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Cuomo Hits Lawmakers Where They Live (Updated)
Jul 15th - 3:05 pm
During stop No. 1 on his upstate RV tour, AG Andrew Cuomo encouraged supporters to pressure state lawmakers to sign his five-point reform pledge or suffer the consequences at the ballot box this fall.
“Stop playing politics as usual, and you put your own personal and party politics aside,” Cuomo said at about the 7:26 mark in the video that appears below (shot by a reader who was in the audience).
“We’re going to build a citizen coalition and those politicians in Albany will listen or they will no longer be politicans in Albany.”
This is reminiscent of when former Gov. Eliot Spitzer took to the hustings to decry rank-and-file lawmakers for supporting their colleague, then-Assemblyman Tom DiNapoli, to replace disgraced ex-Comptroller Alan Hevesi in the wake of Chauffeurgate.
At the time, Spitzer said DiNapoli wasn’t qualified for the post and accused legislators of blindly following legislative leaders – namely Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, a big DiNapoli backer.
Cuomo, the Democratic gubernatorial designee was at Rockland County Community College in Suffern, which I think is located in districts represented by the late Sen. Tom Morahan and Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee.
(A little jarring that he chose to kick off his first-ever campaign tour in Morahan’s district when the senator is being waked not five miles away. No word on whether Cuomo is going to take time off the RV trail to pay his respects to Morahan, who died Monday after losing a battle with leukemia).
UPDATE: A Cuomo aide tells me the AG attended Morahan’s wake today and also started his event with a moment of silence in honor of the late lawmaker. He also cited Morahan as an example of someone in the Legislature worthy of praise during a post-event Q&A with reporters.
Siena: NYers School Legislature, Gov On Budget
Jul 15th - 9:33 am
Today’s Siena poll finds nearly half of New Yorkers give the Legislature a failing grade on the still-incomplete state budget. Gov. David Paterson doesn’t fare much better, although voters support his veto of lawmakers’ member item cash.
Forty-seven percent of those polled gave state legislators an “F” for their budget performance this year. The Senate has yet to pass the revenue bill that will complete the 2010-2011 spending plan.
Twenty-seven percent gave an “F” to Paterson, while 24 percent award him a “D” and 27 percent thought he had turned out work worthy of a “C” during the budget negotiations.
“If your children came home from college with a grade point average of less than 1.0 you might think about not paying for them to go back to school the next semester,” said Siena pollster Steve Greenberg.
“Will voters return legislators to Albany this November after flunking them for their most important job? It’s going to be a fascinating election to watch.”
“When it comes to Governor Paterson, voters give him passing grades, although they’re certainly not welcoming him into any honor societies. His GPA of 1.4 is nothing to write home about, but it’s far better than how voters view the Legislature.”
Forty-nine percent of voters supporter Paterson’s decision to axe almot $200 million reappropriated member item spending from the budget, but a majority of New Yorkers statewide – 58-38 – opposed his veto of the $600 million in additional education spending added by the Legislature in its two-way deal.
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Brodsky Recalls Steinbrenner, Fondly
Jul 13th - 4:17 pm
AG hopeful/Assemblyman Richard Brodsky, who rather memorably clashed with the Yankees over the tax breaks the team received for its new stadium, just released the following statement in response to the death of George Steinbrenner:
“George Steinbrenner’s public achievements were many, and his passing is a moment to acknowledge those achievements. His drive and energy created part of the permanent and indestructible skyline of the greatest city in the world.”
“He was a husband, father, grandfather and I’m sure all New Yorkers pause to offer condolences to the Steinbrenner family, as do I. Whatever may divide New Yorkers in the push and pull of public life we all share a commitment to bettering our community, and his passing is a reminder of how united we all really are.”
Stachowski: I Haven’t Forgotten About UB 2020
Jul 8th - 4:27 pm
Sen. Bill Stachowski, who gained notoriety by holding up the final piece of the budget last week, reiterated to his constituents today that there won’t be a deal without some type of compromise on the SUNY empowerment plan.
