Joe Addabbo Holds Hearing on Campaign Finance Reform
By Mike Connery on 04/23/2010 @ 11:01 AM
Senator Joe Addabbo is hosting a hearing on campaign finance reform today from 10 - 1pm. Watch live:
Quick Hits from the Trail: Valesky Gets Endorsed, Three-Way in SD-40
By Mike Connery on 04/22/2010 @ 04:08 PM
A few quick hits from the campaign trail today:
- Yet another Republican - Jim Borkowski - is throwing his hat into the ring to replace Senator Vincent Leibell. That makes this a three-way primary.
- Madison County Democrats met and endorsed the reelection of Senator Dave Valesky.
- The Oswego Tea Party does not like Pattie Ritchie.
- Mike DiSanto announced that he is running to take out Brooklyn's last Republican, Martin Golden.
- More press coverage of Breslin's reelection campaign launch.
Democrats Pass Earth Day Environment 2010 Agenda
By Mike Connery on 04/22/2010 @ 01:01 PM
Yesterday, the Senate Democrats passed a package of reforms that will protect our environment and the health of our children. The reforms, sponsored by Senate Dems Daniel Squadron, Antoine Thompson, Liz Kreuger, Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and Brian Foley, included:
- S3593 / Krueger: Institutes a rechargeable battery producer and retailer sponsored take back program at no costs to consumers.
Two Republicans voted No on the bill: Betty Little and John Flanagan. - S6141B / Squadron: Requires Auto Dealerships to post a Gallons Per Mile Fuel Savings Guide within the dealership that presents information developed by the DEC.
26 Republicans voted No on the bill: Alesi, Bonacic, DeFrancisco, Farley, Flanagan, Fuschillo, Golden, Griffo, Hannon, Owen Johnson, Larkin, Leibell, Libous, Little, Marcellino, Maziarz, McDonald, Nozzolio, Ranzenhofer, Robach, Saland, Seward, Skelos, Volker, Winner, and Young. - S6047A / Thompson: Establishes a comprehensive State-wide electronic equipment reuse and recycling program.
- S4983C / Foley: Limits pesticide exposures for school and daycare aged children by prohibiting certain outdoor, non-essential applications on playgrounds, turf, and athletic or playing fields.
22 Republicans voted No on the bill: Bonacic, DeFrancisco, Farley, Golden, Griffo, Hannon, Owen Johnson, Lanza, Larkin, Leibell, Libous, Little, Marcellino, Maziarz, Nozzolio, Ranzenhofer, Saland, Seward, Skelos, Volker, Winner, and Young. - S3296-G / Thompson: Prohibits the manufacture, distribution and sale of child care products such as pacifiers, bottles and sippy cups that contain Bisphenol.
- S5119 / Stewart-Cousins: Reduces the State’s waste by prohibiting the purchase and use of non-recyclable paper/mailing products.
21 Republicans voted No on the bill: Alesi, Bonacic, DeFrancisco, Farley, Flanagan, Golden, Griffo, Owen Johnson, Larkin, Libous, Little, Maziarz, McDonald, Nozzolio, Ranzenhofer, Saland, Seward, Skelos, Volker, Winner and Young.
Watch a video of the Democrats' press conference on the passage of this legislation package:
LaValle Flip Flops on Budget Extenders
By Mike Connery on 04/22/2010 @ 11:00 AM
Earlier this week, in a rambling speech that jumped from Albany dysfunction to schools and job creation, Ken LaValle flip-flopped on a vital budget extension vote, switching from a "yes" vote in previous weeks, and joining sixteen of his colleagues as a proud member of the Party of No.
LaValle complained about the tough choices Democrats made in slimming down the 2010-2011 budget, but his vote, if successful, would have cut funding immediately for all manner of jobs and vital services that New Yorkers rely on, including our troopers, guardsmen, corrections officers, nurses, and social service workers who care for our veterans, the homeless, and mentally disabled.
