Latest news with #EdCox
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Concerns over ‘wasted' money on admin and consultants
Concerns have been raised about public money being 'wasted' on admin and consultants to deliver vital projects across the West Midlands. Members of the West Midlands Combined Authority's (WMCA) Overview & Scrutiny Committee were told hundreds of thousands of pounds were not being effectively used due to constraints placed on grants received. Ed Cox, Deputy Chief Executive & Executive Director for Strategy, Economy & Net Zero, said since 2016 the authority has been funded by different Government departments giving around 90 grants for specific purposes. But he said, for some projects, the funding awarded would have to be spent within short time scales resulting in the need to outsource the work as they wouldn't be able to appoint staff within the period. In April this year, WMCA was one of just two English regions to receive an Integrated Settlement of £389 million as well as transport funding of £211 million. From 2026/27 it will become a multi-year settlement which bosses say will bring in even more control and flexibility over how funding is spent. At the meeting, members heard how 'government administration costs' saw £700,000 extracted from the £70 million Commonwealth Games Legacy Enhancement Fund. They also heard how £127,400 was spent on consultants to carry out an evaluation of the WMCA Job Rotation Pilot in Coventry. Mr Cox said: 'We have had to receive each individual grant with these terms and conditions and then try to spend it according to a timeline the Government department has dictated to us. 'Because of a limited time frame, we couldn't start appointing staff to do that properly or building our own capacity to do it. 'So the way you've got to do it is get consultants in to do it and we end up with these projects. 'We have consistently said to Government this is no way to treat a serious regional body led by democratic authorities and led by the Mayor. 'We need a better way in which to fund mayoral combined authorities so they have started to make that transition with the Integrated Settlement. 'We're in the first year of that and they've done that for around 20 different grants out of the 90 and now coming together in this year and we're able to be a bit more strategic in the way we fund things.' He added: 'We've had three items on the (meeting) agenda, all of which have been about relatively small amounts of money from relatively short term periods that are given by Government with particular strings attached. 'The way in which they are given to us means we have to spend a disproportionate amount, on other forms of consultancy, simply because there are no other ways to deliver them in that time frame. 'It's a waste of public money, to be frank about it, because we could be building up the capacity of our local authorities or ourselves to do this.'
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Albany sneaks in budget language that would put NY taxpayers on the hook for Tish James' legal bills if she's probed by Trump admin
Taxpayers could be on the hook for New York Attorney General Letitia James' legal bills during Justice Department probes into her alleged fraudulent real estate dealings, The Post has learned. Albany Democrats are expected to sign off on a provision allowing certain officials to tap into a $10 million fund to cover 'any reasonable attorneys' fees and expenses incurred' — even as part of probes not directly related to their state employment. The language is being slipped into New York's operations budget bill — one of several expected to be made public and voted on starting Wednesday as the Legislature moves to pass next year's fiscal plan. Multiple sources told The Post that the specific language in the bill would apply to James' looming legal fight. New York Republican State Committee Chairman Ed Cox quickly lashed out over the move to slip a legal 'bailout' to James, calling it an 'outrageous abuse of power and a slap in the face to every New Yorker.' 'This is what corruption looks like in plain sight: political insiders rigging the system to protect their own, while hardworking families get shortchanged,' he said in a statement. 