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Sheldon Silver
Silver Only ‘Minor’ Tweaks Needed On Tax Cap
May 18th - 4:04 pm
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver told me during a CapTon interview that will air this evening that he believes only a few “minor details” have to be changed in Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s tax cap bill, and he is not “necessarily” wedded to the idea of exempting pension costs.
Silver said he found Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos’ sudden willingness to negotiate on the tax cap “very encouraging because I think that there are a few minor details that have to be changed in that tax cap.”
The speaker continued to be nebulous about when, exactly, he might introduce his own version of the tax cap bill, and also did not specifically address what might be exempted from the cap. He did, however, say there should “not be exemptions on pensions, per se.”
“There should be exemptions on things that are, you know, surprises, in effect, to the districts,” the speaker said. “Things that grow out of proportion. Not because of things they did or prior commitments that have been made. And, you know, a few things like that, and that’s it.”
The speaker confirmed in a Buffalo News interview that his house is pushing for the cap to sunset. Although he refused to be nailed down on a specific time frame, he did say it should last longer than three years.
Silver: Cuomo Should Bash Senate, Not Assembly
May 18th - 11:06 am
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said in an interview on Talk 1300-AM this morning that Gov. Andrew Cuomo should be training his criticism on the Senate, not the Legislature as a whole, calling the broad-bush anti-lawmaker approach the governor had adopted in his “People First” tour inappropriate.
“The only problem I have with the governor is when he goes around the state he talks about the Legislature when he should talk about the Senate,” Silver told The Post’s Fred Dicker.
Cuomo is traveling the state promoting his big three agenda items for the rest of the year: The 2 percent tax cap, ethics overhaul and same-sex marriage.
The governor has stepped up his criticism of the Legislature, saying both the Assembly and Senate have been too beholden to special interests, while also stressing that he’s not singling out any one lawmaker in particular. (He even went so far as to say that “many” legislators are actually “good people”).
Silver said in the interview that the criticism of the Assembly is unfair because he continues to be “in virtual agreement” with Cuomo on ethics reform, which will likely be include the requirement that lawmakers reveal the sources of their outside income.
“To go out and say we are not there, we the Assembly are not there,” Silver said. “I don’t think it’s appropriate. He should make that distinction.”
Silver again said his clients at personal-injury firm Weitz and Luxenberg have no business before the state.
On the tax cap, Silver suggested Cuomo should be also taking about the plan to extend and expand rent control and rent regulations for New York City during his statewide tour (the governor is in Lake Placid today).
The governor did release a video on Tuesday saying the issue needs to be dealt with soon or warned a crisis would be created.
“Both of those issues are the same issues: it’s about keeping people in their homes,” Silver said of the tax cap and rent control.
(There’s that allusion to linkage again…just sayin’).
Morelle: Gay Marriage ‘More Challenging’ In Assembly This Year
May 17th - 2:26 pm
ICYMI: Assemblyman Joe Morelle told me on CapTon last night that passing the same-sex marriage bill in his house will be “more challenging” this year due to vacancies and gains by the Republican minority in the 2010 elections, although he does believe the measure will ultimately pass a fourth time in the Democrat-dominated chamber.
I think it’s more challenging because of that,” the Monroe County Democrat said. “There are some vacant seats, and we’ve had some shift. But I believe it will pass our house, and it won’t pass – probably – by the margin it has in previous years. But I think it will pass. And then the question is whether the state Senate has enough votes for it. I think they’re getting closer.”
Morelle, a longtime ally of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, said the gay marriage push is “gaining currency” with voters and should be brought up for a vote because it is a “conscience issue.” He also rejected suggestions that the governor will see success on only two of his top three post-budget policy agenda items – at most – but won’t get hit a trifecta.
Jimmy Vielkind is reporting on CapCon that Assemblyman Danny O’Donnell is moving forward with his gay marriage bill, which he introduced in the absence of a program bill from Cuomo. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver has indicated he’ll move forward on the bill, not heeding Cuomo’s timetable.
That’s an about-face for the speaker, who told me in March that he would prefer to “wait and see” what happens in the Senate before putting the bill back up for a vote in his house.
Cuomo: ‘Extend And Strengthen’ Rent Laws
May 17th - 9:41 am
Gov. Andrew Cuomo this morning released his third policy-oriented Web video, this time urging the Legislature to “extend and strengthen” the rent laws, which are set to expire next month.
