The scene is in the Senate Chamber where there is a discussion on the fourth extender bill before the Senate votes to pass or not. The context is not a discussion about the budget, budget items or budget negotiations. It is time to discuss and vote on Bill 7605 before the Senate. But political frustration comes to the floor and takes over for 17 minutes and 51 seconds as seen in the videos below. The full uncut Senate video is found here. The Bill 7605 section begins approximately at 1:36:20 and ends with the bill passing at 2:13:32.
In the first video, on April 26th, Senator John DeFrancisco asks Senator Carl Kruger, Senate Finance Chair, a series of questions that aim to start an open conversation about the status and content of budget negotiations. Amazingly, Senator DeFrancisco admits that the only thing he knows about the current negotiations is from rumors and from what he reads in news articles such as those found in the Ithaca Journal. There is not a great deal of information there. So, this means that if we read news reports online and in print, ordinary citizens around the State know as much or more than Senator DeFrancisco and perhaps a host other Senators on both sides of the aisle. How is that possible?
Senator Kruger’s reticent responses to the questions indicate that such open discussions in a public Senate venue are not part of the budget negotiation process during the bill approving process. Senator Kruger patiently and reservedly responds but does not answer Senator DeFranscisco’s questions to that Senator’s satisfaction or to anyone’s satisfaction for that matter.
In the second video, Senator DeFrancisco expresses his dissatisfaction with Senator Kruger’s answers as non-responsive and goes on to criticize the current budget process and the Democrats. Senator Kruger rises to defend himself and interjects to get a chance to point out that the purpose they are about at the moment is to vote for or against the emergency extender Bill S.7605 that will appropriate funds for state payroll, payroll taxes, government operations, school aid, road construction, unemployment insurance, Medicaid, and medical care and assistance. Senator Kruger warns that failure to support the bill and not voting yea for it is an irresponsible act. DeFrancisco does not answer Kruger’s questions directly, says he will not support the extender in the current process of budget negotiations and instead argues for open, public, lawful budget negotiations and will support the extender if that happens. Kruger brings up the case of Michigan’s failure to approve an extender and the immediate consequences that followed four hours afterwards.
In the third video, the debate at cross purposes continues but with only DeFrancisco continuing on with the focus on the irresponsibility of the Democratic Majority. He will vote no, encourages others to do so on the basis of the closed door budget process and not the merits or necessity of the extender bill. The negative vote is not a vote against the extender, but a protest against the existing budget process with closed door meetings and in opposition to the 2007 reforms.
In the uncut version, Senator John Flanagan and Senator Carl Marcellino ask questions, argue facts, protest the closed door process, lack of information, open dialogue, and “three men in a room” and say they will vote against the bill.
The bill eventually passes 44-17.
Budget negotiations remain a closed door, deadlocked affair.
Nothing has changed.
WHERE ARE WE NOW?
Other than approving a fourth extender bill that will fund the state payroll through May 2, authorize $2.57 billion in education aid, allocate $40 million for federally funded road construction projects, and distribute hundreds of millions for government operations, unemployment insurance, Medicaid, and medical care and assistance, Legislators and the Governor are deadlocked.
Governor Paterson adamantly insists on his spending cuts and increases in revenues (tax on beverage syrup and cigarettes and wine sales in grocery stores) and no borrowing whatsoever to close the $9.2 billion deficit. He is now calling for a yes/no vote on the newest version of his Executive Budget.
The Democratic Assembly and Senate do not accept the extent of Governor Paterson’s cuts to education, healthcare, parks, etc. and his revenue generating proposals to the tune of $3.2 billion. There is also no agreement between the Senate and Assembly on what to cut and by how much and how to raise revenues. The debate about borrowing up to $2 billion dollars to close the budget gap and borrowing (refinancing tobacco bonds) to distribute a property tax rebate to seniors goes on.
The Republicans are saying no to the whole deal making budget process and feel kicked out and voted down and are dropping out with complaint and some with finger pointing. Special interest groups are lobbying hard and the looming election has legislators considering their futures now in fear and in relation to Andrew Cuomo’s possible bid to become Governor. Add the usual opaqueness that surrounds Albany legislative wheeling and dealing to all of the above and we citizens see a dysfunctional state government in inaction with only tid bits of info about what is actually going on in Albany. This same story has been repeated almost verbatim for the past 27 days.
Even so, we have to weigh in for our interests. We cannot be complacent. Our voices must be loud and clear now.
WHAT CAN I DO? Call – Call and write Governor David Paterson, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Democratic Conference Leader John Sampson and tell them not to cut Riverbank; too many people will suffer for so little gain. Help your family, relatives and friends to make calls to the Governor and these legislators. Their contact info is below. Sign – Sign the petition at the Park and online – have others do the same Buy – Buy a “Save Riverbank” t-shirt and wear it – spread the word. Become a Facebook Fan – http://tinyurl.com/yhmlbb8 VOLUNTEER! – save.riverbank@yahoo.com
District Office:
1222 East 96th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11236
Tel: 718-649-7653
Fax: 718-649-7661
Albany Office:
409 Legislative Office Building
Albany, NY 12247
Tel: 518-455-2788
Fax: 518-426-6806
Sample Telephone Script 1:
Hi, my name is(your name) and I’m calling from (your address). Please say NO! to ALL of the proposed cuts to Riverbank State Park. Riverbank contributes to our mental, social and physical well-being as well as the local economy. Please know that Riverbank is a part of my way of life and my family’s and not simply a park that we occasionally visit. That’s why I urge you to restore all Riverbank funding, hours and programming. Thank you.