“As the Legislature looks to return to Albany in the coming days to finalize the remaining piece of the state budget, I wish to inform residents in the 58th Senate District that I will unreservedly continue my fight for the inclusion of UB 2020 Flexibility and Economic Growth Act in our final negotiations,” Stachowski said in a statement.
A Stachowski spokesman said it’s unclear if any progress has been made on this front since the Senate recessed for the 4th of the July holiday.
So, barring any backroom deals between now and when legislators grace us with their presence at the Capitol, negotiations will likely pick up right where they left off on July 1st.
Austin Shafran, spokesman for the Senate Democrats and their conference leader, John Sampson, said negotiations are ongoing even though legislators aren’t in town.
Senator Sampson is still working to resolve the outstanding budget issues, specifically an FMAP extension and higher education reform and plans to reconvene session once these final issues have been fairly addressed,” said Shafran.
Assemblyman Rivera Channels ET
Jul 2nd - 1:42 pm
Words fail me.
H/T to CapTon’s Jimmy Vielkind, who writes: “Note the perfectly timed Shelly cameo.”
It’s also ironic that Assemblyman Peter Rivera is sitting in for the speaker on the dais and tries – in vain – to curb the rant being delivered on the floor by Assemblyman Jose Rivera.
The two men are both Bronx Democrats and are longtime allies, although they’re not related.
‘We Won’t Be Back Until There’s A (SUNY) Deal’
Jul 1st - 12:51 pm
I ran into Sen. Antoine Thompson a little while ago outside the Assembly chamber, where he had come to lobby some of his colleagues on the other side of the Capitol in hopes of changing some minds on the SUNY empowerment plan, particularly as it pertains to UB2020.
Thompson, a Buffalo Democrat, told me in no uncertain terms that he’s not going to leave his colleague, Sen. Bill Stachowski, “out to dry like that” when it comes to balking on the revenue bill, which leaves at least two solid “no” votes until the Assembly decides to deal on this issue.
“Folks in the Senate are going to go home and won’t be back until there’s a deal.” Thompson said. “We gotta get UB done…we gotta come home with that bill…I gotta come twist a couple arms.”
Thompson is hoping for an agreement on a stand-alone bill that would allow the empowerment plan to be put in place on a pilot basis at at least two schools – UB and SUNY Stony Brook (that’s for Sen. Brian Foley, who faces a tough re-election fight this fall) – and possibly UAlbany, too, (that would be for Sen. Neil Breslin).
Sticking points include concern that enabling SUNY schools to control their own tuition increases would price out low-income students, especially if there increases aren’t TAP reimbursable. Thompson said he thinks this issue has been worked out, but there are also some problems remaining with CSEA, UUP and PEF.
Paterson Stops Talking (For Now), Starts Vetoing
Jul 1st - 10:46 am
Gov. David Paterson told reporters this morning he is through talking with the Legislature and plans to stick to his plan to veto some 6,900 lines representing just over $500 million worth of spending the two houses restored to his budget, but also seemed to leave the door open for future negotiations.
“I’m not talking to them ever!” the governor insisted, but when pressed on whether he might stop vetoing or not send the vetoes he does sign to the Legislature (they must be delivered to take effect, and so far have not been sent), he added:
“My point is that they sent me a message they sent that budget hat was out of balance and didn’t even address the Medicaid issue. Now the Senate seems to have come to a different point of view and I appreciate that very much. I’m not talking. If they bring me something, then that’s different.”
After initially saying he would let his members go home for a long holiday weekend, Senate Democratic Conference Leader John Sampson abruptly reversed course last night after meeting with Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, saying he would remain in Albany in hopes of getting an FMAP and SUNY empowerment deal.
(The Senate is just getting into session now; it was scheduled to start at 10 a.m.).
Paterson insisted the fact that he has not yet sent any vetoes to the Legislature is not “some sort of a ploy for negotiations,” saying he would not “sit here and kill myself” trying to sign all 6,900 just to make a statement. But his messages were mixed on this point.
