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Cuomo Raises For Assembly Dems
May 7th - 11:07 am
A reader forwarded this invite to an upcoming fundraiser that Gov. Andrew Cuomo will headline to benefit the Assembly Democratic Campaign Committee.
The May 19 29 event will take place at the swanky Plaza Hotel in NYC. Tickets range from $1,000 a head to $25,000 for VIP sponsors.
This is a fascinating development on so many levels.
The first: After all the talk during the 2010 campaign of potential friction between powerful Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Cuomo, the two have managed to hammer out a fairly functional working relationship.
Also, this has to sting for the Senate Democrats, to whom Cuomo has not only refused to commit to supporting in their quest to win back the majority this fall, but arguably has actively screwed by working closely with the Senate Republicans and signing their gerrymandered redistricting plan into law.
A source familiar with the governor’s schedule says there’s no immediate plan for him to host a similar fundraiser for the DSCC.
Every time he’s asked about whether he’ll be backing his fellow Democrats in the Senate, Cuomo has said there’s a time for politics and a time for governing. The political time, he says, comes after the legislative session is over.
Well, the session’s not technically over until June 21, and this DACC fundraiser is taking place a month before then.
Just saying.
ALSO: Nick Reisman reminds me of the dust-up between Cuomo and Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb during which, according to Kolb, the governor threatened to “go after” Assembly Republicans if they didn’t vote “yes” on last December’s tax code reform.
Six Assembly Republicans eventually voted against the bill, along with two Democrats. Cuomo insisted the story about his strong-arming was inaccurate.
Monserrate’s Plea Agreement
May 4th - 4:29 pm
Former Sen. Hiram Monserrate plead guilty today in federal court to two counts of public corruption that he used his funds steered to a Queens community group to fund his 2006 run for Senate.
Monserrate, a Queens Democrat expelled from the Senate following a misdemeanor assault charge stemming from a fight with his girlfriend, admitted to using $109,000 in city money earmarked for Latino Initiative for Better Resources and Empowerment, Inc. in his city council district.
He pleaded to one count of mail fraud and an additional county of conspiracy to commit mail fraud. He faces 21 to 27 months in prison and will be sentenced on Sept. 14. He could also pay a fine of up to $50,000, according to the plea agreement.
Our NY1 colleague Zack Fink, who has at the court proceedings today, reports that Monserrate did not make any formal statements.
The guilty plea is yet another victory for U.S. Attorney Preet Bhara, who has made a point of pursuing public corruption cases, especially those that involve current and former Albany politicians.
“Sadly, Monserrate took money out of the pockets of needy people to fund his own political career,” Bhara said in a statement. “We will continue to pursue and prosecute elected officials who foolishly think that they can corruptly use public money for their own benefit.”
Breslin On Primary: No Worries
May 1st - 2:26 pm
Sen. Neil Breslin, D-Albany, says he’s not worried about pending primary challenge from Albany County Legislator Shawn Morse, who is expected to announce his intentions at a news conference tomorrow.
“Everybody is entitled to run, I’m sure it will be a spirited race and I’m ready to run on my record,” Breslin said.
Morse is expected to announce his run in Cohoes at 4:15 on Wednesday.
A shadow campaign, portrayed as “draft Shawn Morse” effort, was conducted via YouTube, with anonymous videos posted that were critical of Breslin.
In 2010, Breslin faced lawyer Luke Martland in a Democratic primary, scoring an easy win.
The longtime Albany lawmaker is among the last of the old Democratic guard in the Capital Region. Assemblymen Jack McEneny and Ron Canestrari, of Albany and Cohoes respectively, both announced they would retire at the end of the year.
Former Albany County Executive Michael Breslin, Neil’s brother, declined to run for another four-year term last year, resulting in the uncontested election of Dan McCoy.
Breslin, the deputy minority leader for the Democratic conference, says that he’s never thought about stepping down.
“I’ve had a tremendous response from people saying thank goodness you’re staying,” he said. “I’ve been very encouraged with the responses that I’ve had.”
Breslin also noted, somewhat pointedly, that “every elected Democrat with the exception of the county executive” was at his re-election kickoff rally.
