Today in your Trail Mix:
The governor's office is reluctant to offer details on his use of state aircraft.
Fracking isn't bringing cities and towns the big bucks that were anticipated.
The lieutenant governor is prepared to be a marriage counselor for the regional councils.
Plus, catching up with Buffalo's Infringement Festival.
Politics
A request for records related to travel in state aircraft by the governor came back heavily redacted (James M. Odato, Times Union).
How much do those flights cost taxpayers? The administration wouldn't say (Michael Gormley, AP).
Member item (read: pork barrel) spending continues even though lawmakers have put themselves on a pork-free diet. That's because money squirreled away in past budget years is still flowing (Joseph Spector, Gannett).
Broome County officials say swapping out street signs for more reflective models is breaking the bank (Lisa Kashinsky, Gannett).
The Civil Service Employees Association will count votes today on a new contract deal. If approved, the contract will mean no raises for three years, but layoffs will be avoided (Rick Karlin, Times Union).
Public authorities
Top posts at three New York authorities - Power, Metropolitan Transportation, and Thruway - are currently open (Joseph Spector, Gannett).
Just in time for the job search, the Albany Law School has a new blog about public authorities. Associate dean Patricia Salkin was on Capital Tonight to talk about the effort (Maureen McManus, State of Politics/Capital Tonight).
Energy
A new Penn State study shows that municipal revenues are not climbing as a result of drilling in Pennsylvania (Steve Reilly, Press & Sun-Bulletin).
Buffalo-area state senator George Maziarz is attempting a delicate balance between supporting a coal power plant, and being a booster for the Green Jobs Green NY program - which is funded by the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (Brian Nearing, The Green Blog).
A former assemblyman wagers that fracking will be delayed by lawsuits (Nick Reisman, State of Politics).
Pennsylvania is involved in more than half of the gas pipeline projects before regulators right now (Marc Levy, AP).
Pennsylvania is retrenching from renewables as natural gas drilling booms (Don Hopey, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette).
Pennsylvania's State Impact reporters are looking for people who've filed Right-To-Know requests about fracking chemicals.
Economy
The regional economic councils include rivals on some key issues, like selling wine in grocery stores. But the lieutenant governor is prepared to play marriage counselor (Jon Campbell, Gannett).
Work groups for the regional councils begin meeting today (Jon Campbell, Vote Up!).
Employment growth was "sluggish" in New York over the second quarter - but guess who we beat? The United States (Kevin Tampone, Mohawk Valley Business Journal).
The University of Rochester is growing in the southwest part of the city - but expected retail growth in the neighborhood has been slow to follow (Brian Sharp, Democrat and Chronicle).
Art for art's sake
Buffalo's Infringement Festival has wrapped up, but if you missed the theater, street musicians, and art, you can get a rundown at Rust Wire (Anna Miller).
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