Sample Telephone Script 2:
Hi, my name is (your name) and I’m calling from (your address). Please say NO! to ALL of the proposed cuts to Riverbank State Park. Riverbank was built to compensate the surrounding community for the unsightly and (still sometimes) SMELLY sewage treatment plant, which cuts it off from the Hudson for half a mile. The State MUST HONOR this compact; it’s not a favor! Thanks.
APRIL 27, 2010
by New York State Office of the Governor
Governor David A. Paterson today called on the Legislature to immediately pass his proposed Executive Budget in a simple up or down vote and outlined an additional $620 million in actions that, when combined with his Executive Budget, present a fully balanced gap closing plan and will put New York on the path to fiscal recovery. Absent passage of a responsible budget, Governor Paterson will call on State lawmakers to voluntarily begin five-day sessions next week.
“Every day that passes without an enacted budget, we lose savings from the recurring spending reductions and revenue proposals that I laid out in my Executive Budget. It has been nearly four weeks since the 2010-11 State fiscal year began, and we can no longer delay making the difficult decisions required to put the State back on path toward fiscal stability,” Governor Paterson said. “New Yorkers deserve to know that their elected officials are working diligently to protect the State’s finances, and the fiscal situation demands our full attention. If the Legislature does not stay in Albany to pass a budget, I will be forced to consider all of my options at that time, including compelling them to stay.”
Governor Paterson put forward a balanced Executive Budget on January 19 and made amendments to his plan on February 9. Since then, an additional $620 million gap has emerged that must be addressed in the 2010-11 fiscal year. While State law requires the Governor to put forward an Executive Budget each year, the Legislature is empowered to enact additional spending reductions as necessary and no additional Executive Budget plan is required for the Legislature to act.
In an effort to spur Legislative action on the budget, Governor Paterson has proposed additional measures to close the $620 million gap. This plan includes approximately $324 million in additional spending reductions – approximately $100 million of which were proposed by the Legislature, – $211 million in revenue actions and $85 million in other actions. The Governor called upon the Legislature to take up his budget proposal, or to immediately identify and enact alternative means for closing the deficit that rely on real, recurring actions.
“As elected representatives, it is our job to make the difficult decisions that may be unpopular today, but that will help us turn the corner on this crisis,” the Governor added. “Budgeting requires discipline and sacrifice. New Yorkers have already sacrificed a great deal; we must now enact a responsible budget that honors that sacrifice.”
For the past four weeks, Governor Paterson has put forward bare-bones emergency budget bills that include provisions for only the minimum spending necessary to ensure the orderly operation of State government. Under the provisions of his emergency budget bills, the Governor has suspended a scheduled four percent salary increase for most State employees and halted State funding for capital construction projects, among other actions.
For additional information about the Governor’s $620 million gap closing plan please click here.
Save Riverbank 
NYSR – A Look At How Senators Relate in Albany
April 27, 2010
Lewis Burgess
The scene is in the Senate Chamber where there is a discussion on the fourth extender bill before the Senate votes to pass or not. The context is not a discussion about the budget, budget items or budget negotiations. It is time to discuss and vote on Bill 7605 before the Senate. But political frustration comes to the floor and takes over for 17 minutes and 51 seconds as seen in the videos below. The full uncut Senate video is found here. The Bill 7605 section begins approximately at 1:36:20 and ends with the bill passing at 2:13:32.
In the first video, on April 26th, Senator John DeFrancisco asks Senator Carl Kruger, Senate Finance Chair, a series of questions that aim to start an open conversation about the status and content of budget negotiations. Amazingly, Senator DeFrancisco admits that the only thing he knows about the current negotiations is from rumors and from what he reads in news articles such as those found in the Ithaca Journal. There is not a great deal of information there. So, this means that if we read news reports online and in print, ordinary citizens around the State know as much or more than Senator DeFrancisco and perhaps a host other Senators on both sides of the aisle. How is that possible?
Senator Kruger’s reticent responses to the questions indicate that such open discussions in a public Senate venue are not part of the budget negotiation process during the bill approving process. Senator Kruger patiently and reservedly responds but does not answer Senator DeFranscisco’s questions to that Senator’s satisfaction or to anyone’s satisfaction for that matter.