Higgins Formally Announces Assembly Run
Apr 25th - 10:14 am
Albany County Legislator Chris Higgins released a YouTube video this morning formally introducing himself as a candidate to succeed retiring Assemblyman Jack McEneny.
In the video, Higgins, also a Democratic Senate aide, name-drops Gov. Andrew Cuomo for doing “an excellent job” in his 16 months, but says more work needs to be done.
Higgins also says that as a “full-time Assemblyman” he would work to get the Albany area its fair share of resources.
As a county legislator, I have fought hard for my constituents and for our progressive values. I’ve voted no on overwhelming tax increases because I know seniors and working families are stretched too thin. And I’ve written and passed legislation to keep our roads and neighborhoods safe, protect our environment, and improve the health of our communities.
As your full-time Assemblyman, I’ll be focused on finding creative ways help our state and ensure that the Capital Region gets its fair share of state resources for our schools, hospitals and law enforcement.
The Democratic primary to succeed McEneny is a busy one, with at least four other candidates seeking the seat: Frank Commisso, Bryan Clenahan, Patricia Fahy and Margarita Perez. Commisso has emerged as the county party’s preferred candidate.
The full script is after the jump. More >
Video: Burke Doesn’t Stick Around For Round Table
Apr 23rd - 4:25 pm
OPWDD Commissioner Courtney Burke did not hang out for the full two-plus hours that was Sen. Roy McDonald’s round table discussion on how to treat and report abuses in group homes for the developmentally disabled.
Rather, she spoke for roughly 10 minutes and then left.
Catch the gaggle with Burke below.
As reported by The New York Times, the administration was apparently uncomfortable with the appearance of Jeffrey Monsour, a whistleblower at an Albany-area facility at the same round table event.
McDonald’s office had initially invited Monsour on April 16 and then late Friday called to say that OPWDD was uneasy with his presence. Monsour was later re-invited Sunday night after inquiries by the Times.
An OPWDD spokesman said the press coverage of the issue had been “sensationalized,” which led Timesman Danny Hakim, the Albany bureau chief and reporter on many of the articles the paper has done to ask Burke for specifics.
Burke was also vague why Monsour was initially disinvited, saying that there had been a “miscommunication.”
Making More Money Than The Boss
Apr 20th - 3:37 pm
Gov. Andrew Cuomo wants to recruit the best and the brightest for his cabinet, but has run into difficulty finding people willing to make comparatively lower pay.
A review of payroll data from the state comptroller’s office that culled together the 10 highest paid employees per cabinet-level office found department commissioners in most cases make tens of thousands of dollars less than the base pay of deputy commissioners and assistants whose pay is approved by the governor’s office.
Commissioners’ pay varies from agency to agency, generally ranging from $109,000 to $136,000, and is set by state law.
Cuomo, who has deployed cabinet members to travel the state as boosters for his budget and legislative agenda, has said on a handful of occasions that the pay has impacted his ability to recruit.
Still, raising commissioners’ pay comes at a politically difficult time. Lawmakers have grumbled about not receiving a pay raise for a decade. A debate over increasing wages for the working poor has accelerated in the past week. And recently approved state labor contracts have frozen the pay for thousands of public employees for several years.
“The pay raises for legislators are one issue,” the governor said at a cabinet meeting in January. “Another issue is pay raises for state employees, state commissioners, etc. I understand the financial circumstances are difficult, I negotiated the contracts with our workforce so I know how difficult they are. But it is an issue we’ll have to deal with sooner or later because we do want talented people to come in to state service as commissioners and high ranking heads of very complex organizations.”
At the Department of Environmental Conservation, for example, Commissioner Joe Martens is charged with the complicated task of reviewing reams of data that would regulate the natural-gas extraction process of high-volume hydrofracking and explaining the issue to the public and press. But in 2011, his salary didn’t even break into the top 10 highest paid employees at the DEC, who all made more than $140,000.
