Law and
Government
As in all fifty states, the head of the executive branch of government is a
Governor. The legislative branch is called the Legislature, and consists of
a Senate and an Assembly. Unlike most States, the New York electoral law
permits electoral fusion, and New York ballots tend to have, in consequence,
a larger number of parties on them, some being permanent minor parties that
seek to influence the major parties and others being ephemeral parties
formed to give major-party candidates an additional line on the ballot.
New York's legislature is notoriously dysfunctional. The Assembly has long
been controlled by the Democrats, the Senate has long been controlled by the
Republicans. No budget has been passed on time for twenty years, and the
government is unable to pass legislation for which there is supposed to be a
consensus, as in reforming the Nelson Rockefeller Drug Laws.
In 2002, 16,892 laws were introduced in the New York legislature, more than
twice as many as in the Illinois General Assembly, whose members are the
second most prolific. Of those bills, only 4 percent, 693, actually became
law, the lowest passing percentage in the country.
New York's legislature also has more paid staff, 3,428 than any other
legislature in the nation. Pennsylvania, whose staff is the second largest,
only had 2,947, and California only 2,359. New York's legislature also has
more committees than any other legislature in the nation.
New York's subordinate political units are its 62 counties. Smaller
officially recognized incorporated municipal units are towns cities, and
villages.
The court system in New York is notable for its "backwards" naming: the
state's trial court is called the New York Supreme Court, while the highest
court in the state is the New York Court of Appeals.
Geography
New York State's borders touch (clockwise from the northwest) two Great
Lakes (Erie and Ontario, which are connected by the Niagara River), the
Provinces of Quebec and Ontario in Canada, three New England states (Vermont,
Massachusetts, and Connecticut), the Atlantic Ocean, and two Mid-Atlantic
states (New Jersey and Pennsylvania).
While best known for New York City's urban congestion, especially
Manhattan's skyscrapers, the rest of the state is dominated by farms,
forests, rivers, mountains, and lakes. Few people know that New York's
Adirondack State Park is larger than any National Park in the US. Niagara
Falls, on the Niagara River as it flows from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario is a
popular attraction; the best view is from the Canadian side. The Hudson
River flows south through the eastern part of the state without draining
Lakes George or Champlain. Lake George empties at its north end into Lake
Champlain, whose northern end extends into Canada, where it drains into the
Richelieu and then the St. Lawrence Rivers. Four of New York City's five
boroughs are on the three large islands at the mouth of the Hudson River
Manhattan Island, Staten Island, and Long Island.
The five New York City boroughs and their (counties) are: The Bronx (Bronx)
on the mainland north of Manhattan (New York) on Manhattan Island; the
Hudson River is their western boundary. Brooklyn (Kings) and Queens (Queens)
are across the East River from Manhattan on the western end of Long Island
and Staten Island (Richmond) is south of Manhattan. The eastern end of Long
Island includes suburban Nassau and Suffolk Counties.
"Upstate" is a common term for New York State north of the New York City
metropolitan area; but many of those outside of the NYC metropolitan area
find the term demeaning because it is emblematic of the cultural and
demographic divide which separates the two areas, one rural and conservative,
the other urban and liberal. Which of the suburban counties north of The
Bronx along the Hudson River (Rockland, Westchester, and Putnam) count as "Upstate"
depends on who is making the list. Upstate New York includes the Catskill
and Adirondack Mountains, the Shawangunk Ridge, the Finger and Great Lakes
in the west and Lake Champlain, Lake George, and Oneida Lake in the
northeast, and rivers such as the Delaware, Genesee, Hudson, Mohawk, and
Susquehanna. The highest elevation in New York is Mount Marcy in the
Adirondacks.
Economy
New York City dominates the economy of the state. It is the leading center
of banking, finance and communication in the United States and is the
location of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on Wall Street, Manhattan. In
1999, the total gross state product was $755 billion, second only to
California in the nation. Its 2000 Per Capita Personal Income was $34,547,
placing it 4th in the nation. New York's agricultural outputs are dairy
products, cattle and other livestock, vegetables, nursery stock, and apples.
