Plugged In @ Hinman Straub – May 10, 2017

Coverage of Albany and New York State government

  • Governor Blasts ‘Ultraconservatives’ After House Vote on Health Care
  • Governor Looks to Expedite Court of Appeals Nomination
  • Governor Announces Anti-Gang Violence Efforts
  • State Education Department Releases Revised English and Math Learning Standards
  • Business, Labor Groups Announce New Affordable Energy Coalition
  • Counties Again Call for Mandate Relief
  • Senate Democrats Attempt to Force Action on Bill Requiring Trump to Release Tax Returns
  • Political Update
  • Coming Up

Governor Blasts ‘Ultraconservatives’ After House Vote on Health Care

After the House of Representatives approved legislation to repeal Obamacare, Gov. Cuomo said that the revised federal law would blow a multi-billion dollar hole in the state budget, cost the cost state and local governments and New York’s hospitals $4.5 billion dollars, and cause as many as 1 million New Yorkers to lose their health care coverage.

In a statement, Gov. Cuomo said:

“Ultraconservatives in Washington have pushed through the House an unconscionable piece of legislation that threatens to tear apart our health care system. Far from improving our health care, the Republican plan will strip millions of Americans of their coverage, raise costs for the sick, the elderly, and those with pre-existing conditions, and penalize progressive states that protect the rights of women….This bill is a targeted assault against our values, punishing New Yorkers because we support women’s reproductive rights and including the Collins/Faso amendment which would devastate the state’s health care industry, put millions of New Yorkers at risk, and increase the total cost of this bill on New York to $6.9 billion.”

Governor Looks to Expedite Court of Appeals Nomination

On Friday, Gov. Cuomo issued a statement calling on the state’s Commission on Judicial Nomination to “accelerate the process” of recruiting, vetting and recommending candidates to fill the vacancy created by last month’s death of Court of Appeals Judge Sheila Abdus-Salaam.

The Commission on Judicial Nomination originally planned to solicit applications through May 19, and to make a recommendation to Cuomo by August 15.

The Governor said that he wants to make his nomination in time to allow the State Senate to take up confirmation before the conclusion of this year’s legislative session at the end of June.

It is not clear whether the Commission will follow through on the Governor’s request.

Governor Announces Anti-Gang Violence Efforts

Last week, Gov. Cuomo announced a series of efforts to address gang violence in Albany and Rochester.  He highlighted state funding for the SNUG and Gun Involved Violence Elimination initiatives, and said that the state will deploy additional State Police to launch expanded patrols, as well as support ongoing anti-gang efforts through undercover operations.

Gov. Cuomo said:

“In coordination with our local and federal partners, the New York State Police works vigilantly to crack down on gang violence and safeguard our communities,” Governor Cuomo said. “By investing new resources to prevent gun violence and stop gang activity, we are doubling down on our efforts to protect neighborhoods throughout the region and build a stronger, safer New York for all.”

State Education Department Releases Revised English and Math Learning Standards

Last Tuesday, State Education Department (SED) released revised New York State P-12 English Language Arts and Mathematics Learning Standards that will be presented to the Board of Regents for discussion on May 9.

SED released the draft learning standards for public comment in September 2016, and received more than 4,100 public comments.  The Board of Regents is expected to vote on the revised standards at its June meeting.

Board of Regents Chancellor Betty Rosa said:

“The new learning standards are the result of a thoughtful and deliberative process to reimagine our educational framework for English language arts and mathematics.  The result will be improved teaching and learning in New York’s classrooms, with a greater emphasis on supporting English language learners, students with disabilities and other special populations. These standards are rigorous and will help equip children to lead successful lives in the 21st century.”

Business, Labor Groups Announce New Affordable Energy Coalition

Last week, a number of groups announced the launch of a new coalition, New Yorkers for Affordable Energy, which “supports access to cleaner, reliable and affordable sources of energy for residential and business consumers.” The group wants to increase access to natural gas for manufacturing facilities, power production, transportation, and other purposes to support New York’s economy and quality of life.

