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Sheldon Silver
Silver Says Teacher Evaluation Plan ‘On Target’
Jan 17th - 4:43 pm
The ultimatum of linking teacher evaluations to $805 million in school aid as presented by Gov. Andrew Cuomo sits well with Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.
Silver, the Sphinx-like leader of the Democratic majority, usually plays his cards close to the vest on hot-button topics like this one.
But Silver was open to the idea in a post-budget address scrum.
“Well, I think it was on target,” he said. “It gives the incentive to both sides in the collective bargaining process to come to an agreement. The school districts and the unions should be concerned about the loss of funding. School districts from a funding perspective and unions that represent the teachers will lose jobs. I think as a result of that you will see a lot of agreements across the state and I think that’s fine.”
Silver’s support for the idea would be key in order for the budget to move forward and gain the support of the progressive wing of the Assembly Democrats.
As envisioned by Cuomo, the teacher evaluation plan is actually a two-phase proposal.
First, the state Education Department and the teachers unions must resolve a lawsuit over the evaluations or Cuomo will insert his own plan into the 30-day amendments (taking advantage of the broad powers the governor has over the budget in New York).
The word is that SED and the unions are not that far apart on resolving the suit, making this hurdle a possibly easy one to overcome.
In the second phase, school districts must implement the evaluation plans or stand to lose the money retroactively come Jan. 17, 2013.
“The equation is simple at the end of the day. No evaluation no money, period,” Cuomo said in the budget address. “If we are serious about education we really have no choice.”
Cuomo Signs Iran Divestment Act
Jan 13th - 4:19 pm
Governor Cuomo has signed the Iran Divestment Act that easily passed both the Assembly and Senate earlier this week after an agreement was reached between Speaker Sheldon Silver and Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos last year.
The bill takes effect in 90 days and will prohibit companies who invest with Iran’s energy sector from receiving state or local government contracts. The Office of General Services will compile a list of companies who are not eligible because of their ties to the Middle Eastern country.
“This new law ensures that companies that invest in Iran’s energy sector do not do business with the State of New York,” Governor Cuomo said. “I thank Majority Leader Skelos and Speaker Silver for their leadership and hard work on this important law.”
And here is what Skelos and Silver had to say in the press release.
Senate Majority Leader Dean G. Skelos said, “This new law will make sure that New York does not allow companies that invest in Iran’s energy sector to receive state contracts. By putting in place this important legislation, we are standing together to denounce Iran’s attempt to build nuclear weapons that would pose a grave threat to America, Israel, and our other friends in the Middle East. I thank Governor Cuomo for signing this bill into law.”
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said, “It is no secret that Iran is the patron of terrorism in the Middle East. This tyrannical regime has been linked to terrorist activities ranging from assassinations and hostage taking to bombings and hijackings directed against Israel and the West. By divesting the state from any business with corporations who fuel Iran’s terrorist activities and pursuit of nuclear weapons, we are doing our part to make the world a safer, more secure place. I commend Governor Cuomo for swiftly signing this measure into law.”
The Bloomberg-Silver Team Up
Jan 12th - 3:48 pm
Once upon a time, Mayor Michael Bloomberg tried to get all sorts of things past in Albany like congestion pricing and a West Side stadium for the Jets.
Each time he was thwarted by the Legislature and blame was heaped on Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.
But, oh, how politics works!
Bloomberg finished up his State of the City address this afternoon and certainly the lede tomorrow will be his calls for a minimum wage increase, just as Silver pushed for on Jan. 3 before Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s State of the State address.
Silver released this statement in response:
“I applaud and thank Mayor Bloomberg for joining our call to increase the minimum wage. As I have said, it is wrong to expect anyone – let alone working families – to be able to afford the cost of living today and invest in their future on a salary of $7.25 an hour. Increasing the minimum wage would benefit more than 14 percent of our workforce. Mayor Bloomberg’s commitment to helping the more than 1.2 million low wage workers in New York climb the ladder of financial security is welcome news.”
As Liz noted earlier, this comes after the relationships between Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the two men have each become strained for different reasons.
Silver said in his speech that he wanted to fix the broken “ladder” to economic stability and equality for working New Yorkers.
Interestingly, Bloomberg employed a similar metaphor today: “But there’s one thing that in all fairness hasn’t gone up: the ability of those at the bottom of the economic ladder to pay for those essential needs.”
