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School Budget Spin
May 19th - 12:12 pm
The unusually high percentage of school budgets that passed yesterday in spite of dire predictions by everyone from Gov. David Paterson on down has become fodder for the teachers union and its allies in the fight to restore $1.4 billion worth of education cuts proposed by the governor.
NYSUT’s Dick Iannuzzi said the predicted 92 percent pass rate is a clear indication that New Yorkers support investing in the public school system in spite of the tough economic times.
“It’s wrong for local taxpayers to have to increasingly shoulder the responsibility that rests with the state,” Iannuzzi said in a press release.
“It is clear that voters want quality public schools, and state can and should reverse what would be devastating cuts to education.”
The Alliance for Quality Education’s Billy Easton echoed this sentiment, saying yesterday’s “overwhelmingly positive” outcome demonstrates residents are “demanding” that education be funded and “came to the defense” of local districts at a time when the governor and the Senate are trying to drastically roll back spending.
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Samuels Pushes Redistricting Envelope
May 19th - 8:58 am
As Democratic insiders speculate on who AG Andrew Cuomo will pick as his running mate, Bill Samuels is forging ahead with his LG run and keeping the heat on the Senate by calling for “immediate passage” of a bill to create an independent districting commission.
Samuels released a detailed proposal for taking the politics out of the redistricting politics last night at a forum where the topic was hotly debated by himself, attorney Richard Emery and NYC Civic founder Henry Stern, who also co-founded the reform group New York Uprising with former NYC Mayor Ed Koch.
The event also featured a screening of the film “Gerrymandering,” which recently debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival and includes an appearance by Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries.
Samuels’ ultimate goal is a constitutional amendment that would make redistricting reform permanent and not subject to the whims of the Legislature, which could amend at will any statute passed to change the system.
Emery agreed, calling the commission bill, sponsored by Sens. Dave Valesky and Craig Johnson “a promise that cannot deliver.”
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Spitzer Running? Not Running? Both? Neither?
May 18th - 6:34 pm
Former Gov. Eliot Spitzer, continuing on his image rehabilitation tour, has been all over the map of late when it comes to the “will you run again” question.
After insisting to WPIX less than a week ago that he doesn’t have any thoughts about running for political office right now, and adding “it’s not what I’m doing,” Spitzer today told NY1′s Roma Torre:
“Am I ruling it out? No. I’ve made it very clear that I’m not ruling it out. But also I’m not saying to anybody that I’m running in 2010, I’m running in 2012. This is not some predestined course by any stretch of the imagination.”
In the interview, which will air on “Inside City Hall” at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m., Spitzer also admitted yet again that he pines for the days when he was in charge, saying:
“I wish desperately that I were there fighting on the issues I care deeply about. I won’t get to the litany of those issues. We will talk about them later, no doubt. But do you miss it? Of course.”
Skelos Answers The Question
May 18th - 3:56 pm
When pressed by Gov. David Paterson today on why they won’t simply vote the executive budget up or down and call it a day, Senate Minority Leader Dean Skelos replied he considered the question moot, since the Democrats who control the Legislature won’t bring the plan to the floor in the first place.
During an interview this afternoon with me that will air on “Capital Tonight” at 8 p.m. and 11:30 p.m., Skelos provided the answer, which is, unsurprisingly, “no.”
Also on tonight’s show: State Conservative Party Chairman Mike Long, who will discuss his decision to hold his convention before the Republicans gather to nominate their slate, and the Insiders (Bob Bellafiore and Bruce Gyory).
Here’s my exchange with Skelos:
LIZ B: “But Senator, let’s say for argument sake, tomorrow, or later this afternoon, the Governor’s budget came to the floor by some miracle. Could your conference vote for it? Would your conference vote for it?”
SKELOS: “The way it is now. The answer is no.”
LIZ B: “Then why didn’t you just say so in the red room today?”
SKELOS: “The answer is: The Democrats are not going to bring it to the floor that way and there is supposed to be legislative input. Are cuts in education being treated fairly throughout the state? We know this is going to be a difficult budget.”
“We know there is going to be cuts in terms of health care and education. But there has to be regional balance. But right now, all this is being driven by three Democrats from New York City.”
Schneiderman In A Bind?
May 18th - 3:07 pm
A spokesman for the Senate Democrats informed YNN’s Kaitlyn Ross all 32 members of the majority conference will be heeding Gov. David Paterson’s call to remain in Albany for five days next week in hopes of finally getting a budget deal.
Ross reports the spokesman, Austin Shafran, was quite emphatic in his use of the word “all,” which would include Sen. Eric Schneiderman, the one member of the conference who has some serious skin in the convention game.
Schneiderman is one of five Democrats vying for the office AG Andrew Cuomo is expected to vacate to run for governor this fall. He’s not the only state lawmaker in the field. Assembly Richard Brodsky is running, too.