'Tish James used her office to wage partisan lawfare against her political opponents, and now New Yorkers are footing the bill for the consequences.' Under New York law, current and former state employees can be reimbursed for legal fees to defend themselves against lawsuits directly related to their work while in office, such as is the case with former Gov. Andrew Cuomo — whose various scandals are estimated to have cost taxpayers $60 million and counting. But the provision in the bill is specifically geared to benefit state employees who, as a result of their jobs, are subjected to 'discriminatory or retaliatory treatment' by the federal government. While the bill language shared with The Post doesn't mention James by name, it indicates state employees could be covered if the 'legally compulsive process' was initiated by the feds 'after Jan. 1, 2025,' meaning following President Trump's election. Trump administration refers NY AG Letitia James for potential prosecution over alleged mortgage fraud Conservatives celebrate after Trump admin refers NY AG Letitia James for potential prosecution: 'Karma' Letitia 'no one is above the law' James dodges questions about mortgage fraud scandal outside NYC home, pretends to be on phone The bill would cover those who 'obtained representation by private counsel in response to any request, summons, command, subpoena, warrant, investigative interview or document request, audit or legally compulsive process' started by the feds after that date as a result of their state employment or duties. James, who infamously declared that 'no one is above the law' when she was prosecuting Trump over his business dealings, was hit with a DOJ criminal referral for instances of alleged mortgage fraud last month. She has claimed the referral is meritless and part of a 'revenge tour' initiated by the president over her bringing civil fraud charges against him. James plans to rely on both state funds and a private legal defense fund to fight the battle, a spokesman for the AG's Office confirmed. 'Donald Trump promised a vicious revenge tour when he ran in 2024, and he's put Attorney General James at the top of his list, and we're ready to respond to these attacks,' her rep said Wednesday. The Democrat in particular has been the subject of Trump's ire after she marshaled a civil fraud trial against him and his Trump Organization that ended with a $454 million judgment. Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte sent a letter to US Attorney General Pam Bondi on April 14 asking her to investigate and consider prosecuting James, alleging she 'falsified bank documents and property records.' He alleged James falsely listed a home in Virginia as her principal residence. Records show that James was listed as a co-borrower on a house being purchased by her niece. Her high-profile attorney, Abbe David Lowell, claimed in a fiery letter to Bondi April 24 that the Trump administration 'cherry-picked' information against James and called Pulte's request for the DOJ to prosecute his client for mortgage fraud 'improper political retribution.' But he admitted she had 'mistakenly' listed a Virginia home as her primary residence. Lowell — one of Hunter Biden's top lawyers in the scandal-scarred first son's special counsel probe — was retained by the attorney general's office rather than James in her personal capacity, according to a Times Union report.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
97-year-old Binghamton runner competing in running tournament
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – 97-year-old Ed Cox of Binghamton has done it again, competing in a high-profile running tournament over the weekend. Cox ran in the 80 years old and older division of the 100-meter race at the Penn Relays in Philadelphia on Saturday. Cox says he ran some in high school but then largely gave it up during his decades long career as a family practice physician. He took up running and competing at age 70 and at age 90 recorded the fastest time in the world for his age and for that year. Saturday's outdoor race was very rainy and Cox came in last among 8 competitors, but the next oldest to him was 85, 12 years younger. 'It's a lot, it's a big difference. Once you hit 90, the change it accelerates. At 70, you're still pretty sparky on the running. But when you get to the end of 80 and into 90, it's really pretty noticeable,' Cox said. Cox says he plans to keep running competitively for as long as he can. He frequently trains at the Binghamton University outdoor track. Cox plans to compete a couple more times this season. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CNN
21-03-2025
- Politics
- CNN
New York's top court blocks NYC from letting noncitizens vote
New York state's top court put an end Thursday to New York City's effort to empower noncitizens to vote in municipal elections. In a 6-1 ruling, the high court said 'the New York constitution as it stands today draws a firm line restricting voting to citizens.' New York City never actually implemented its 2022 law. Supporters estimated it would have applied to about 800,000 noncitizens with legal permanent U.S. residency or authorization to work in the nation. The measure would have let them cast a ballot for mayor, city council and other local offices, but not for president, Congress or state officials. State Republican officials quickly sued over the law, and state courts at every level rejected it. Republicans hailed Thursday's ruling from the state's highest court, called the Court of Appeals. 