'Live from Albany' a quick way to keep up with state government news
It’s important to know what’s going on in state government, but most people don’t have time to navigate the vast and complex bureaucracy. Fortunately for readers of the Democrat and Chronicle, there aren’t many people who understand it better than the journalists at our Albany Bureau.
Following the headlines and getting expert analysis just got quicker and easier. In addition to producing stories and videos, bureau chief Joseph Spector and reporter Jon Campbell are sharing insights in a weekly “Live from Albany” livestream on the Democrat and Chronicle’s Facebook page.
The show, at noon on Fridays, provides an intriguing behind-the-scenes analysis of how actions in Albany impact our daily lives. When will we get tax-rebate checks? Any chance that recreational marijuana will become legal here? What’s the latest with the fight over federal tax policy?
Worried that the topic of state government may be too dry? Bring questions and ask them during the show. They will supply quick answers — or at the very least, provide information on how to get answers. The show will feature guests with special expertise as hot topics surface.
“We will have some fun, too,” Spector says. “Jon is a western New York native; I’m a New York City native — so we bring different perspectives and certainly different rooting interests in sports teams, which may very well make it into some of our shows.”
Spector has covered New York politics and government since 2002. He was a political reporter for the Democrat and Chronicle until he joined the Albany Bureau in 2007. Campbell has been working out of the Albany Bureau since 2011. Previously, he was the environment and health reporter for the Press & Sun-Bulletin in Binghamton. A native of Lockport, Niagara County, he's an avid Bills and Sabres fan.
Their experience in covering state government allows them to go well beyond daily coverage, so expect them to chat via livestream about what they’re digging up through investigative reporting. New York state government is a $168 billion-a-year enterprise and watchdog work is critical to ensure tax dollars are properly spent.
“It’s a vital component of what we do — holding elected leaders accountable for the decisions they make,” says Spector, who last year won first place from the State Associated Press Association for an investigation into how New York's antiquated school funding formula negatively impacted the way in which New York spends its $24 billion a year in education aid.
That project helped lead to changes in state law that updated the funding formula. There is another push this year by education advocates and Gov. Andrew Cuomo for more reforms.
Campbell was honored by two news industry organizations for his investigation of 500 state signs on highways that appear to flout federal law. He broke the story about how the federal government had been for years quietly urging the state to take down the signs. The state refused and just this past week the feds decided to levy a $14 million charge against New York, which prompted the state to agree to take the signs down.
In addition, the Albany Bureau partnered with other newsrooms in the USA TODAY Network to produce a groundbreaking series on what taxpayers get from New York’s $8 billion economic development initiatives. The answer: mixed results and little oversight.
The project fueled calls for new laws to protect taxpayers’ money when it comes to business incentives. The issue is carrying over into this year’s budget negotiations, with Republicans calling for a “top-to-bottom” review of New York’s economic development spending.
The Albany Bureau’s work on taxpayer investments also made national headlines. One example is a project on film-tax credits published in November. New York spends the most of any state on tax breaks for film and television productions. Our dynamic duo worked with others in the USA TODAY Network to create the nation’s first database of films and television shows that have received tax breaks during the last five years.
More investigative journalism is underway for this year. Their work is particularly important this year because the governor's seat and all statewide offices are up for election, as are all state Senate and Assembly seats.
If you have story ideas for our Albany Bureau, please feel free to email Spector at jspector@gannett.com. Stay tuned to our local report — and “Live from Albany” — for the latest on what’s happening and how it affects you.
Karen Magnuson is executive editor of the Democrat and Chronicle and the Northeast regional editor for the USA TODAY Network. She can be reached at KMagnuso@Gannett.com or (585) 258-2220.
To get full access to the valuable investigative journalism done by the Albany Bureau and other Democrat and Chronicle staffers, check the three different subscription deals now available.