Both lawmakers would be forced to be in Albany for five days next week if Paterson makes good on his pledge to call special sessions on Thursday and Friday – convention or no convention. (The governor walked that threat back a bit after this morning’s Red Room leaders meeting).
So far, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver hasn’t said whether he will be keeping his members in Albany next week.
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Levy Rejects Line He Can’t Recall Accepting
May 18th - 1:53 pm
Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy today sought to curry favor with conservatives (not to mention the DN and Post editorial pages) by issuing a statement from his campaign spokesman announcing he won’t be seeking the Working Families Party line this year, and doesn’t think AG Andrew Cuomo – or anyone else for that matter – should, either.
“In Suffolk County, the Working Families Party may have stood for some sound policies at one time, but as a whole, over the last few years, the Party’s agenda has morphed into a radical, left-wing platform,” Levy spokesman Josh Hills said.
“Today, the Party has become a voice for higher taxes and job-killing policies that will bloat the public workforce and increase the role of government regardless of the consequences, at a time when we need fiscal constraint,” Hills continued.
Steve will continue to work closely with the hard-working men and women of our trades who helped build our infrastructure, but will resist the call of this party’s leadership to solve all of our problems with higher taxes and more spending.”
“Neither Andrew Cuomo nor any candidate should accept the Working Families endorsement because their platform would hamper the next governor’s ability to get the state’s fiscal house in order.”
Hills started out his statement by admitting Levy “has in the past” run with the labor-backed WFP’s support – a fact the county executive himself sought not just to downplay, but completely eradicate from the record, during an interview in March with WNYC’s Brian Lehrer.
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Conventions? Think Again (Updated)
May 18th - 12:46 pm
Gov. David Paterson just threw a potential wrench into the convention plans for both the Democrats and the Republicans, pledging to call special sessions that would force them to remain in Albany if they don’t get a budget done before then.
After declining to call five-way public leaders meetings for more than two months, Paterson has now called one for two weeks in a row, informing lawmaker at today’s (fruitless) get-together that there will be a repeat performance next Tuesday, May 25.
That’s the first scheduled day of the Democrats’ convention in Rye, at which the entire statewide ticket, including presumptive gubernatorial nominee, AG Andrew Cuomo, is to be selected.
Tuesday is already a session day. Ditto for Wednesday (Day 2 of the convention). Paterson said he plans to be in Albany for five days next week and will call special sessions for Thursday and Friday to make sure lawmakers are there, too.
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Arcuri’s ‘Exciting’ Campaign Announcement (Updated)
May 17th - 4:22 pm
…is probably that he’s decided to seek re-election in NY-24 if the sign adorning the podium at Utica’s Boehlert Transportation Center is any indication.
YNN’s Sarah Hagen sent this photo and reports the Democratic congressman’s press conference is getting underway. She’ll be updating us with more. (Nice touch that he is holding this event at site named for his predecessor, former Rep. Sherwood Boehlert, a moderate Republican who retired in 2006).
Arcuri sent out an alert this morning that he would be joined by family members, friends and supporters to make an “exciting campaign announcement” this afternoon. This comes on the heels on WaPo reporter Chris Cillizza’s inclusion of NY-24 as one of the 30 House seats he expects to flip this fall.
There has been considerable speculation that Arcuri, who had a tough re-election in 2008 and faces a re-match from Republican Richard Hanna this year, might not be up to the task – particularly given his lackluster fundraising and the WFP/1199 threat to primary him in retaliation for his “no” vote on health care reform.
In recent weeks, Arcuri has steadfastly refused to reveal whether he planned to run. I haven’t heard a formal “yes” or “no” yet from Les Roberts, who talked to the WFP about a possible primary challenge.
UPDATE: Arcuri has made it official. He is seeking re-election to a 3rd term.
Morahan Out (Updated)
May 17th - 3:20 pm
In a move that comes as no surprise, ailing veteran GOP Sen. Tom Morahan officially announced today that he will not seek re-election this fall.
Morahan has been battling Leukemia, which has forced him to miss a fair number of session days in Albany. The senator has been in office for over a decade. He has been known for his outspokeness and his independent streak.
(Recall that he is one of two Republicans – along with Sen. George Maziarz – who agreed to Democratic Conference Leader John Sampson’s offer to cross the aisle and chair committees).
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Leaders To Meet?
May 17th - 2:51 pm
A Paterson administration source confirms the governor has reached out to the legislative leaders and asked them to attend a five-way Red Room meeting tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. to discuss the ongoing budget stalemate.
So far, only the Senate Democrats have responded in the affirmative.
This would be the first public leaders meeting since early March. That get-together came before the April 1 budget deadline and was more about optics than anything else, as the governor was smack in the middle of the David Johnson domestic violence scandal and trying to prove he was still able to lead.
Since then, relations have deteriorated significantly between several of the leaders – particularly the Democrats, who are ostensibly in charge of things at the Capitol.
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