10 Things That Did Not Happen in Rural Housing in 2012 — Rooflines.

Capitol Confidential » Senate Dems flesh out leadership team.

Inside Albany: Governor plans overhaul of agency responsible for New York’s economic development – NYPOST.com.

Capitol Confidential » Fewer joint session days for 2013.

Session begins with the January 9 State of the State speech. View the calendar and start planning your visits in Albany and in the district.

rural housing | On the Home Front.  Of interest as it discusses housing tax reform and some sensible proposals getting some national attention

The National Rural Housing Coalition has issue papers on housing programs important to rural NY; perfect to provide your legislators when they are home for the holidays

USDA Seeks Applications for Funding to Revitalize Rural Rental Housing | USDA Newsroom.

Cup of coffee limit perks up again – Times Union.

Five bucks for a cuppa java is pretty really extravagant in rural NY…

Historic change in the Senate – Times Union.

Stewart-Cousins is the first woman to lead a legislative conference at the State Capitol.

ALBANY — State Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins was elected to lead the Democratic conference of the state’s upper chamber during a Monday evening vote, supplanting Brooklyn Sen. John Sampson.

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date line 12/12/12

Election officials from Greene County opened the last 133 ballots on Monday, yielding an eight vote pick-up for Tkaczyk. While Tkaczyk led on Election Night, Amedore crawled ahead as election officials in the five-county 46th District counted hundreds of absentee and affidavit ballots. Attorneys for both campaigns objected to 887 of these ballots; Acting Montgomery County Supreme Court Justice Guy Tomlinson sustained roughly 450 of these challenges, the majority of which were lodged by Amedore’s camp.

Tomlinson is set to issue a formal ruling later today. Republicans immediately hailed Amedore as the winner.

“It has been a lengthy campaign, but I am ready to end this political process and I stand committed to working in a bi-partisan effort to meet the difficult challenges that face all New Yorkers,” Amedore, R-Rotterdam, said in a statement. “Let’s transition from politics to governing as the people deserve nothing less. We have much to do and I look forward to serving on behalf of all New Yorkers. In just a few weeks, we will begin the process of addressing the concerns and needs of all New Yorkers to make this great state better and safer for our children and our families.”

Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, R-Long Island, issued a statement congratulating Amedore “on a hard-fought and well-deserved victory. His electoral journey has been a long and winding road, but it ends today with him as Senator-elect.”

Democrats said any declaration was premature. They plan to appeal the invalidated votes, which include 53 ballots of Ulster County election workers that were cast before a statutory deadline as well as the ballots of Rep. Paul Tonko’s nonagenerian parents, who improperly signed each other’s envelopes.

“There are still hundreds of outstanding objections that have to be ruled on by the Appellate Court,” said Tkaczyk campaign spokesman Gary Ginsburg. “These ballots include votes cast by election inspectors that voted early at the direction of both Republican and Democratic Election Commissioners and hundreds of affidavit ballots that were thrown out because of minor errors. When all the votes are counted Cecilia Tkacyzk will be certified the winner of this election and will represent the residents of the 46th Senate District.”