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Archive for June, 2011
MacKay Discusses Same-Sex Marriage
Jun 30th - 9:00 pm
The chair of the state Independence Party says while he personally supports same-sex marriage, it will not be a litmus test for his party. Still, the party’s support could mean a lot to senators who are losing the support of the conservative party.
Skelos on Tax Cap & Mandate Relief
Jun 30th - 8:43 pm
Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos discusses the accomplishments of the legislative session and what’s next on his to-do list.
Study Author Talks Hydrofracking
Jun 30th - 8:23 pm
As the governor calls for an end to the ban on hydrofracking, Duke University professor Robert Jackson, who authored a study on the process, explains more about the process and its impact on the water supply.
On Second Thought…
Jun 30th - 5:28 pm
Upon seeing the DEC’s press release, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver did an about-face on hydrofracking, releasing a decidedly more positive statement than the one he sent out in the wake of the NY Times report.
“I am pleased that the DEC will permanently ban hydraulic fracturing in sensitive watershed areas and the aquifers that feed them,” Silver said.
“The Assembly also will be vigilant as the DEC moves forward and will work to ensure that no permits are issued anywhere in the state where there are any possible dangers identified by the federal EPA study.”
Extras
Jun 30th - 5:14 pm
The secret behind the recent successes of Govs. Andrew Cuomo and Chris Christie: Rich powerbrokers from the opposing party.
The Cuomo administration spent the day clearing the decks of contentious issues before the July 4th holiday.
The Monroe County Conservative chairman says he has fielded three calls from elected officials interested in challenging Sen. Jim Alesi, whom he called “burnt toast.”
On the same day Cuomo was touting his tax cap, the Progressive State Network included it on a list of the “14 most harmful and dangerous bills you may not have noticed.”
A DailyKos blogger cautions against jumping on the Cuomo 16 bandwagon.
Greg David sides with Bloomberg over Cuomo on Indian Point.
The Nation lavishes praise on the AG: “If this were a movie, we could cast (Eric) Schneiderman as Gary Cooper in High Noon – the lonely sheriff who stands up to the outlaw gang while frightened townspeople are afraid to challenge the banksters.”
On the religious exemptions in the same-sex marriage bill, Cuomo said: “I will say, gratuitously, that it’s a trap for the gay community. There is no reason for the gay community to alienate the religious community.”
The state correction officers union says Cuomo’s prison closures are “a significant threat to the safety and integrity” of the system.
Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner is contemplating leaving his position.
No fireworks or BBQs for members of the US Senate.
Between the 20-day layoff notices and the prison closings, it wasn’t a good day for PEF, which is still in contract talks with the Cuomo administration.
This isn’t likely to help PEF’s cause.
The SUNY Board of Trustees approved the tuition increase passed by the Legislature last week.
NYSUT is itching to say “I told you so” on the tax cap.
The man behind Cuomo: Dad.
Stephen Colbert, Comedy Central host and super PAC proprietor.
Rep. Louise Slaughter thinks Obama will “get there” on gay marriage.
DEC To Allow Limited Fracking
Jun 30th - 4:13 pm
…From “baseless speculation and premature” to complete truth in under four hours. Amazing.
Here’s the DEC press release that confirms the NY Times report earlier today that the hydrofracking ban will be lifted outside state-owned land, the NYC and Syracuse watersheds (a reversal from the 2009 draft report) and within 500 feet of primary acquifers statewide.
Approximately 85 percent of the Marcellus Shale would be accessible to natural gas extraction under these recommendations.
“This report strikes the right balance between protecting our environment, watersheds, and drinking water and promoting economic development,” said DEC Commissioner Joe Martens.
A 60-day comment period on the document will start in August.
06-30-11 New Recommendations Issued in Hydraulic Fracturing Review 11-79[1]
Hoyt Resigns (Updated)
Jun 30th - 3:59 pm
And then there were six…vacant Assembly seats, that is.
The state Board of Elections confirms it has certified a vacancy in the 144th Assembly district, which was – up until very recently – represented by Assemblyman Sam Hoyt.
Chain of events: Hoyt quietly sent a letter of resignation yesterday to the speaker’s office, ccing the Secretary of State, who then sent it to the Board of Elections.
Hoyt is a longtime ally of Gov. Andrew Cuomo. In fact, he was one of the few Democratic elected/political officials to back Cuomo during his quixotic gubernatorial primary challenge to then-state Comptroller H. Carl McCall, along with Monroe County Democratic Chairman/Assemblyman Joe Morelle and former Essex County Democratic Chairman Stu Brody.
The WNY political world has been speculating for some time that Hoyt would resign to take a job with the Cuomo administration – an assumption the assemblyman has repeatedly denied.
He has so far responded to neither my email nor my voice mail message seeking comment, so I guess it’s possible he’s resigning for some other reason. Hoyt gave no reason for his resignation, which was effective at 11:59 last night, in the letter he sent shortly after 1 p.m. yesterday.
UPDATE: Hoyt responded to me via text and confirmed he has accepted a “senior position” at ESD. UPDATE2: And here’s a link to the letter in which he explains his decision to the public and recalls the bittersweet circumstances of his election to his late father’s eat.
Hoyt has weathered a number of tough re-elections after he admitted in 2008 to an extramarital affair with a legislative intern. He has been involved in a massive intraparty fight in Erie County that also includes Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown and former Erie County Democratic Chairman Steve Pigeon.