Beyond the immediate consequences of his vote, LaValle's age seems to be showing, as he's apparently forgotten about the 97 budget extenders and 11 late budgets passed during the Pataki/Bruno era of government:
- 2008: 9 days late/ 2 extenders
- 2004: 133 days late/ 12 extenders
- 2003: 42 days late/ 5 extenders
- 2002: 42 days late/ 8 extenders
- 2001: 125 days late/ 12 extenders
- 2000: 39 days late/ 3 extenders
- 1999: 126 days late/ 19 extenders
- 1998: 14 days late/ 4 extenders
- 1997: 126 days late/ 10 extenders
- 1996: 104 days late/ 14 extenders
- 1995: 68 days late/ 10 extenders
Quick Hits from the Trail: Tea Bagger Showdown in SD-40
By Mike Connery on 04/21/2010 @ 02:26 PM
A few quick hits from the campaign trail.
- Tea bag candidate Greg Ball picked up a primary challenger in his bid to replace Vincent Leibell in the 40th Senate District. Somers Town Supervisory Mary Beth Murphy announced that she will challenge Ball for the seat. This should be fun to watch.
- Across the aisle, Democrat Mike Kaplowitz announced his intention to run for the seat. You can read his announcement address on his site. Read press coverage of the announcement on LoHud and Mid Hudson News.
- Finally, don't forget that Didi Barrett will be guest-blogging live on The Albany Project tonight at 7pm.
Poison Party?
By Mike Connery on 04/21/2010 @ 11:10 AM
Helping children is usually about as uncontroversial an issue as you can find in politics. Children are our future. Everyone is for children. Unless you're in the New York GOP.
Yesterday, as part of a package of Earth Day related legislation, the State Senate passed a bill sponsored by Brian Foley that prohibits the use of certain toxic chemicals for pesticide and weed control at schools.
Bill Before New York State Lawmakers Would Ban Use of Pesticides on School Playing Fields
Chemical companies are pressing lawmakers to vote against the bill. They say pesticides are highly regulated and safe to use.
Children are especially susceptible to pesticides because of their small size and still-developing organs, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Rather than a purely chemical approach, the agency recommends schools use Integrated Pest Management, which combines several more organic and less toxic techniques to manage pests and weeds, such as overseeding, mowing grass taller, watering less and applying “compost tea,” a liquefied form of compost.
“Put simply, IPM is a safer, and usually less costly option for effective pest management in a school community,” EPA regulators said.
It's not just safer, though. It could also save schools money in the long term:
Schools would see a slight increase in cost during the first two years of IPM, but after the third year, the price would fall about 25 percent below the costs of chemical lawn treatment, according to a study by Grassroots Environmental Education, a nonprofit public health advocacy group in Nassau County. That group has offered free training to school groundskeepers on ways to care for fields without pesticides.
Keeps kids healthy? Check. Fiscally responsible? Check. So why are 22 GOP Senators opposed to this again?
Would Senate Republicans Prefer a Government Shutdown?
By Mike Connery on 04/20/2010 @ 01:26 PM
Yesterday the State Senate voted to pass budget extenders that will fund the essential functions of government and protect vital services on which millions of New Yorkers depend. The budget extenders allow the state to continue paying our troopers, guardsmen, corrections officers, nurses, and social service workers who care for our veterans, the homeless, and mentally disabled. They provide funds for Medicaid, Social Security, and Unemployment.
Without these extenders, the state cannot function, and New Yorkers already struggling to make ends meet with take yet another hard hit. This is a big deal, with an immediate impact on the lives of hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of the state's residents. So it's worth noting that 16 Republicans - as they have so often since they lost the majority - said 'No' to a functioning government, 'No' to services for their constituents, and 'No' to paying the first responders we rely upon in emergencies by voting against the budget extenders.
Here is the list of Republicans who voted against yesterday's bill. It's a wall of shame if ever there was one:
- John DeFrancisco
- John Flanagan
- Martin Golden
- Joe Griffo
- Kemp Hannon
- William Larkin
- Ken LaValle
- Tom Libous
- Carl Marcellino
- Michael Nozzolio
- Michael Ranzenhofer
- James Seward
- Dean Skelos
- Dale Volker
- George Winner
- Catharine Young
Here's my question. With so many New Yorkers struggling, and the state facing one of the biggest fiscal crises in recent memory, does this gang of 16 really think shutting down parts of the government and letting vital services lapse is a good idea? I wonder if their constituents would agree with their answer.