'Efforts by radical Democrats on the New York City Council to permit noncitizen voting have been rightly rejected,' NYGOP Chair Ed Cox said in a statement. The Republicans' attorney, Michael Hawrylchak, said they were pleased that the court recognized the state constitution's 'fundamental limits' on voter eligibility. The heavily Democratic City Council passed the law, and its leaders took the case to the high court. Speaker Adrienne Adams said she was disappointed in the outcome but respected the court. 'The council sought to strengthen our city's democratic process and increase civic engagement by enfranchising the hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers who pay taxes and contribute to our communities but are unable to make their voices heard in local elections,' she said in a statement. Democratic Mayor Eric Adams had neither vetoed nor signed the measure but allowed it to become law without his signature. An Adams spokesperson, Kayla Mamelak Altus, said the administration respects the court's decision. A handful of Maryland and Vermont towns let noncitizens cast ballots in local elections, and noncitizen residents of Washington, D.C., can vote in city races. San Francisco allows noncitizen parents to participate in school board elections. Farther south in California, residents of Santa Ana rejected a noncitizen voting measure last year. Some other states specifically prohibit localities from enfranchising noncitizens. In New York, the state constitution says 'every citizen shall be entitled to vote' if at least 18 years old and a state resident. The document adds that county and municipal election voters must live in the relevant county, city or village. New York City argued that 'every citizen' doesn't mean 'citizens only,' and that the city had a self-governance right to choose to expand the franchise for its own elections. The law's supporters said it gave an electoral voice to many people who have made a home in the city and pay taxes to it but face tough paths to citizenship. The GOP accused Democrats of violating the state constitution in order to make partisan gains.
The Independent
20-03-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
New York's top court blocks NYC from letting noncitizens vote
New York state's top court put an end Thursday to New York City's effort to empower noncitizens to vote in municipal elections. In a 6-1 ruling, the high court said 'the New York constitution as it stands today draws a firm line restricting voting to citizens.' New York City never actually implemented its 2022 law. Supporters estimated it would have applied to about 800,000 noncitizens with legal permanent U.S. residency or authorization to work in the nation. The measure would have let them cast a ballot for mayor, city council and other local offices, but not for president, Congress or state officials. State Republican officials quickly sued over the law, and state courts at every level rejected it. Republicans hailed Thursday's ruling from the state's highest court, called the Court of Appeals. 'Efforts by radical Democrats on the New York City Council to permit noncitizen voting have been rightly rejected,' NYGOP Chair Ed Cox said in a statement. The Republicans' attorney, Michael Hawrylchak, said they were pleased that the court recognized the state constitution's 'fundamental limits" on voter eligibility. The heavily Democratic City Council passed the law, and its leaders took the case to the high court. Speaker Adrienne Adams said she was disappointed in the outcome but respected the court. 'The council sought to strengthen our city's democratic process and increase civic engagement by enfranchising the hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers who pay taxes and contribute to our communities but are unable to make their voices heard in local elections,' she said in a statement. Democratic Mayor Eric Adams had neither vetoed nor signed the measure but allowed it to become law without his signature. An Adams spokesperson, Kayla Mamelak Altus, said the administration respects the court's decision. A handful of Maryland and Vermont towns let noncitizens cast ballots in local elections, and noncitizen residents of Washington, D.C., can vote in city races. San Francisco allows noncitizen parents to participate in school board elections. Farther south in California, residents of Santa Ana rejected a noncitizen voting measure last year. Some other states specifically prohibit localities from enfranchising noncitizens. In New York, the state constitution says 'every citizen shall be entitled to vote' if at least 18 years old and a state resident. The document adds that county and municipal election voters must live in the relevant county, city or village. New York City argued that 'every citizen' doesn't mean 'citizens only,' and that the city had a self-governance right to choose to expand the franchise for its own elections. The law's supporters said it gave an electoral voice to many people who have made a home in the city and pay taxes to it but face tough paths to citizenship. The GOP accused Democrats of violating the state constitution in order to make partisan gains.