The same goes for Commissioner Courtney Burke, who as the leader of the People with Developmental Disabilities, whose agency is overhauling its requirements for reporting abuse is paid less than the First Deputy Commissioner Max Chmura, the highest paid employee at the department. He made $165,864 in 2011.
Update: Chmura was fired last year and no longer works at the agency. The first deputy is now Jim Moran.
In an instance first pointed out by Gannett earlier this month, the governor appointed former Monroe County DA Michael Green as the first deputy executive commissioner for the Division of Criminal Justice Services with an expected salary of $146,946, which is more than the $127,000 a Senate-approved commissioner would earn.
The top job at DCJS remains unfilled, but the division’s website puts Green’s photo next to that of the governor, a spot usually reserved for department chiefs.
Assemblyman Peter Rivera, D-Bronx, will vacate his seat as deputy speaker — where his lulu allows him to earn $104,500 — for pay increase to $127,000 as the commissioner of the Department of Labor. But he will be paid less than those with the title of either deputy commissioner or assistant commissioner.
The highest paid employee at the Department of Labor in 2011 was lawyer Maria Colavito, who earned $143,710, according to the payroll data.
Cuomo has dipped in to the Legislature, a body that hasn’t seen a pay increase since 1999, for several of his cabinet officials, including Darrel Aubertine at Agriculture and Markets, Darryl Towns at Housing and Community Renewal and RoAnn Destito at the Office of General Service.
There is quiet talk at the Capitol of raising legislator’s pay sometime after the November general election, though both Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos both deny there has been any discussion about a salary bump.
Still, both Silver and Skelos say their members deserve pay raises even if the current political climate and fiscal austerity would make it difficult to do.
The average New Yorker earns $52,300, according to labor statistics.
New York Top-Rated Seller On eBay
Apr 13th - 2:52 pm
Oh, to achieve one of those gold stars.
New York’s surplus fire sale on the online auction house eBay garnered the state a cool $1.6 million for 454 state vehicles for sale on eBay, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced this afternoon.
But New York also got a feedback rating of 99.6 percent for what buyers said was good customer service and predominantly cheap prices for the used items.
From someone who bought an item labeled “office machines”: “Very smooth and easy transaction – I look forward to doing business again”
From someone who bought photography equipment: “great to work with, will buy from again.. thankyou…..”
From a buyer who purchased a John Deere tractor: “all good”
There were some negative comments, however, including one from a person who bought tables: “Pictures and measurements were deceiving. Phone calls not returned.”
Ratings on eBay are important, given that they provide credibility to the online sellers.
Cuomo’s office announced today that more than 15,000 bids on state vehicles alone had been made to the auction site, NYSSTORE.
“By selling unneeded equipment and supplies, New York State continues to reduce its operating costs and generate millions in new revenue for the state without raising taxes,” Governor Cuomo said. “This initiative is a just one part of our work to overhaul government operations and make the state work more efficiently for the taxpayer.”
There’s still time to purchase more items on the state’s auction site, including this, uh, interesting-looking hot tub that may or may not have been from the Spitzer-Paterson era. Only $10!
The Canestrari Reaction (Updated)
Apr 10th - 2:36 pm
Assemblyman Joe Morelle, whose cell phone is most certainly ringing non-stop today, was one of the first out of the gate with his statement praising retiring Assembly Majority Leader Ron Canestari.
“Ron Canestrari has served New Yorkers for more than 40 years with great distinction and rare integrity. Whether as an Army veteran, mayor or Assembly majority leader, his devotion to duty has never wavered, and he has always approached those duties with a kind and generous spirit. I am honored to have called him both colleague and friend, and I wish him all the best in the future.”
Morelle, D-Irondequoit, quickly came to the surface as a possible successor to Canestrari as Speaker Sheldon Silver’s floor leader, a job that comes with a $34,500 stipend.
Morelle, the Monroe County Democratic chairman, is also a longtime ally of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, supporting him during his failed 2002 gubernatorial bid. The lawmaker was initially rumored to be line for a job in the administration, but so far has kept his seat in the Assembly.
There are a few considerations with Morelle’s appointment. While the majority leader is typically from the upstate region, Silver has been cautious to appoint ambitious members following the failed Michael Bragman coup.