DeFrancisco Flips Out, Derails Budget Debate
By Mike Connery on 04/20/2010 @ 10:52 AM
John DeFrancisco is not one for nuance.
Yesterday, DeFrancisco took to the Senate floor to rail against Democrats for a robocall fielded in his district over the weekend. Unfortunately, DeFrancisco failed to make a crucial distinction. The call was fielded by the New York Senate Dems, not the Senate Majority Conference. The two have completely different staffs, and not a single minute was taken away from budget negotiations or other Senate business to work on the calls.
The same could not be said for DeFrancisco's politically-motivated tirade, which directly took time away from an important debate on the budget extension passed yesterday. The extenders provide crucial funding for our troopers, guardsmen, corrections officers, nurses, and social service workers who care for our veterans, the homeless, and mentally disabled.
The irony of the situation was lost on DeFrancisco, but that's not suprising. The economic well-being of New Yorkers was far from his mind - he was one of 14 16 Republicans to vote against the budget extenders.
Property Taxes and Upstate Republican Dissatisfaction
By Mike Connery on 04/19/2010 @ 04:09 PM
One more thought on the Siena Poll released this morning. As I noted earlier, the poll showed that upstate Republican voters are significantly more frustrated with their incumbent Senators than are downstate Democratic voters.
If one had to venture a reason for this, they could do worse than to look at this piece from yesterday's Democrat & Chronicle: Upstate Shoulders Lion's Share in Taxes.
Live in Westchester County and you pay the highest property taxes in the nation, with a median of $8,404 a year.
Live in upstate New York, and you also have an unenviable distinction.
Sixteen upstate counties — including Monroe, Orleans, Erie and Cortland — pay the highest property taxes compared to home values in the country, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
In all, New York's local taxes are 79 percent higher than the national average, a 2008 state report found.
Property-tax levies grew 60 percent between 1995 and 2005, more than twice the inflation rate, the state Comptroller's Office said.
Let's give that a second to really sink in. During just 10 years of Republicans' 44 year rein in the State Senate, property taxes increased by 60 percent.
Given that Republicans just unanimously rejected a Democratic budget resolution that would have provided $500 million property tax relief, I'd say upstate Republican voters have a lot to be angry about.
Oppenheimer, Valesky and Klein Bring Sunshine to Albany
By Mike Connery on 04/19/2010 @ 01:26 PM
The Siena Poll I blogged earlier today had some interesting findings on what New Yorker's think about the possibility of reforming Albany. According to the findings, 83% of New Yorkers believe that Albany can be fixed if the right legislators are in office. Along those lines, I want to highlight some recent work by sitting Democrats that will deliver more transparency and efficiency to our capital.
The first items are pieces of legislation, sponsored by Suzi Oppenheimer and Dave Valesky, during March's "Sunshine Week:"
It may not be the dawning of the age of Aquarius, but state government has taken welcome action recently to let the sun shine in.
During Sunshine Week last month, a time set aside to promote open government, the state Legislature passed a bill strengthening the Open Meeting Law, sponsored by Assemblywoman RoAnn Destito, D-Rome, and Sen. Suzi Oppenheimer, D-Mamaroneck.
Another bill, sponsored by Destito and Sen. David Valesky, D-Oneida, would set guidelines for audio or video recording of all public meetings. A third measure, sponsored by Valesky and J. Gary Pretlow, D-Mount Vernon, directs local government bodies to make sure their meeting rooms are large enough to accommodate the public.
This week, Gov. David Paterson signed all three bills into law. “As a responsible government, we have the duty to inform the public of the state’s business, and these new laws will help to do just that,” Paterson said.
