the start of fiscal year 2020-21 to $4.9 million at the end of fiscal year 2022-23. Cash available to pay operating costs declined from $502,807 to a deficit of $6,539 over the same time period.

In 2015, the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) issued new rules requiring state and local governments to disclose certain tax abatements in annual financial reports. This new requirement makes information about tax abatements at the state and local government levels available for the public to review, according to the Tax Policy Center.

The organizations Good Jobs First and Reinvent Albany recently published an analysis of that public information.

CLYMER, N.Y. — Brittany Gerould is the general manager of The Dutch Village Restaurant in Clymer, one of seven completely dry towns and villages in New York state, meaning there's no selling or buying of alcohol.

"The business model has really functioned quite well without it," said Gerould.

Rochester's Genesee Brewery is set to undergo a $50 million modernization project, its parent company FIFCO USA announced Monday.

The project will increase the brewery’s capacity with the installation of new tanks and equipment. Plans call for the facility to help supplement the Canadian production and shipment of Labatt Blue and Labatt Blue Light lines of beer, making this the first facility to produce these lines in the United States.

State lawmakers want to expand the types of alcoholic beverages that can be directly shipped to New York consumers and how restaurants buy alcohol in the state before legislative session ends in about five weeks.

The $237 billion state budget extended to-go alcoholic beverages for five years through 2030, and allows movie theaters that serve food to get a liquor license. Several lawmakers plan to make alcohol-to-go permanent in the future.

BUFFALO, N.Y. - An April report by the New York Civil Justice Institute finds in most cases, the insurances costs in the state are higher than anywhere else in the country.

Scott Hobson, of Big I New York, an industry advocacy group, said while high premiums are always an issue, the report lays out an even bigger concern.

Many of New York state’s mayors are celebrating a bump in state funding for their municipalities in the state budget.

AIM, or aid and incentives for municipalities, will see a $50 million boost in unrestricted funding for cities, the first in 15 years.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Non-competes are clauses in employment contracts meant to stop employees from working for or starting with competing companies within outlined geographic and time limits.

Hodgson Russ litigation partner Jody Galvin said the agreements are traditionally legislated by states.

President Joe Biden signed a bill last week that could lead to a ban of TikTok nationwide.

While the potential of a TikTok ban is still a little way’s away, small business owners are concerned that banning the app could negatively impact their businesses.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- New York state has already announced its Empire AI Consortium, named the University at Buffalo as the program's hub and even secured private contributions.

However, UB Vice President of Research and Economic Development Venu Govindaraju said it wasn't until lawmakers passed the budget over the weekend, including $250 million for the initiative, that it officially became a reality.

A TikTok video put Abbey Kowalec and her business on the map.

“I find that when someone reaches out to me, the first thing they say is, ‘Oh, I found you on TikTok,’” Kowalec said. “I would say 70 to 80% of my customer base comes from TikTok.”

New York local government sales tax collections increased 1.6%, totaling $5.6 billion, in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period last year, state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli’s office said Wednesday.

It is the lowest rate of growth in the first quarter since 2021, the comptroller added.

President Joe Biden will visit Central New York on Thursday on the heels of an announcement of funding for Micron, Spectrum News 1 learned Monday.

The president will visit Syracuse to discuss the economic impact of the CHIPS and Science Act, the White House said. The exact details of his visit have not been released.

As lawmakers vote on the remaining budget bills, the Fiscal Policy Institute’s Nathan Gusdorf joined Capital Tonight to share an early analysis of the budget that will be in place for the next fiscal year.

Stakeholders in New York's cannabis industry are growing apart about how regulators must fix its dragging rollout as the state Office of Cannabis Management undergoes a state executive review.

The Cannabis Farmers Alliance on Wednesday blasted the Cannabis Association of New York in response to a letter that the organization sent to the Cannabis Control Board last week warning against the swift issuing of several more retail licenses. As part of its ongoing OCM review, the executive chamber is pressuring board members to expedite hundreds of retail licenses to defeat the state's thriving illicit market.

Crucible Industries is a Central New York-based steel company.

President John Shiesley said because the company makes highly specialized products, it competes directly with Chinese companies less than other upstate mills but the country is a concern nonetheless.

For many New Yorkers, tax day isn't a day to celebrate but advocates in New York state used the day to call for higher taxes on the highest earners here in the Empire State.

Michael Kink, the executive director of Strong Economy for All, joined Capital Tonight on Tax Day to talk about tax revenue and spending priorities.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Tesla plans to lay off 10% of its global workforce.

According to multiple national media reports, CEO Elon Musk detailed the plans in an internal memo sent to employees over the weekend.

A researcher from Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations designed a free tool, The Wage Atlas Tool, that allows users to look at wage data by profession and different demographic variables. The tool shows that only half of New Yorkers are making a living wage.

