July 15, 1998

Paul C Kurtz, who appeared in courts and other legal proceedings on behalf of as many as 100 defendants, fooling judges in Manhattan, Brooklyn and elsewhere, is arrested by FBI for misrepresenting himself as lawyer; his role in plea bargains and sentencing proceedings raises concern that some of those convictions and sentences may be in jeopardy in cases where defendants believed he was genuine lawyer (M)

Geek hires private eye to report on high school dream girl. Deliriously funny.

Ruth Reichl reviews Park View at the Boathouse, new restaurant at Loeb Boathouse in Central Park; photos (L)

New York State is on a borrowing spree that easily gives it largest debt of any state in nation; debt being repaid with state taxes was $20 billion when Gov Mario Cuomo began final term in 1991, rose to $27 billion by the time Gov George Pataki took office in 1995, and has since risen to almost $35 billion; administration estimates it will reach $41 billion in five years; state's public authorities, which are controlled by Governor, owed $60 billion at start of 1991 and $71 billion when Pataki took office, but currently owe $85 billion; voracious borrowing, which runs counter to trend among states across the country, has come even as state has racked up record surpluses in last two years and has helped make possible what Pataki has held up as his signal achievement: cutting taxes deeply, even as state spending has increased (M)

NYC Sergeants Benevolent Association reaches tentative agreement with Giuliani administration on contract that eliminates right of police officers to wait two full business days before having to answer questions from Police Dept about possible misconduct; pres Joe Toal says union's board voted to send contract to its delegates, who will decide whether to send it to 4,500 members for ratification; city officials want to eliminate 48-hour rule in contracts with other police unions, including Patrolmen's Benevolent Association (M)