The second is a new website created by Jeff Klein and the Senate Task Force on Government Efficiency to aid whistleblowers in calling out government waste, and crowdsource ideas on how to make government more efficient:
NEW YORK, NY –State Senator and Deputy Majority Leader Jeff Klein (D-Bronx/Westchester) announced Monday that the Senate Task Force on Government Efficiency has launched a new webpage where New Yorkers can anonymously submit their ideas, suggestions and feedback on how the state can conserve resources in this tough fiscal time, as well as to report any suspected wasteful government spending or abuse of tax dollars.
http://www.nysenate.gov/committee/task-force-government-efficiency
These are just a few more small steps that Democrats are taking on a long road towards reforming Albany's dysfunctional culture. By replacing some of the old-guard Republicans that have been in office for decades, we can do even more in the months and years to come.
Quick Hits from the Campaign Trail
By Mike Connery on 04/19/2010 @ 10:31 AM
- The Columbia Spectator reports that Sen. Bill Perkins launched his reelection campaign over the weekend in SD-30.
- Didi Barrett recapped the first week and a half of her campaign to unseat Steve Saland, and announced that she will be guest-blogging on The Albany Project on Wednesday evening.
- And on the other side of the aisle, Senator Vincent Leibell announced his candidacy for Putnam County Executive, leaving an open race in SD-40 with County Legislator Mike Kaplowitz expected to take on Tea Party candidate Greg Ball.
New York Senate Dems Hits Republicans on Taxes and Budget
By Mike Connery on 04/16/2010 @ 05:26 PM
Yesterday was tax day, and once again hard-working New Yorkers sent too much of their tax dollars to Albany.
While New Yorkers continue to pay more than their fair share, Republicans are sitting on the sidelines, running from decades-long record of taxing, spending and borrowing away the financial stability of our state. To add insult to injury, they are refusing to participate constructively in the current budget process, and trying to blame Democrats for their own mess.
New York Senate Dems are determined to hold Republicans accountable for these actions.
Today we launched a series of robocalls into the districts of 14 Republicans who are ducking and dodging their record on taxes while the people of New York foot the bill. Calls were placed into the districts of Dean Skelos, Steve Saland, Hugh Farley, Roy McDonald, Owen Johnson, Kemp Hannon, John DeFrancisco, Tom Libous, Joe Robach, Michael Ranzenhofer, Ken LaValle, James Alesi, Frank Padavan and Joe Griffo.
Voters in each of those districts received a call informing them of their Senator's record on the budget and taxes, and asking them to call and ask their Senator to work with Democrats to resolve our state's budget crisis.
You can listen to a few of those calls below:
Dean Skelos
Kemp Hannon
Owen Johnson
Senate Republicans bear the brunt of responsibility for landing us in our current fiscal straits. They owe it to their constituents, and to all New Yorkers, to engage in good faith negotiations to help fix their mess.
We're not going to let them run from their record any longer.
Ed Note - We're still in beta and working out the hiccups, and this post was accidentally deleted from our system on Monday April 19th. A new copy was uploaded on Tuesday April 20.
Taking on the Last Senate Republican in Queens
By Mike Connery on 04/16/2010 @ 09:26 AM
Two great press hits coming out of the Queens Courrier yesterday. The first is a wide-ranging profile of Tony Avella and his effort to unseat GOP incumbent Frank Padavan, He's In It To Make a Difference.
Tony Avella insists he hates politics, but that’s not stopping him from running for another elective office. “I’m not in it for the money or the ego,” Avella said. “I’m in it to make a difference.”
The former city councilman, who served the 19th District for two terms, is now seeking the 11th state Senate District seat, which has been held by Republican Frank Padavan for the last 38 years. He believes Padavan is part of why the state Legislature is dysfunctional and that it’s time for a change.
On why he's running, and the electoral math:
Known as a maverick in Democratic circles, Avella is in the enviable position now of being the fair-haired boy. “The Democrats need to maintain the majority in Albany,” he said. “I can have an influence because the voices for change aren’t loud enough.”
He believes Padavan has become entrenched because the district has been gerrymandered in his favor. “It will be a mini-mandate if I win,” Avella said, noting his former council district overlaps the Senate area, which he considers a plus.