Compassion Coalition is a non-profit that runs Bargain Grocery in Utica. He knows food insecurity is an issue across New York State.

New York is currently taking a look at state liquor laws that many criticize as being antiquated and harmful to businesses.

Some of that is up for discussion in the state budget, including a pandemic-era policy allowing restaurants to sell to-go cocktails that is scheduled to sunset next year. Another would allow bars and restaurants to purchase a limited quantity of liquor from a nearby store.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The real estate industry, home buyers and sellers are currently waiting on a judge's approval of a settlement agreement reached last month.

The suit brought by sellers against the National Association of Realtors argued the current commission process violated anti-trust rules. NAR, with more than one million members, denies wrongdoing but agreed to pay $418 million and develop a new set of rules.

New York towns and villages that have post-Prohibition bans on alcohol sales would be forced to lift such restrictions under a bill moving through the Legislature.

The bill, which is up for a state Senate vote after advancing out of a committee last week, would strike down a 1934 law passed right after Prohibition that allowed towns and cities to opt to stay dry.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Auto technicians are paid differently than people in most other industries.

United Service Workers Union Political Director Connor Shaw said techs are exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act and they get paid by the job instead of the hour.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Canterra is a prospective Buffalo dispensary that was originally planning to build downtown.

Founder Matt Krupp said there were complications with that location though so his group pivoted and recently received approval from both the state and city to open what would be the first licensed shop in the city's busy Elmwood Village.

New York lawmakers are pushing for more higher education funding in the final enacted state budget.

While Gov. Kathy Hochul’s excutive budget includes significant funding, those lawmakers are hoping to go further, making changes to the Tuition Assistance Program, or TAP, which helps eligible New York residents pay tuition at approved schools in New York state.

While some New York state budget watchdogs are warning lawmakers to rein in spending, the union-backed Fiscal Policy Institute (FPI) has recently released an analysis that shows the Legislature is simply proposing spending growth that would return the state to its 2014 level of spending, before former Gov. Andrew Cuomo implemented tax cuts and a 2% spending cap.

Nathan Gusdorf, executive director of the Fiscal Policy Institute, discussed spending, inflation and raising taxes with Capital Tonight host Susan Arbetter on Thursday.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- New York state is losing thousands of journalists and the stories they would tell.

Empire State Local News Coalition Founder Zachary Richner said in the past two decades the state has lost roughly half of its newsrooms, including recently, three prominent Westchester newspapers.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A decades-old law enforcement tool designed to dismantle the mafia may now be used to tackle the retail theft crime rings.

The federal plan will assist local stores that are targets for theft.

Cabbage, strawberries and maple syrup are among specialty crops that aren’t covered with insurance, but farmers and advocates are pushing to change that in the new farm bill.

“We have a lot of specialty crop producers in New York, and we’re working to ensure all farms have access to these programs,” said New York Farm Bureau President David Fisher during a press conference highlighting their national priorities.

The minimum wage for app-based restaurant delivery workers in New York City increased Monday thanks to a rule the city issued last summer requiring their pay to be adjusted for inflation each year.

Delivery workers for apps like Uber Eats and Grubhub will now earn at least $19.56 per hour, before tips, Mayor Eric Adams said at a press conference.

The U.S. economy grew at a solid 3.4% annual pace from October through December, the government said Thursday in an upgrade from its previous estimate. The government had previously estimated that the economy expanded at a 3.2% rate last quarter.

The Commerce Department's revised measure of the nation's gross domestic product — the total output of goods and services — confirmed that the economy decelerated from its sizzling 4.9% rate of expansion in the July-September quarter.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said in a joint statement Thursday that the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey can take on additional cargo in an effort to minimize supply chain disruptions caused by the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland earlier this week.

“We are ready to support Governor Moore and the people of Maryland in any way,” the statement reads. “We have seen over the past several years that indefinite port closures can impact national and global supply chains, which hurt everyday consumers the hardest.”

On Wednesday, New York state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins confirmed that the Legislature will be pursuing a budget extender as talks will likely go past the April 1 deadline.

With the extra time for negotiations, Patrick Orecki, director of state studies at the Citizens Budget Commission, is urging lawmakers to rethink their spending plans.

Six villages in New York have been designated to be in fiscal stress, according to a report from state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli’s office released Wednesday.

Using the Fiscal Stress Monitoring System, the comptroller’s office’s evaluation of local governments found one village in “significant fiscal stress,” one in “moderate fiscal stress” and four as “susceptible to fiscal stress.”

New Yorkers, you may want to hold your bets.

A new proposed timeline from the state Gaming Commission is potentially pushing back the issuing of new gaming licenses for many, many months.

WATERLOO, N.Y. -- Seneca Meadows is New York state's largest landfill.