State Democratic Party Executive Director Charlie King has reportedly brokered peace among the Erie County Democrats at Cuomo’s request – a move that required the resignation of former county chairman Len Lenihan. I’m not sure if Hoyt’s resignation is also connected to that deal.
If Hoyt is accepting a job with Cuomo, he would be the fourth Assembly member to do so. The others include: Darryl Towns (housing czar), RoAnn Destito (OGS commissioner), and Jonathan Bing (special deputy superintendent of the NY Liquidation Bureau).
There are two other vacant seats thanks to the resignations of Nettie Mayhersohn and Audrey Pheffer (now the Queens County clerk).
So far, Cuomo hasn’t called a single special election for any of these Assembly vacancies or for the seat given up by scandal-scarred ex-Rep. Anthony Weiner, but he is widely speculated to be planning to call them all to be held concurrently with the September primary.
Silver: ‘Too Many Unknowns’ To Allow Hydrofracking
Jun 30th - 3:33 pm
Allowing the controversial natural-gas extraction process known as hydraulic fracturing would be “premature at a minimum,” Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, D-Manhattan, said in a statement.
The speaker added the state should wait for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to release its own study on the issue before the process is used in New York.
Silver was responding to reports today that a long-anticipated draft report from the Department of Environmental Conservation will recomend that the process commonly known as hydrofracking be allowed, but not in the New York City and Syracuse watersheds.
Silver said in the statement that,
“We would strongly oppose lifting the moratorium. There are simply too many unknowns to risk inflicting long-term, potentially catastrophic damage to New York’s environment and water supply.”
“Any action to lift the moratorium is premature and at a minimum, New York should wait until the EPA completes its own study on hydraulic fracturing before even considering whether the state should permit this type of drilling activity.”
If the reports are true and hydrofracking does indeed move forward, this would be the first major split the Democratic-controlled Assembly has had with Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Environmentalists oppose the extraction process because it uses a mixture of potentially dangerous chemicals and water to extract the gas. However, business groups argue that drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale region of the Southern Tier could help the economically troubled area create jobs.
The Assembly and the then-Democratic-controlled Senate approved a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing last year, but it was veoted by Gov. David Paterson.
A Relatively Frugal Session
Jun 30th - 3:08 pm
Senate and Assembly lawmakers combined spent less on per diems in 2011 so far than over a similar period last year, according to records obtained through the Freedom of Information Law.
The main factor for the decline: the federal per diem rate slipped in 2011 to $165, down from $171 in 2010.
The request covered the 2011 legislative session, which completed work on June 24. It also covered the same time period in 2010 in order to provide a side-by-side snapshot comparison.
Records from the Comptroller’s Office show the Republican-led Senate spent $516,419 on per diems — a decline of more than $100,000 from the same January through June time period. The Democratic-led Assembly, meanwhile, spent $1.3 million, far less than the $1.5 million spent in 2010 during the same six-month period.
The Assembly’s smaller per diem total also accounts for the five vacancies in the chamber after Gov. Andrew Cuomo plucked lawmakers to join his cabinet.
The biggest total spender of legislative per diems — which are meant to provide legislators with unitemized spending money for room and board when they’re performing legislative duties — was again Democratic Assemblywoman Earlene Hooper.
She spent $18,857 in 2011, down from $22,913 in 2010.
In the Senate, Sen. Kemp Hannon, R-Nassau County, spent the most on per diems, $14,865, a roughly $800 personal increase from last year.
This year’s legislative session ran over four extra days — the Legislature gaveled in a total of 65 days in 2011. Last year, of course, lawmakers were working through the summer to hammer out one of the latest state budgets in history. The spending plan wasn’t approved until August.
This year’s numbers could also change if the Legislature decides to return to Albany, lawmakers hold committee meetings or if Gov. Andrew Cuomo convenes a special session.
State To Close Seven Prisons (Updated)
Jun 30th - 2:45 pm
Seven prisons around the state will close, saving $184 million over two years, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced today.
The closures will impact western and central New York the heaviest, while facilities in New York City will also be shuttered. Unclear is how many jobs will be lost, moved or otherwise impacted by the closures.
The state will close the Buffalo Work Release, Camp Georgetown in Madison County, Summit Shock in Schoharie County and Fulton Work Release in the Bronx.
Three male medium security facilities will also shutter: Arthur Kill on Staten Island, Mid-Orange in Orange County and Oneida.
The plan spares maximum security facilities — a key concern of the unions representing correction officers. Prisoners living in the closed facilities will be moved to other prisons. Many of those prisons are located in state’s northern reaches, where many local economies are based on the facilities being nearby.
The plan calls for a reduction of approximately 3,800 beds, with an estimated savings of $72 million in during the 2011-12 fiscal year, which runs from April 1 to March 31. In the 2012-13 fiscal year, an estimated $112 million will be saved.
Cuomo had sought the closure of nearly vacant facilities, along with the closures of juvenile justice centers he says are under utilized.
“This plan is the result of very careful and detailed analysis and deliberation,” Cuomo said in a statement. “It succeeds in targeting facilities for closure without compromising public safety and will save taxpayers $184 million. We will work closely to ensure impacted areas are given substantial state aid to help them create jobs and transform their local economies. New York will continue to keep the highest standard of public safety and maintain one of the safest correctional systems in the country.”
The Cuomo administration had held the prison closure news close to the vest after the governor intially announced the plan in his Feb. 1 budget presentation. The approved budget includes $50 million in economic development money and tax credits for communities that rely on the prisons as a source of employment and income.
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