For this race, the party sought him out to run. “They are embracing me,” he said. “It’s helpful for the Democrats to have a maverick and a reformer.”
In the last Padavan challenge, City Councilman Jim Gennaro (D-Fresh Meadows) lost by only 480 votes, after a recount that lasted for several months. “Padavan insists it was close because of the Obama vote, but we have found a huge drop off of people who voted for Obama but not the others,” he said. “Voting a straight party line doesn’t exist like it used to. Some people voted for the president and left some of the others blank.”
On the issues:
Avella also believes there are a lot of other things that can be done in Albany that affect the city, especially schools. “We have narrowed the gap, but upstate schools still get too much money,” Avella said. “We also need to eliminate the huge amount of waste in the city school system and I think we can do it.”
He recommends firing bad teachers and that ones up for review be given a speedy trial by hiring more arbitrators.
Avella is also no fan of discretionary funds, whereby elected officials dole out money to favored groups. “These groups should apply directly to the budget in a grant application process, not to the elected official,” he said. “It would give an extra level of review.”
Avella favors retaining community boards, panels which Mayor Mike Bloomberg is widely believed to want discontinued or at least diminished in their authority. “Decentralization works,” Avella said. “People know best what’s going on in their neighborhoods.”
Avella indicated he is not about to change his persona in Albany. “I feel I can have an influence and make change,” he said. “If I have to be a pest, I will. That’s why I’m going to Albany. I want to get things done.”
The second article took a hard look at the electoral math in the Queens Senate District and wonders if this might be the year that the last GOP Senator in Queens finally falls -
In 2008, out of 95,000 votes cast - Padavan came within 480 votes of losing to Gennaro partially due to his disappointing voting record. This includes consistently voting to increase deficits, annual excessive spending twice to three times the rate of inflation, supporting several hundred million dollars worth of yearly member item pork barrel projects and participating in the adoption of 30 out of the past 36 budgets late during his term in office. Under Padavan and the former GOP Senate majority -- New York became number two nationally in debt. Each resident is responsible for $4,115 of the $60 billion total. State debt grew from $27 billion in 1995 to $60 billion today growing by billions more in future budgets. State public authorities debt is $72 billion. These combined liabilities plus interest total $196 billion dollars. The voting record for Padavan morphed from being a conservative Republican to RINO (Republicans In Name Only) GOP Senator. Avella may run to the right of Padavan making the case that he is the real fiscal conservative. In 2010, the odds of Padavan remaining in office will be heavily stacked against him. Even if Padavan were to survive in 2010, his current gerrymandered district would probably be redrawn making any attempt to run in 2012 mathematically impossible.
Both articles are worth a look and provide a great overview of what will be one of the most-watched races this cycle.
Calcaterra Takes Tax Fight to LaValle's Office
By Mike Connery on 04/15/2010 @ 08:26 PM
Earlier today, the Calcaterra campaign took the fight right to the doors of Ken LaValle's office, rallying supporters to highlight LaValle's record on taxes. Photo and statement from the Calcaterra campaign below.
Regina Calcaterra rallies supporters.
Calcaterra: LaValle's Pro-Tax Votes Make Every Day April 15 in New York SELDEN, NY - With more than two dozen supporters behind her, and in front of her opponent's district office, Regina Calcaterra, D-New Suffolk, today took aim at state Sen. Ken LaValle's more than 600 votes in Albany to raise or extend taxes and fees, adding $33.4 billion to New Yorkers' tax burden and helping to push the cost of living in Eastern Suffolk County to a near breaking point.
"For those in the First Senatorial District, many will be struggling and scrambling to pay their tax burden by midnight tonight," Calcaterra said. "And it's not just a personal income tax burden, it's a tax burden compounded by high sales tax, high government-mandated fees and high property taxes. And they can thank Sen. LaValle for voting on all of those taxes.
"For 32 of 34 years, he's been in the majority of the state Senate, and he's had the power to make change," Calcaterra said. "And, boy, has he made change for us here."