Update: Assembly spokesman Mike Whyland points out that for all the past Silver-Bloomberg contretemps, the two have come closer over the years over issues like microstamping for bullets, the bill to expand livery cab service outside of Manhattan along with other policy goals. That’s fair enough, but the minimum wage bill is easily the most significant legislation they have every agreed on.
Update X2: Bloomberg spokesman Mark Botnick also calls to point out that Bloomberg and Silver also worked closely on similarly significant issues like the charter schools issue and both times for mayoral control. So color me educated.
The Silver-Easton Lovefest
Jan 11th - 1:12 pm
ICYMI: The Alliance for Quality Education is forwarding around a YouTube video of Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver at the organization’s rally day at the Capitol yesterday, an event that was scheduled extra early to get the jump on what is shaping up to be a tense legislative session where education policy is concerned.
AQE Executive Director Billy Easton heaped praise on Silver, calling him “one person who’s not only been listening for as long as you can imagine to the needs of schoolchildren across the state, but has been reflecting that voice back and speaking it out in the halls of decision-making” and the “originator of pre-kindergarten.”
Easton also praised Silver’s Democratic majority conference, saying its members have long been “champions of education” who stood with AQE on the Campaign for Fiscal Equity and on the push to make the state’s wealthiest residents pay higher taxes.
Silver was greeted by prolonged cheers and a standing ovation. He returned the favor to Easton, praising him for having the “leadership and the courage…to stand up for fairness and equity in education funding, standing up for fairness and equity in our tax structure because I’m fairly certain that it was not students who made those terrible gambles that caused this economic hardship.”
As was reported yesterday, Silver then took the fight to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, saying he “respectfully” disagreed with the governor’s claim that students in New York don’t have anyone looking out for their well-being, insisting the “most powerful lobbying groups for our students is their parents…when it comes to our state government, no group of leaders has been a more effective lobbying group for the children in our classrooms and for young children needing early education than have the members of the majority of the New York State Assembly.” (This is at about the 8-minute mark).
As you’ll recall, Cuomo said during his State of the State address that he would be the self-appointed “lobbyist” for public school students this year, taking on what he perceives to be the bloated bureaucracy in the education system.
Easton has often drawn criticism from the Cuomo adminstration, which sees him as a shill for the teachers union. (NYSUT does provide funding to AQE, but it is not the group’s organization’s sole funding source).
Cuomo fired back at Silver, blaming the Assembly for the current impasse between the teachers unions and school districts over the creation of teacher performance evaluation systems.
“The Assembly-led legislation in 2010 protected the teachers union at the expense of the students and instituted a system that was destined to fail,” Cuomo said. “Despite the powerful interests working to protect the status quo at the expense of our students’ success, this state must become a national leader in student performance.”
Cuomo Pens Letter To Skelos, Silver On Convention Center
Jan 10th - 3:59 pm
In an open letter sent to the legislative leaders, Gov. Andrew Cuomo this afternoon expanded on his proposal to build a convention center in Queens adjacent to the Aqueduct Racetrack, saying that the investment will pay off in 20,000 permanent and temporary jobs and a $4 billion investment in the state.
In the letter to Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Cuomo says the project is “linked” to the Javits Center redevelopment. He reiterates his claim in the State of the State address that the Javits Center in its current state has aged to the point of being uncompetitive.
The Aqueduct project is linked to the Javits Center redevelopment as the New York Metropolitan area needs a convention site and if we do not plan to develop one as an alternative to Javits, then Javits would need to continue to operate. As I stated in my State of the State message, the Javits Convention Center is too small to be a competitive exhibition facility, and redevelopment of the current Javits site has exciting possibilities for the West Side of Manhattan and beyond. I also believe the redevelopment of Javits will render significant economic benefit to the State of New York which is essential during these challenging fiscal times.
The governor also admits that large-scale convention projects often are money losers. But he says there are no state dollars involved in the construction and that the project relies on Malaysian-based Genting New York to provide the necessary cash infusion.
Opponents to the project point out that many conventions centers lose money. That is a true point. Most governments weigh the issue of building a convention center with public money as a “loss leader” for the net economic gain of additional tourism dollars, etc. That is a debatable proposition. However, that is not the case here. The state is not building anything. We are not spending public money on a convention center. Genting, a private entity, will take the risk of economic success. I have never been a casino or racino proponent, but we are here now and the question is how to best maximize the economics and protect our citizens.
Cuomo’s letter is indeed a rosy description of a project that is sure to be a complicated one for New York City. Mayor Michael Bloomberg was not an immediate fan of the proposal and the surprise announcement only fueled the perception that the mayor and governor don’t get along.