Environmental advocate Yvonne Taylor said at roughly 6,000 tons of garbage every day from 47 counties, four states and Canada, the operation has gotten too big.

Advocates and some state lawmakers are pushing for consistency between the minimum wage upstate and in New York City.

Known as the Upstate Parity and Minimum Wage Protection Act, the bill would create a statewide minimum of $17 per hour. As of Jan. 1, the minimum wage in New York City, Westchester County and Long Island sits at $16 per hour. In upstate New York, it’s $15 per hour.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- It's a deadline perhaps in the loosest terms of the words.

In December, New York state and the Seneca Nation agreed to extend their current gaming compact another quarter to March 31. But they also agreed quarterly extensions would continue until they reached a new deal or either side decided to stop them.

For Brian Butler, owner of the Golden Rail Ale House, a small pour of alcohol can mean big bucks.

“One case, a week of liters, that's $36 plus a $20 delivery fee, which is going up to $25 to my understanding," he said. "That's $56 a week. So multiply that times 52 weeks if we were to buy every week. That's a lot of money.”

New York business owners continued to find and pursue new opportunities despite the multiple obstacles brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an analysis released Monday by state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli.

“New Yorkers have always had a great entrepreneurial spirit and drive, and that was no different even during some of the more difficult times of the pandemic,” DiNapoli said in a statement. “Policymakers should encourage small business growth, and particularly initiatives to spur entrepreneurship and foster successful businesses that reflect the diversity of our state.”

An assessment of the New York Office of Cannabis Management will aim to find opportunities for improvement amid the legal cannabis rollout, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office said Monday.

Jeanette Moy, the state Office of General Services commissioner, will serve as lead and executive sponsor of the effort.

A new Department of Labor rule that would reclassify millions of independent contractors is getting some pushback.

The move is set to have a major impact on the “gig worker” community, which includes everything from ride-sharing services to delivery drivers.

Syracuse's newly minted city auditor Alexander Marion is calling on Gov. Kathy Hochul to devote more money to Aid and Incentives for Municipalities, or AIM funding, and commission a task force to redesign the formula.

In a letter sent to Hochul on Thursday, Marion argues “funding for municipalities needs to be a priority for New York state.”

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Dank, the city of Buffalo's first cannabis dispensary, has been open for less than a year.

While owner Aaron Van Camp said the business has been lucrative so far, by April 15 he expects to give back a significant sum to the federal government when he files his income tax return.

The New York state Assembly and Senate will release and vote on their own one-house budgets this week. One of the big questions the budgets will answer is this: Will lawmakers push for a tax hike on the state’s wealthiest citizens or not?

New York relies heavily on the Personal Income Tax (PIT) tax, so a perennial argument in Albany balances whether to increase taxes on the wealthy to bring in needed revenue, against the possibility of the wealthy fleeing the state.

Pushing for a cost-of-living adjustment for human services workers was the subject of a rally at the New York state Capitol on Monday.

Not only that, but also at hand was the urge to form a panel that would ensure wages not be allowed to slump to levels that have brought groups out multiple times already this session.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- As construction of a new stadium for the Buffalo Bills continues, New York state and Erie County are putting $850 million toward the job.

We The People founder Bob Schulz believes the commitment violates the state Constitution.

With only a handful of land-based aquaculture operations in the state, producers and state officials look to grow the industry, but know they face challenges from regulatory and water use to profitability and start-up costs.

New York’s aquaculture industry is dominated by marine aquaculture, and more specifically, oyster farming off Long Island, said Michael Ciaramella, a seafood safety and technology specialist with New York Sea Grant, which is part of Cornell Cooperative Extension.

Nearly four years after the onset of COVID-19 forced many businesses to close and threw thousands of people out of work, New York appears to have recovered the number of private-sector jobs lost during the pandemic, according to data released Thursday by the state Department of Labor.

Preliminary seasonally adjusted figures show the number of private-sector jobs in the state increased in January by 47,000, for a total of 8,346,200 jobs statewide. New York had about 8,333,800 private-sector jobs before the pandemic hit in March 2020, data shows.

The New York Farm Bureau highlighted reforms to the H-2A wage rates and continued its push for an updated Farm Bill to support specialty crop producers, dairy farmers, climate smart agriculture and mental health resources.

“We need Congress to pass an updated Farm Bill as much has changed since the passage of the 2018 bill. We had a pandemic, record high inflation, rising supply costs and global unrest. Updating the farm safety net to help farmers manage risk is necessary to keep America’s food supply strong,” said New York Farm Bureau president David Fisher in a press conference Thursday.

New York's North Country would receive nearly $17 million in funding for local projects in water infrastructure, child care and emergency response times should the biparisan spending package for Fiscal Year 2024 pass the U.S. Senate as expected, Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced Thursday.

The package passed the House of Representatives 339-85 on Wednesday evening.