Catch up on the week in local and state politics
Take a look at what happened this week in state and local politics:
Surge in voter registration
As the March 25 deadline to vote in New York state’s primary grows closer, more and more New York residents are registering to vote. Between March 10 and March 20, more than 40,883 voter registration applications were processed through New York’s online voting registration system.
On March 18, a record-breaking 13,961 people registered to vote, according to a press release from New York state Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Onondaga County has also seen a rise in voter registration.
The New York state primary will take place on April 19.
MMA legalized in New York state
New York state — the remaining holdout in the fight to legalize mixed martial arts — finally voted to legalize the sport on Tuesday. The New York State Assembly voted in favor of legalization, as did the Senate on Feb. 1, according to Syracuse.com.
Now New York state Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has advocated for legalization in the past, must sign the bill into law.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has said 70 MMA bouts could generate $67 million in spending in New York state. The state will receive an 8.5 percent tax on MMA ticket sales.
Syracuse receives grant to renovate affordable homes
New York state Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Monday that the state will provide $1.2 million in grants to promote home ownership among low- and middle-income residents.
The city of Syracuse will receive $875,000 of these funds to expand the Affordable Home Ownership Development Program, according to a press release from Cuomo’s office. Specifically, the funds will help renovate 30 homes for qualified buyers.
Participants in the program will be selected from a waitlist of eligible buyers.
Schumer suggests Crouse Hospital for federal drug forum
United States Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) wrote to federal officials on March 18 requesting that Crouse Hospital be considered as the site of a federal forum on prescription drug abuse and the heroin epidemic. Schumer said the hospital has been leading efforts to combat the issue.
In the last 15 years, Crouse Hospital has experienced a 700 percent increase in the number of heroin addicts admitted, according to Syracuse.com.
A recent study found that Onondaga County has a higher rate of deaths by drug overdose than New York state and the United States. In 2012-14, Onondaga County experienced 15 deaths from drug overdoses out of every 100,000 people. That number was 11 out of 100,000 for New York state and 13 out of 100,000 in the U.S.
SUNY Board calls for tuition freeze
The State University of New York Board of Trustees echoed state lawmakers on Wednesday when they called for a tuition freeze on SUNY undergraduate tuition. The state Senate and Assembly have already rebuffed a suggestion in New York state Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s budget proposal for a “rational” tuition hike.
The Board called for a $73 million direct investment in the SUNY system to prevent a hike, according to Time Warner Cable News.
The Board also wants to increase base aid to community colleges in the SUNY system, starting with an increase of $285 per student for the upcoming school year. They said this would match the average rise in costs.