In the second video, Senator DeFrancisco expresses his dissatisfaction with Senator Kruger’s answers as non-responsive and goes on to criticize the current budget process and the Democrats. Senator Kruger rises to defend himself and interjects to get a chance to point out that the purpose they are about at the moment is to vote for or against the emergency extender Bill S.7605 that will appropriate funds for state payroll, payroll taxes, government operations, school aid, road construction, unemployment insurance, Medicaid, and medical care and assistance. Senator Kruger warns that failure to support the bill and not voting yea for it is an irresponsible act. DeFrancisco does not answer Kruger’s questions directly, says he will not support the extender in the current process of budget negotiations and instead argues for open, public, lawful budget negotiations and will support the extender if that happens. Kruger brings up the case of Michigan’s failure to approve an extender and the immediate consequences that followed four hours afterwards.
In the third video, the debate at cross purposes continues but with only DeFrancisco continuing on with the focus on the irresponsibility of the Democratic Majority. He will vote no, encourages others to do so on the basis of the closed door budget process and not the merits or necessity of the extender bill. The negative vote is not a vote against the extender, but a protest against the existing budget process with closed door meetings and in opposition to the 2007 reforms.
In the uncut version, Senator John Flanagan and Senator Carl Marcellino ask questions, argue facts, protest the closed door process, lack of information, open dialogue, and “three men in a room” and say they will vote against the bill.
The bill eventually passes 44-17.
Budget negotiations remain a closed door, deadlocked affair.
Nothing has changed.
WHERE ARE WE NOW?
Other than approving a fourth extender bill that will fund the state payroll through May 2, authorize $2.57 billion in education aid, allocate $40 million for federally funded road construction projects, and distribute hundreds of millions for government operations, unemployment insurance, Medicaid, and medical care and assistance, Legislators and the Governor are deadlocked.
Governor Paterson adamantly insists on his spending cuts and increases in revenues (tax on beverage syrup and cigarettes and wine sales in grocery stores) and no borrowing whatsoever to close the $9.2 billion deficit. He is now calling for a yes/no vote on the newest version of his Executive Budget.
The Democratic Assembly and Senate do not accept the extent of Governor Paterson’s cuts to education, healthcare, parks, etc. and his revenue generating proposals to the tune of $3.2 billion. There is also no agreement between the Senate and Assembly on what to cut and by how much and how to raise revenues. The debate about borrowing up to $2 billion dollars to close the budget gap and borrowing (refinancing tobacco bonds) to distribute a property tax rebate to seniors goes on.
The Republicans are saying no to the whole deal making budget process and feel kicked out and voted down and are dropping out with complaint and some with finger pointing. Special interest groups are lobbying hard and the looming election has legislators considering their futures now in fear and in relation to Andrew Cuomo’s possible bid to become Governor. Add the usual opaqueness that surrounds Albany legislative wheeling and dealing to all of the above and we citizens see a dysfunctional state government in inaction with only tid bits of info about what is actually going on in Albany. This same story has been repeated almost verbatim for the past 27 days.
Even so, we have to weigh in for our interests. We cannot be complacent. Our voices must be loud and clear now.
WHAT CAN I DO?
Call – Call and write Governor David Paterson, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Democratic Conference Leader John Sampson and tell them not to cut Riverbank; too many people will suffer for so little gain. Help your family, relatives and friends to make calls to the Governor and these legislators. Their contact info is below.
Sign – Sign the petition at the Park and online – have others do the same
Buy – Buy a “Save Riverbank” t-shirt and wear it – spread the word.
Become a Facebook Fan – http://tinyurl.com/yhmlbb8
VOLUNTEER! – save.riverbank@yahoo.com
GOVERNOR DAVID PATERSON
Email/web contact page: http://www.state.ny.us/governor/contact/GovernorContactForm.php
Mailing Address:
State Capital
Albany, New York 12224
518-474-8390
ASSEMBLYMAN SHELDON SILVER
Speaker of the New York State Assembly
Email address:speaker@assembly.state.ny.us
web contact page: http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=064&sh=contact
District Office
250 Broadway
Suite 2307
New York, NY 10007
Tel: 212-312-1420
Albany Office
Legislative Office Building 932
Albany, NY 12248
Tel: 518-455-3791
SENATOR JOHN L. SAMPSON
Democratic Conference Leader
Email address: sampson@senate.state.ny.us
web contact page: http://www.nysenate.gov/senator/john-l-sampson/contact
District Office:
1222 East 96th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11236
Tel: 718-649-7653
Fax: 718-649-7661
Albany Office:
409 Legislative Office Building
Albany, NY 12247
Tel: 518-455-2788
Fax: 518-426-6806
Sample Telephone Script 1:
Hi, my name is (your name) and I’m calling from (your address). Please say NO! to ALL of the proposed cuts to Riverbank State Park. Riverbank contributes to our mental, social and physical well-being as well as the local economy. Please know that Riverbank is a part of my way of life and my family’s and not simply a park that we occasionally visit. That’s why I urge you to restore all Riverbank funding, hours and programming. Thank you.
Sample Telephone Script 2:
Hi, my name is (your name) and I’m calling from (your address). Please say NO! to ALL of the proposed cuts to Riverbank State Park. Riverbank was built to compensate the surrounding community for the unsightly and (still sometimes) SMELLY sewage treatment plant, which cuts it off from the Hudson for half a mile. The State MUST HONOR this compact; it’s not a favor! Thanks.