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Capitol gathering marks massacre of Armenians

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  • Capitol gathering marks massacre of Armenians

    The Times Union (Albany, NY)
    April 27, 2004 Tuesday THREE STAR EDITION

    Capitol gathering marks massacre of Armenians

    Two dozen people gathered at the steps of the state Capitol Monday to
    recognize the 89th anniversary of the 1915 Armenian massacre in
    Turkey.

    Local politicians including U.S. Rep. John Sweeney, R-Clifton Park,
    and Assemblyman Ron Canestrari, D-Cohoes, paid tribute to the 1.5
    million Armenians massacred by the former Ottoman Empire.

    "It is critically important, not just as Armenians but as Americans,
    to remind people of this massacre," said Sweeney, whose grandfather
    was from Armenia.

    The official anniversary was Saturday, which Gov. George Pataki
    designated as Armenian Remembrance Day in a proclamation.

    -- Erin Duggan

    ASHCROFT HONORS MOM WHO ADVOCATES JOAN'S LAW

    While she waits for New York state to enact a law named after her
    murdered daughter, Rosemarie D'Alessandro was honored by U.S.
    Attorney General John Ashcroft with a "Special Courage" award as part
    of National Crime Victims' Rights Week.

    The recognition last week came 31 years after the body of her
    7-year-old daughter, Joan, was found in Harriman State Park, Rockland
    County. She had been raped and murdered by a neighbor while selling
    Girl Scout cookies.

    The killer is eligible for parole, but has been repeatedly denied
    release. D'Alessandro has been fighting for Joan's Law, already
    passed in New Jersey and at the federal level, to mandate life in
    prison without parole for people who molest and kill a child under
    14.

    The bill failed to pass in the Legislature in 2001 or 2002, but again
    has majority sponsorship and appears headed for a vote in the Senate,
    where is it sponsored by Thomas Morahan, R-Nanuet. It remains in the
    Codes Committee in the Assembly, where it is sponsored by David Koon,
    D-Fairport.

    -- Staff report

    BLOOMBERG BUDGET REFLECTS IMPROVED FISCAL HEALTH

    NEW YORK -- Mayor Michael Bloomberg proposed a $46.9 billion budget
    Monday that offers pay raises to city workers, property tax rebates
    to homeowners and extra funds for lead paint abatement as the city's
    fiscal health continues to improve.

    The centerpiece of the mayor's plan is a $400 property tax rebate --
    proposed almost 18 months after Bloomberg pushed through an 18.5
    percent property tax increase in December 2002.

    The program will cost the city $250 million. About 600,000
    owner-occupants of one-, two- and three-family homes, co-ops and
    condos will receive the rebate.

    The mayor estimated the budget surplus for fiscal year 2004, which
    ends June 30, will be $1.3 billion. The plan, which must be approved
    by the City Council, sets aside $104 million for the city's new lead
    paint abatement law and $533 million to pay for municipal labor
    contracts.

    -- Associated Press

    STOPGAP SPENDING OK'D AS BUDGET TALKS STAY STALLED

    ALBANY -- State legislators approved another emergency spending bill
    Monday while their leaders reported no progress in talks with Gov.
    George Pataki over a new budget for the fiscal year that began April
    1.

    The stopgap spending bill was worth $2.04 billion. Counting others
    approved by legislators on March 31 and April 20, lawmakers have
    authorized the spending of just under $14.5 billion so far in the new
    fiscal year. A permanent budget, when adopted, is expected to total
    about $100 billion.

    Pataki and legislative leaders said they remained at odds over
    complying with a court mandate to improve education aid distribution
    to aid New York City school children.

    "We're just not making the progress that we have to make and should
    be making to be able to reach an agreement," Pataki said.--

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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