“There’s no doubt that affordable housing is the building block of strong communities and a strong economy. But for too many New Yorkers, affordable housing is just out of reach,” Cuomo says in the video. “In New York, more than 1 million people are protected by New York’s rent regulation program.”
“However, this program is set to expire June 15, less than 5 weeks from now. That would be a crisis for our state. In fact, what we need to extend and strengthen our rent regulation laws, and we need to do it now.”
The rent laws, which are a top priority for the downstate-dominated, Democrat-controlled Assembly, are not one of Cuomo’s top three post-budget policy priorities outlined in his “People First” tour (next stop for the governor: Lake Placid). As has been reported ad nauseam at this point, that trio includes: Ethics reform, legalization of gay marriage and the property tax cap.
This stance puts Cuomo at odds with the Senate Republicans, who are allied with the landlords – particularly REBNY, which is split with the governor on this issue, in spite of its membership in the pro-Cuomo Committee to Save NY – and appear willing to renew the rent laws, but not strengthen them.
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver has been arguing that the tax cap and rent laws are philosophically the same – both prevent people from getting priced out of their homes. But so far, a trade does not appear to be in the offing.
So far, Cuomo has released videos on the tax cap (his first) and ethics reform, but not gay marriage.
The script of Cuomo’s latest video appears in full after the jump.
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Silver On Cuomo’s Tour: ‘We’re Here’
May 16th - 1:22 pm
Asked by reporters today to gauge the effect of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s statewide tour on the Big 3 Issues, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said it was “irrelevant.”
“It’s irrelevant. As far as I’m concerned, I’m here, we’re governing and that’s the important thing,” Silver said.
Spokesman Michael Whyland later clarified to say Silver meant it was irrelevant as to whether the governor was in Albany, meaning the work of state government will grind on.
Silver did say over the weekend that his members would “rather cut deals than listen to speeches.”
Cuomo was in Nassau County today to push for his major agenda items with now six weeks to go before the Legislature wraps up their official business in June. Cuomo wants a 2 percent cap on property taxes, an ethics overhaul and the legalization of gay marriage.
There is increasing daylight between the Legislature and the governor — with Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos telling Liz last week that he sees shades of Eliot Spitzer in Cuomo’s behavior. Lt. Gov. Bob Duffy said earlier today that comparing Cuomo to Spitzer was an “overreaction.”
Cuomo On Ethics Reform: ‘No More Secrets’
May 11th - 9:30 am
Gov. Andrew Cuomo has released his second video message to New Yorkers in as many days, this time focusing on the second plant of his trio of top post-budget policy items: Ethics reform.
“To clean up the government and restore trust we need to pass a new ethics law that mandates transparency and full disclosure,” Cuomo says. “No more secrets. People need to see their government in the light of a new day if they are going to trust once again.”
“We also need a real independent monitor, because the legislature’s so called, “self policing”, obviously, hasn’t worked. Our state legislature is by our constitution a part time legislature. Meaning they have other jobs and occupations. That’s the law. But the question is whether there is a conflict of interest with their other jobs and clients and that we can only know if they will disclose who they are.”
“I wear a pin that says ‘I work for the people’. The question is, who do your legislators work for? You have a right to know.”
This comes on the heels of yesterday’s video, which focused on the property tax cap. It also follows Cuomo’s first stop on his statewide “People First” tour in Onondaga County, where he delivered a scathing rebuke of the Legislature, returning to his campaign-style reform rhetoric.
The response to Cuomo’s attacks from legislative leaders was decidedly cool.
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said: “I like results rather than rhetoric. I like practical governing rather than politics. Period.” Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos retorted: “I don’t think it’s appropriate to threaten the Legislature.”
The governor isn’t scheduled to deliver any speeches today, although members of his cabinet are acting as surrogates for him at several locations around the state. EFC President and CEO Matthew Driscoll is in Baldwinsvile (12:15 p.m.), ESDC President and CEO Kenneth Adams, who addressed the Albany-Colonie Chamber of Commerce yesterday, is in Rochester today (12:30 p.m.), and HCR Commissioner Darryl Towns will be in Chemung County (2 p.m.)
Also on tap: LG Bob Duffy, who spoke on Cuomo’s behalf to gay marriage advocates Monday, will be on the radio with Fred Dicker at 10:30 a.m. (That will be streaming live here).
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Cuomo Accuses Senate GOP Of ‘Albany-Speak’
May 10th - 3:15 pm
The Senate Republicans cast themselves as Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s best ally during the budget battle, but some daylight has emerged between the majority and the Democratic executive since then on several key issues, including the property tax cap.
Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos has said he doesn’t want to negotiate any changes to the 2 percent cap Cuomo proposed, saying anything less than the gubernatorial program bill passed by the Senate early on in the session would be too watered down to be effective.
This has led some to question whether the Senate GOP actually wants a property tax cap to pass, or if the Republicans prefer having the issue remain live into the 2012 election cycle so they can continue to beat the Democrats over the head with it (even though 13 Democrats voted “yes” on Cuomo’s bill).
Earlier today, Skelos praised Cuomo (again) for included the tax cap in his “People First” tour agenda and called on the governor to use his “bully pulpit” to get the Assembly Democrats to come on board.
Cuomo, who last week rejected (through a spokesman) the idea of a cap bill with additional exemptions that Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver indicated he’ll be introducing, indicated today that he’s not buying the Senate Republicans’ claim that they’ve done all they can as far as the cap is concerned.
“Well that is obviously not accurate, right? That’s Albany speak,” Cuomo said today during his post-speech Q&A with reporters in Syracuse.
“I passed a bill, the other person did not pass a bill. The Senate, the Assembly. When the people of the State of New York have a property tax cap, then they will have done their job, right? There is no interim measures. If the tax cap passes and people have tax relief then government will have done its job. If the tax cap doesn’t pass, government will have failed. It’s that simple. It’s binary.”
“…You don’t get an A for effort. It’s not about effort. Either they successfully pass the tax cap or they don’t. It’s that simple.”
Silver To Introduce His Own Tax Cap
May 3rd - 4:45 pm
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said today he plans to introduce his own property tax cap measure that includes a 2 percent ceiling on local levies, but will have some unspecified exemptions.
“You’ll see when we introduce it,” Silver said of the changes.
Silver, D-Manhattan, said he had spoken about his new separate measure with Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
“He didn’t say he was in favor of it, but obviously like you he’d like to see it,” Silver said.
The Republican-led Senate already approved Cuomo’s 2 percent cap on local and school property taxes. But the measure faces a significantly tougher climb in the Democratic-controlled Assembly.
Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, R-Nassau County, has said he doesn’t want the bill watered down to the point of being irrelevant.
The governor has said in recent weeks, including today, that he expects to negotiate a compromise bill on the tax cap.
Skelos Still Hammering Assembly On Prop Tax Cap
May 3rd - 11:32 am
Lawmakers may have been away from Albany for the past two weeks, but the talking points haven’t changed.
Appearing on WCNY’s The Capitol Press Room with Susan Arbetter, Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos continued his calls for the Assembly to vote on the hard 2% property tax cap that the Governor proposed and the Senate has already passed – just like he did on the final week before the legislature adjourned back on April 13th.
Skelos stood firm on his belief that there didn’t need to be negotiations over the cap. Repeating his phrase that negotiating would lead to a watered down bill. He also insisted that the hard 2% cap would pass in the Assembly if they brought it up for a vote.
The Senate Majority Leader also called on the Governor to use his negotiating skills to convince Speaker Silver to bring the bill to the floor.
“What is important is that he gets the Speaker and his conference to put it out for a vote. There are 51 Republicans I know would vote for it, so we only need 25 or so Democrats to support it. I am sure it would pass. I would urge the Governor and Speaker to get it done.”
At the end of the interview, Skelos was also asked about same sex marriage. He says he expects to meet with his conference on the issue in the next couple of weeks, and let them decide which way they want to go on the issue.
Conservatives: Assembly Holding Up Tax Cap
May 2nd - 4:25 pm
The Conservative Party is charging this afternoon that the Democratic-led Assembly is stalling on the property tax cap.
“Passage of that budget was a good first step in their efforts to ensure Albany is accountable to taxpayers,” said Conservative Party Chairman Mike Long. “It’s time for the Assembly to take the next logical step and join the Senate and Governor in enacting a real property tax cap for New York. Homeowners have waited long enough.”
The statement comes after Senate Republicans have tried to beat back rumors they don’t truly want a cap on local property taxes because of concerns over mandate relief. The Senate approved Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s 2 percent cap on property taxes, but the Assembly has not.
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, D-Manhattan, whose large Democratic conference includes legislators friendly to the state teacher’s union and New York City residents, has said he would be in favor of a cap, but with some exemptions.
Cuomo said after his speech at the Democratic Rural Conference Friday in Schenectady that he hopes to find an agreement on the cap.
Here’s the full Long statement: More >
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