James Cahill, President of the NYS Building & Construction Trades Council, said:

“New York is at a crossroads in terms of energy policy. Demand for energy is increasing at a time when the state’s aging infrastructure is already straining to meet the needs of consumers and businesses. Increasing access to affordable energy will help create jobs and lower energy costs for New Yorkers.”

The coalition’s efforts, which will not include lobbying, will focus on the expansion of natural gas service to bring more affordable heat and electricity to New York homes and businesses, and to keep energy prices as low as possible for consumers.

Counties Again Call for Mandate Relief

Last week, the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) reiterated its call for the state “to provide much-needed help to counties through mandate relief measures.”

NYSAC President William Cherry, the Schoharie County Treasurer, said:

“This year’s Mayday for Mandate Relief campaign is focused on one thing: We call on State Lawmakers enact this “no new unfunded mandate legislation.  Legislators need to acknowledge their role in high property taxes, and then they need to pass this bill to take the first incremental step in helping their partners in local governments protect our homeowners and businesses from runaway state mandates.”

NYSAC is urging the Legislature to approve S.2323 (Griffo)/A.2922 (Brindisi), which would require the state to fully fund the cost of any new mandate or the expansion of an existing mandate that is placed on local governments or schools.

Senate Democrats Attempt to Force Action on Bill Requiring Trump to Release Tax Returns

Democrats in the State Senate were unsuccessful in their effort to advance a bill that would require the disclosure of the tax returns of presidential candidates and those seeking statewide office in New York.  Any candidate who refused to do so would be barred from running.

On Monday, the bill was defeated in the Senate Elections Committee.  On Tuesday, Senator Brad Hoylman (D-Manhattan) tried to attach the language to an organ donation bill, but the effort failed to gain a majority of votes.

Senator Hoylman said:

“The people have the right to know if this president is benefiting from federal policy, whether this president is actually creating conflicts of interest, whether this president is putting national interests behind his personal interests.”

Political Update

Preview of the Special Election in the 9th Assembly District

Republican Tom Gargiulo and Democrat Christine Pellegrino are facing off in a May 23rd special election to fill the vacancy that was created when Republican Joseph Saladino resigned to become Oyster Bay Town supervisor.

Gargiulo is a retired BOCES teacher and Wyandanch girls’ basketball coach.  Pellegrino is an elementary school teacher and a leader in the Opt Out movement that opposes Common Core testing in public schools.

State Senator Suspends Campaign for NYC Mayor

Last Thursday, State Senator Tony Avella (D-Queens) announced that he is dropping out of the race for New York City mayor.

Former NYC Councilmember to Challenge Incumbent Democratic Senator

Former New York City Councilman Robert Jackson announced that he plans to challenge incumbent State Senator Marisol Alcantara, who is a member of the Independent Democratic Conference (IDC).

Jackson lost to Alcantara last November in a three-way race.  The other candidate in that race, Micah Lasher, said that he will support Jackson in 2018.

The Senate’s mainline Democrats want very badly to win this seat back from the IDC, as the IDC has grown from five to eight members since the 2016 legislative session.

Winners & Losers

Each week, City & State New York publishes a list of the week’s political “winners” and “losers.”  Read this week’s list here.

Coming Up

On May 11, the Assembly committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions is holding a public hearing in Manhattan on “the impact of Amtrak’s New York Penn Station Infrastructure Renewal Program on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), and New York commuters.

May 16 is the annual school budget vote and school board elections throughout the state, except in Albany, Buffalo, New York City, Rochester, Syracuse and Yonkers.

The Public Service Commission (PSC) holds its next meeting on May 18.

The special elections to fill vacancies in the 30th Senate District (Manhattan) and the 9th Assembly District (Nassau/Suffolk) are scheduled for May 23.

The Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) holds its next meeting on May 23.

The State Board of Elections holds its next meeting on June 1.