The full letter is after the jump. More >
Education A Sticking Point Between Cuomo And Silver – Take II
Jan 10th - 3:04 pm
Further proof of my assertion not long ago that education is developing into a serious sticking point between Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver came in the form of a statement from the governor that blames “Assembly-led” legislation passed in 2010 for the current fight between the teachers unions and school districts over the creation of teacher evaluation systems.
Cuomo has declined calls from Silver and UFT President Mike Mulgrew that he get involved in the largest stand-off going on downstate. (It’s not the only one, for the record. State Commissioner John King suspended federal improvement grant funding for 10 districts – including NYC – that failed to live up to their commitment to reach agreements with their teacher and principal unions on new performance evaluations).
In his statement, Cuomo reiterated his claim that New York has “a system that protects the massive education bureaucracy rather than focusing on investing in our classrooms,” adding: “The forces that protect this bureaucracy have stymied reform at every turn, and as a result, hundreds of millions of dollars in education funding are now at risk.”
He also referenced the fact that New York is now one of three states placed on a watch list for losing hundreds of millions of Race to the Top dollars by US Education Secretary Arne Duncan because it has “hit a roadblock” on significant policy provisions of qualifying for the aid, including establishment of the peformance evaluation system and creation of a database to track student records across school districts.
“Secretary Duncan’s report saying New York is on the watch-list for failure is yet another warning that the inability of school districts across the state and their unions to come together has jeopardized the quality of our kids’ education,” Cuomo said. “New York State’s students are now in danger of losing hundreds of millions of dollars because of the failure to devise a teacher evaluation system that works.”
“We need to achieve both short term and long term reform of this failed system. I will pursue such reform aggressively.”
“In the short term, I call on the State Department of Education, local school districts and the union leadership to expedite their negotiations on a teacher evaluation system to prevent the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding. Over the long term, we need to overhaul the system and change the law on the books. The Assembly-led legislation in 2010 protected the teachers union at the expense of the students and instituted a system that was destined to fail.”
“Despite the powerful interests working to protect the status quo at the expense of our students’ success, this state must become a national leader in student performance.”
I added the boldface type there for extra emphasis, since that’s really a direct attack on Silver and his Democratic conference. Cuomo, as you’ll recall, was running for governor in 2010, but still serving as state attorney general.
Education A Sticking Point Between Cuomo And Silver
Jan 10th - 2:20 pm
Education is emerging as a potential trouble spot between Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver
Earlier today, Silver made a very friendly appearance before members of the Alliance for Quality Education – a group partially funded by the teachers union that often comes under fire from the Cuomo administration. AQE brought hundreds of kids, parents and supporters to the Capitol to get an unusually early job on their legislative session lobbying effort.
Silver told AQE members that he “respectfully” disagreed with Cuomo’s claim in the State of the State last week that New York’s public school students lack a lobbyist, adding: “The most powerful lobbying group for our students is their parents.” The speaker also said children have had no greater champion in the Legislature than the Democrat-controlled Assembly majority.
Silver took issue with Cuomo’s claim that the answer to New York’s education woes is not simply to throw more money into the system. As per last year’s budget agreement, this year’s state education aid is scheduled to increase by 4 percent. The question now is how that money will be allocated. Education advocates, led AQE, and the Board of Regents are arguing high-needs districts got disproportionately cut in 2011-12 and therefore should get the lion’s share of the cash. Silver appears to agree.
” It’s never enough,” he told reporters. “But in today’s economic circumstances, it’s a positive that I think starts us down the road toward fulfilling some of the commitments that we had to fulfill over the years that got postponed.”
“It’s true we need better results, there’s no question about that. But you get better results by strategically placing money in the right places. And I think the high needs districts that don’t have the ability to raise the money on their own are the places where these increases should go.”
Silver has also taken issue with Cuomo’s call for a new education reform commission, saying the Board of Regents – which the Legislature, not the governor, appoints – is already working to address myriad problems in the public school system.
Schumer Returns To His Roots
Jan 9th - 2:49 pm
Sen. Chuck Schumer paid a rare visit to the state Capitol today and spent some time reminiscing about the three terms he served in the state Assembly (from 1975 to 1980, after which he went on to the House).
“I love it here,” Schumer told reporters during an impromptu gaggle outside the LCA on the Capitol’s third floor. “This is where I got my start and I have good relationships with most of the people.”