When first pressed by DN Capitol Bureau Chief Ken Lovett whether he would still send the vetoes to the Legislature if the two houses agree on an FMAP and SUNY empowerment deal, Paterson paused for a long moment and then replied: “Next question.”
Senate Approves Its Own Pay Bill
Jun 30th - 4:46 pm
While they can’t scrape together sufficient votes to pass the revenue portion of the budget, the Senate Democrats had no trouble passing the bill that authorizes legislators and members of the judiciary to be paid.
The bill, which is the last remaining piece of the budget aside from the revenue bill, which won’t be live until just after midnight, passed along party lines: 32-29.
The lawmakers won’t get paid until the budget is officially done, and haven’t been receiving their paychecks (although they have been collecting per diems) since they blew the April 1 deadline.
The Assembly hasn’t passed any budget bills today, and will take them all up tomorrow, according to Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver’s press office.
The Senate Democrats’ press office stressed that the judiciary bill needed to be passed before midnight because the last extender didn’t include funding to keep that branch of government running.
The Legislature appropriated $219.94 million in FY 2010-11 for the Legislative Budget. This is a decrease of $1.92 million from FY 2009-2010.
Also approved was $2.656 billion to pay judges. This is a decrease of $53 million – 1.96 percent – from the proposed FY 2010-11 budget. This is an increase of $130.54 million – 5.17 percent over – FY 2009-10 levels.
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Diaz Sr., Defender Of Gay Rights?
Jun 29th - 5:03 pm
Here’s Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr. explaining to Erin Billups, of NY1, why he so vehemently opposed language in the revenue bill that recognized same-sex marriages performed outside the state in New York tax law.
It’s not what you think.
“It is insulting for the gay community,” the Bronx Democrat insisted. “It is insulting for us to tell them: We don’t recognize your marriage, we don’t want you to get married, we reject your marriage… but pay taxes.”
“It’s insulting. So why would I say: I don’t want you to get married, but as a married couple pay taxes. That’s hypocrisy. Pure hypocrisy…They cannot get married, they should not be paying taxes together.”
The same-sex marriage language appeared in Gov. David Paterson’s original budget proposal and the Assembly’s one-house budget resolution, but not the Senate’s.
It was removed from the two-way budget deal revenue bill that we now expect will come up for a vote very early Thursday morning (like, shortly after midnight), or, if saner heads prevail, sometime during the day.
Not long ago, I ran into Assemblyman Danny O’Donnell in the Senate hallway. He told me he has reintroduced an amended version of his bill, which is where this whole idea originated, to mirror the language in the governor’s budget.
The bill, which has no same-as in the Senate, won’t be live for passage until Friday. If it looks like the Legislature might leave town before then, O’Donnell said he will consider asking Paterson for a message of necessity.
Silver/Sampson Campaign Finance Bill
Jun 29th - 2:43 pm
The budget isn’t the only two-way agreement between Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Senate Democratic Conference Leader John Sampson.
The legislative leaders quietly introduced a campaign finance bill last night that is designed to strengthen enforcement at the state Board of Elections and also address the US Supreme Court’s January decision that overturned a 20-year-old ruling barring corporations from spending freely to support or oppose candidates.
The bill, known as the Campaign Finance Enforcement Act of 2010, has three main provisions:
- Requires the disclosure of independent expenditures, bringing them closer in line with standard campaign contributions.
That means outside spending of more than $1,000 by corporations or wealthy individuals who seek to influence elections – like, say, billionaire Mayor Bloomberg or Tom Golisano – must be disclosed.
- Requires any for-profit or non-profit corporation to obtain shareholder approval – at least once a year – prior to making politically-related expenditures and also requires that they file an accounting of that spending with the state Secretary of State.
- Makes it easier for the state Board of Elections enforcement counsel to launch an investigation, no longer requiring the commissioners, who are equally divided along party lines, to vote in order to launch a probe.
Instead, the commissioners could only vote to block an investigation, but also must still sign off on bringing charges on any campaign finance violators.
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