Calcaterra criticized not just the number of LaValle's pro-tax votes, but what LaValle specifically targeted for higher taxes in that legislation. From 1989 through 2010, LaValle voted in favor of levying or extending taxes on items including child car safety seats, bicycle helmets, beer, drivers' licenses, mortgage filings, hotel rooms and more. For New Yorkers, state government has "even taxed their safety, after Sen. LaValle voted to tax smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors."
She spoke in front of LaValle's district office which, it was revealed earlier this year, was a central cost to the $1 million in annual office expenses the incumbent rang up through the most recent fiscal period.
In addition, just weeks ago LaValle voted against a Senate proposal to provide $291 million in much-needed tax relief to senior citizens - which only compounded their plight of living in one of the most overtaxed states in the country. That's particularly difficult to accept, Calcaterra said, since Suffolk County property taxes have climbed by 550 percent since LaValle entered office.
Calcaterra is proposing sweeping changes to the way state agencies spend taxpayer dollars, including adoption of Generally Accepted Accounting Practices (GAAP) for all state agencies and authorities, expansion of public-private partnerships to raise revenue and continue state programs without having to raise the state tax burden constantly, and cancellation of MTA taxes and fees that were approved beginning in 2005 after LaValle's vote to tax drivers licenses and mortgage filings.
###
Ed Cox Must Be Joking
By Mike Connery on 04/15/2010 @ 05:52 PM
It's hard to tell whether NY GOP chairman Ed Cox is living in a Republican fantasy world, or the NY GOP press shop is recruiting writers from The Onion. There's no other way to explain this press release, sent out late in the day, that attempts to pin 44 years of Republican tax increases on the Democrats:
Albany NY ... April 14, 2010 - Today, hardworking New Yorkers across the State do their civic duty and submit their taxes to Albany and Washington. Unfortunately, beyond the necessary services our taxes are intended to fund, they're paying more and more for government programs of dubious legality or value.
The taxes in New York are among the highest in the country. New York's taxpayers can no longer afford to be shackled with the debt that Democrats in control of government are accruing. Every day we see promises made by the current Democrat leadership in Albany and Washington to relieve the burden that hardworking families face, only to discover that such promises are hollow. Democrats have tried to disguise new taxes as fees for everyday activities such as using one's cell phone.
Our hard earned money has been squandered by these Democrat leaders on legislation and earmarks for their friends in special interest groups, in return for campaign help and contributions. Electing fiscally conservative Republicans, who understand the virtues of reducing spending and lowering taxes, is the only way we can reverse our trajectory and take control of our finances.
Lest we all forget, here are a just a few stats outlining Republicans' role in creating the enormous tax and debt burdens shouldered by our state:
- Under Republican rule during the Pataki-Bruno years from FY 1996 to 2008, the state budget grew nearly 100%.
- In 1996, the overall size was $62 billion; by 2008, it was $121 billion.
- Despite a strong economy, the state’s debt load grew dramatically under Republican control, nearly doubling between 1997 and 2008, from $31 to $54 billion.
- This debt stems largely from the Republicans’ refusal to hold public authorities and corporations accountable, which we now do as a result of the Public Authorities Reform Act of 2009.
- Also during this period, the debt load attributable to each and every man, woman and child in New York soared from $1,774.56 in 1997 to $2,675.70.
- Not only did Republicans turn a blind eye to accruing debt, but they also committed the state to poor loans agreements, resulting in a doubling of the state’s annual debt service: from $3 billion annually in 1997 to $5.8 billion in 2009.
- Since 1977, New York has had the highest combined state/ local tax burden in the nation for every year but three.
- New Yorkers pay almost twice the national average for local taxes.
With a record like that, Cox must be crazy - or incredibly desperate and disingenuous - to think New Yorkers would believe a word of his statement.
Joe Bruno and his lackeys in the Senate Republican conference raised taxes hundreds of times and doubled state spending in just 14 years. That's why the Republicans have continually lost Senate seats for years, why even Republican voters want to throw Republican Senators out of office, why Democratic enrollment is surging, why Republican fundraising is lagging, and why fewer than 30% of New Yorkers want the Republicans in charge of the Senate.