Its industrial outputs are printing and publishing, scientific instruments,
electric equipment, machinery, chemical products, and tourism.
Agriculture
New York State is an agricultural leader, ranking within the top five states
for a number of products including dairy, apples, cherries, cabbage,
potatoes, onions, maple syrup and many other products. The state has about a
quarter of its land in farms and produced 3.4 billion dollars in
agricultural products in 2001. The south shore of Lake Ontario provides the
right mix of soils and microclimate for many apple, cherry, plum, pear and
peach orchards. Apples are also grown in the Hudson Valley and near Lake
Champlain. The south shore of Lake Erie and the southern Finger Lakes
hillsides have many vinyards. The Finger Lakes area is famous for award-winning
farm wineries and others.
New York was heavily glaciated in the ice age leaving much of the state with
deep, fertile, though somewhat rocky soils. Row crops, including hay, corn (also
known as maize), wheat, oats, barley, and soybeans, are grown. Particularly
in the western part of the state, sweet corn, peas, carrots, squash,
cucumbers and other vegetables are grown. The Hudson and Mohawk valleys are
known for pumpkins and blueberries. The glaciers also left numerous swampy
areas, which have been drained for the rich humus soils called muckland
which is mostly used for onions, potatoes, celery and other vegetables.
Dairy farms are present throughout much of the state. Cheese is a major
product, often produced by Amish or Mennonite farm cheeseries. New York is
rich in nectar-producing plants and is a major honey-producing state. The
honeybees are also used for pollination of fruits and vegetables. Most
commercial beekeepers are migratory, taking their hives to southern states
for the winter. Most cities have Farmers' markets which are well supplied by
local truck farmers.
Demographics
As of 2000, New York is the third largest state in population after
California and Texas, with a population of 18,976,457.
Important cities and towns
Albany is the state capital, and New York City is by far the largest city.
Its major cities and towns are:
New York City
Buffalo
Rochester
Yonkers
Syracuse
Albany
New Rochelle
Mount Vernon
Schenectady
Utica
Binghamton
Ithaca
Education
Primary and Secondary Education
The New York State Board of Regents and the State Education Department
control all public primary and secondary education in the state.
Colleges and universities
Besides the many private colleges and universities in the state, New York,
like many other states, operates its own system of institutions of higher
learning known as the State University of New York System (SUNY). New York
City operates the City University of New York (CUNY) in conjunction with the
state.
New York's public land grant (agriculture) and forestry colleges are at
private schools: Cornell and Syracuse Universities, respectively.
Professional sports teams
National Football League
Buffalo Bills
The following teams play in East Rutherford, New Jersey, but are usually
considered New York teams
New York Jets
New York Giants
New York Knicks, National Basketball Association
New York Liberty, Women's National Basketball Association
New York Power, Women's United Soccer Association
National Hockey League
Buffalo Sabres
New York Rangers
New York Islanders
Major League Baseball
New York Mets
New York Yankees
Major League Lacrosse
Long Island Lizards
Rochester Rattlers
Minor League Baseball teams
Brooklyn Cyclones
Staten Island Yankees
Binghamton Mets
Buffalo Bisons
Jamestown Jammers
Batavia Muckdogs
Rochester Red Wings
Auburn Doubledays
Syracuse SkyChiefs
Oneonta Tigers
Tri-City Valley Cats (Troy)
Hudson Valley Renegades (Wappingers Falls)
Major League Soccer
MetroStars (Based in East Rutherford, New Jersey)
A-League Soccer
Rochester Raging Rhinos
Syracuse Salty Dogs
Miscellanea
USS New York was named in honor of this state.
The state bird: Eastern Bluebird, (Sialia sialis).
The state flower: Rose.
The state tree: Sugar maple (Acer saccharum).
The state fruit: Apple.
The state gemstone: Garnet.
The state motto: Excelsior (ever higher)