Morelle’s youth could lead some to believe Silver is lining up a successor (to be sure, Silver says he’s not retiring any time soon). There’s also concerted pressure for Silver to appoint a black or Latino member to the leadership position in the wake of Assemblyman Peter Rivera’s pending departure as speaker pro tempore.
Canestrari earlier today did not indicate his preference for a successor.
Silver himself in a statement said the Cohoes Democrat has made “innumerable contributions to state government.”
Having served in state and local government for more than three decades, Majority Leader Ron Canestrari has dedicated his career to improving his community by helping those most in need. A true public servant in every sense, his innumerable contributions to state government are unmatched. Ron has been a great friend, trusted confidant and advisor, and I know I speak for the entire New York State Assembly when I say that he will be missed.
Albany County DA David Soares also released a statement:
“For nearly four decades, Ron Canestrari has been a dedicated and tireless public servant to not only the people of Cohoes as their mayor, but across Albany County and the State of New York as a member of the Assembly. As the dean of the Capital Region delegation and as majority leader, Ron has been committed to advocating on behalf our county and region within state government. I wish him the best of luck in his retirement.”
Updated: There’s more reaction!
From U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer:
“For almost 40 years, Ron Canestrari has served the people of the Capital District and our state with class, dedication and intelligence. From his beginnings as Mayor of his hometown of Cohoes, to his election as Majority Leader of the State Assembly, Ron’s focus has always been simply to help people. Whether it be cutting through bureaucratic red tape, or landing global companies for the region, the goal was the same. Those constituents, and those of us who call him a friend, will always be indebted to him for his service.”
From Republican Assemblyman Steve McLaughlin:
As a freshman assemblyman, it can be very challenging getting up and running your office in Albany. Even though we are on opposite sides of the aisle, Ron Canestrari has been nothing but supportive and helpful to me as I began my public service career. I had the honor of representing the City of Troy with Ron for the last two years. His advice and encouragement have been invaluable. I thank him and wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavors.
Canestrari Reflects On ‘Herding A Group Of Cattle’
Apr 10th - 12:31 pm
As expected, Assembly Majority Leader Ron Canestrari announced his retirement this morning at a news conference that reflected on not only his time as a long-serving member of the chamber, but also his five-year stint as a high-ranking Democrat under Speaker Sheldon Silver.
Canestrari, D-Cohoes, said the job was like “hearding a group of cattle” though I think he meant to say it was more like “herding cats” given that he thinks most lawmakers strive for independence in a chamber that is tightly controlled by the powerful Silver.
“It’s critically important to make sure the floor runs efficiently,” Canestrari said. “I’ve tried to bring the house in that direction and I think to a large extent with Repuiblcan cooperation we’ve acheived that goal. It’s herding a group of cattle, which can be difficult during the budget and the end of session because these are all distinctly and individually elected. But there comes a time as majority leader we decide on a position and it’s my job to make sure the votes are there and the debate is conducted in a manner that reflects well on the house.”
Canestrari took over the job as majority leader in 2007 follownig the retirement of Paul Tokasz, a Buffalo lawmaker. Typically the job has fallen to an upstate resident to balance out the speakership being held by a New York City lawmaker.
Canestrari says he’s not picking sides in either who will replace him in the Assembly or as majority leader. Speculation has fallen on Assemblyman Joe Morelle from the Rochester area as a possible successor, though there is already a concerted effort for a black or Hispanic lawmaker to take the post.
“Obviously I would not get involved in that either,” he said. “There are a number of people that I’m sure who are interested and can do the job very well. That’s obviously up to the speaker, but the institution will survive.”
Canestrari said Silver’s reaction to the retirement was, well, much like a reaction you would expect from the taciturn speaker.
“I think he said, ‘I hear ya.’ He was, you know, I can’t speak for him but certainly we have a great relationship and he would have liked me to stay for sure,” Canestrari said.
Canestrari’s announcement makes him the third Capital Region lawmaker to retire in the last year, including Jack McEneny and Bob Reilly.
“I think the clock’s ticking,” Canestrari said.
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