There is a party dedicated to restoring fiscal responsibility in Albany, but it's not the Republicans.
Quinnipiac Poll Spells Trouble for Republicans
By Mike Connery on 04/15/2010 @ 04:26 PM
Here's some bad news for Republicans hoping to ride a wave of anti-incumbent sentiment back into the majority in the state Senate. A new poll from Quinnipiac shows that while anti-incumbent sentiment is higher than ever, that dissatisfaction is disproportionately directed towards the NY GOP.
Voters also want 50 - 39 percent to clean house in the State Senate, including voting out their own State Senator. This is the strongest anti-incumbent sentiment ever measure in New York. Democrats want to stick with their Senator 51 - 38 percent. Anti-incumbent feeling is 57 - 30 percent among Republicans and 59 - 32 percent among independent voters.
Combined with the voter enrollment data coming out of NYPIRG earlier this week, this is bad news from some Republicans. Of the five districts in which the voter enrollment shifted to Democrats in the last two years, four of those districts belong to incumbent Republicans: Alesi, Hannon, O. Johnson and Fuschillo. The fifth district that flipped belongs to Brian Foley, where more Democrats on the rolls will help shore up his base of support.
Fewer Republicans on the voter rolls combined with a GOP base and swing electorate upset with Republicans will make for a challenging campaign season for Republicans and could tip the balance towards Democrats in a few races.
Building a Government as Good as Our People, and a Website to Take Us There
By Mike Connery on 04/15/2010 @ 09:26 AM
Welcome to the new blog of the New York Senate Dems!
It was just 16 months ago that New York Democrats took control of the State Senate, following 44 years of Republican misrule characterized by corrupt deals, deficits and dysfunction. Republican fiscal mismanagement drove New York to the brink of insolvency, and their corrupt culture alienated New Yorkers from government.
In our short time in the chamber, Senate Democrats have made great strides in reforming the chamber. We passed an unprecedented rules reform package that made the Senate more transparent and equitable. We opened up the government to its people through public hearings across the state and open data and web standards online at NYSenate.gov. We reformed the Public Authorities, and we made tough choices to bring budget discipline to Albany.
We’re dedicated to building a government as good as our people, but it’s going to take time. Two years in power is not enough to undo the damage from four and a half decades of Republican malfeasance. We still have a long way to go before New Yorkers have the government they deserve.
Only a strong, enduring Democratic Majority in the State Senate will be able to reform Albany, rein-in spending, lower taxes, and create good jobs for the people of New York. Building that majority will require us to protect our members who face tough challenges this election cycle, and run hard challenges of our own against Republican incumbents.
These goals are within our grasp, but those races cannot be won, and that better government cannot be realized, without your help. So what can you do?
For starters, you can help us build our community of supporters and help us plug in to the online political conversation:
- Sign up for our RSS feed.
- Become a fan on Facebook.
- Follow us on Twitter.
- Subscribe to us on Youtube.
- Sign up to receive email updates from New York Senate Dems.
- Spread the word about our relaunch, and ask your friends to do the same.
Above all, leave us comments – about the blog, about races in your area, about ideas your have or political gossip you’ve heard. We want to open a dialogue in this space about how we can work together to build a stronger Democratic Majority to reform Albany.
This is just the beginning. The launch today of our blog is a first step in a larger build-out of the online capabilities of the New York Senate Dems and our candidates. At the end of April we will launch a new website with capabilities on par with anything in New York State politics. It’s going to be a long hard fight to reform Albany. But with your help it’s a fight we can win.
Skelos Demands to Attend Budget Meetings (Except When He Doesn't)
By Mike Connery on 04/14/2010 @ 05:01 PM
Just last week Dean Skelos was complaining that no one invited him or his fellow Republicans to budget meetings:
Minority leader Dean Skelos, R-Long Island, referred to a recent meeting between Sampson, Gov. David Paterson and Lt. Gov. Richard Ravitch at Peter Luger's steakhouse in Brooklyn. "I wasn't invited to that even for an appetizer," Skelos said.