“I would be third in seniority had I stayed, behind (Dick) Gottfried and (Joe) Lentol. (Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver) and I used to go play basketball together when he came in two years after I did. The lounge is much improved they used to have six kinds of Lipton soup in the packet. Chicken. Tomato. Now they have many other better things to eat…I love the Assembly. I miss it, it’s where I got my training.”
Schumer, who is now the state’s senior senator and one of the most powerful and influential Democrats in the country, showed up to his old stomping grounds to support the Assembly’s passage of the Iran Divestment Act to bar companies that invest in Iran’s energy industry from doing business with the state.
(Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos joined Silver at a press conference this afternoon to announce his house would also pass the bill, but Schumer didn’t mention the GOP-controlled Senate while chatting with reporters).
Schumer was also scheduled to meet with leaders of the Senate Democratic conference to discuss their re-match with the Republicans this fall for control of the majority. Schumer is a prodigious fundraising and well-known figure in New York. His assistance would undoubtedly be greatly appreciated by the Democrats, who have yet to receive – at least not publicly – a confirmation that Gov. Andrew Cuomo will be 100 percent in their corner come November.
Plus, there’s the little problem of the IDC, whose four members could be kingmakers next year and have not only made it clear that they won’t support either Democratic Leader John Sampson or DSCC Chair Mike Gianaris should the Democrats come within shooting distance of the majority, but also are trying to grow their own ranks – perhaps even through primaries.
Schumer said he was not scheduled to meet today with Cuomo, even though the governor is in town. He said the two of them talk on the phone all the time, and he wanted to focus on the Legislature today.
Cuomo Spox: Intervention Not The Answer
Jan 6th - 2:57 pm
After Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said he would like to see Gov. Andrew Cuomo get involved in the ongoing dispute between Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the United Federation of Teachers over how to evaluate teachers, the Cuomo administration is batting down the idea.
From Cuomo spokesman Josh Vlasto:
“The Governor was very clear in the State of the State that the teacher evaluation system is flawed,” Vlasto wrote in an email statement. “The answer is not that the Governor should intervene in a specific dispute between a mayor and a local union, but rather that we need a better system statewide.”
Silver was on Fred Dicker’s show earlier today saying that the dispute over teacher evaluations, which is costing the city schools millions of dollars in School Improvement Grants, is troubling.
Silver said, “I’m disappointed, first of all, that the unions and various school districts couldn’t come together on an agreement. I would like to see the governor intercede and bring the various parties together.”
Silver: Cuomo Should Intervene In SIG Dispute
Jan 6th - 11:30 am
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, D-Manhattan, told Fred Dicker in a radio interview this morning that he hoped Gov. Andrew Cuomo would intercede in the ongoing dispute between the New York City education department and United Federation of Teachers over school improvement grant funding.
“I’m disappointed that the various unions and school districts couldn’t come together on an agreement,” Silver said in the Talk-1300 radio interview.
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| From State of The State January 4, 2012 |
The dispute started last week after Education Commissioner John King announced he would withhold funding from school districts that had yet to turn in adequate teacher evaluation plans. Though some school districts responded positively, King announced this week that all funding would be withheld from the School Improvement Grant program until new evaluations can be hammered out.
The city school district is be hit especially hard, and UFT President Michael Mulgrew said earlier he would like the governor to get involved in the discussion as well.
Cuomo, in his State of the State address, said he would begin forming a commission on education accountability, and vowed to become a “lobbyist” for students.
Silver said he was “unsure” if a new commission on accountability was actually needed, but expected more details in the coming budget address on Jan. 17.
“A lot of the detail will be coming when the governor submits his budget on January 17,” he said.
The speaker raised eyebrows in Albany when he delivered his remarks before Cuomo’s speech on Tuesday, advocating for more spending at community colleges, increasing the minimum wage and cutting taxes for the working poor.
Silver said he discussed the overview of the speech with the governor before heading on stage. And he framed the debate over increasing the state’s minimum wage — currently $7.25 — as a sort-of trickle-up economics. Namely, if low-wage earners are making more, they’ll stimulate the economy by purchasing goods.
In his pre-State of the State remarks, Silver has taken the opportunity these last two years to actually break some news. Known in Albany for playing things close, 2012 is an election year and may be laying down this gauntlet in order to shore up liberal support, especially from the Working Families Party.
“Look at it in the same way as the debate over the payroll tax in Washington,” he said. “It’s going to generate jobs because people have a little more disposable income in their pocket. Somehow it’s going right back into the economy and it’s going to generate jobs.”
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