Today, in response to an invitation from Leader Sampson to participate in budget meetings, Skelos is crying a different tune:
The stalemate over crafting a state budget is continuing in the Senate this morning with the latest episode centering on a leaders meeting and a rejection/call for conference committees.
Basically, Senate Democratic Majority Conference Leader John Sampson yesterday sent a letter to Republican Minority Dean Skelos inviting GOP leaders to a 1 p.m. meeting today.
The response boiled down to this: that’s a public relations stunt and why haven’t you convened conference committees like you are supposed to in which lawmakers from both parties discuss budget issues in public.
Republicans can complain about not being included in the budget process, or they can actively reject any constructive role in shaping the budget. They don't get to do both. Certainly not when our state is facing a fiscal emergency and the economic well-being of so many New Yorkers is on the line.
Earlier today I linked to an op-ed by Senate Majority Leader John Sampson calling out Republicans for their lack of ideas and good faith in this year's budget process. Sampson called Skelos and fellow Republicans "the Party of No Credibility," a play on the "Party of No." Seems like Republicans are all too happy to live up to those titles.
GOP: The Party of No Credibility
By Mike Connery on 04/14/2010 @ 12:01 PM
Majority Conference Leader John Sampson has an op-ed in today's Syracuse Post-Standard calling out Dean Skelos and do-nothing Republicans for their refusal to deal constructively with the state's budgetary problems.
In defending his conference’s habitual rejection of fiscally sound proposals, as well as his refusal to come forth with any offerings of his own, Sen. Skelos is continuing the negligent behavior that got New York into this mess in the first place.
During the Bruno-Skelos era of 1996 to 2008, the Republican Conference said “no” to an on-time budget 10 times, for total lateness of 819 days.
When they did manage to pass a budget, the document was hardly a model of fiscal integrity. From 1997 to 2008, outstanding state-related debt increased by 36 percent, from $33.1 billion to $51.6 billion. In other words, the annual bill for every man, woman and child in this state to service the debt increased from $166.16 to $276.14. Borrowing went up, property taxes skyrocketed and jobs left.
Despite this, when the Senate passed a resolution which — for only the third time in more than three decades — controlled spending, they again said “no,” along with their rejection of property tax relief for seniors and a restoration of funding for our state parks. And the very conference that included more than 300 new taxes in its last 10 budgets alone then said “no” to the Democrats’ rejection of $1.1 billion in new taxes and fees. When asked to provide an alternative plan, Sen. Skelos said — you guessed it — “no.”
While cloaking himself in the robes of “no,” one thing is clear: This self-anointed emperor not only has no clothes, he has turned the “party of no” into the “party of no credibility.”
Leader Sampson gets it exactly right. Looking back on their record, it's hard to take Republican indignation over the current budget troubles seriously. Senate Democrats are are the only ones in Albany willing to make tough choices on the budget, and one of the few proposing reforms that will fix a dysfunctional budgetary process. By contrast, Republicans are sitting on the side lines and playing the blame game.
Craig Johnson Announces Taxpayer Abuse Assessment Legislation
By Mike Connery on 04/13/2010 @ 07:07 PM
Craig Johnson announced new legislation today that would end one of the more glaring misappropriations of tax payer dollars. As it currently stands, the state and municipalities are paying millions of dollars in pensions to former employees who used their positions to embezzle money.
The proviso in New York’s public pension system that ensures even convicted embezzlers can continue to collect retirement benefits has long been a sore point with a lot of people, and nowhere is that more evident than in the Long Island community of Roslyn where the former school superintendent Frank Tassone fleeced taxpayers for more than $2 million and was sent to prison in 2006.
Now, a pair of Long Island Democrats, Sen. Craig Johnson and Assemblyman Charles Lavine, are offering a measure that could end this benefit — not by changing constitutionally protected pension laws — but by calling for an assessment or tax on the pensions of criminals who abused public monies. The “taxpayer abuse assessment” would be equal to the annual pension of the person in question.
At a time when the state and local municipalities are pinching pennies to get by, we can't afford to subsidize the retirements of criminals who stole from taxpayers.
Here's Johnson discussing the legislation:
