Plugged In @ Hinman Straub – May 29, 2018

Coverage of Albany and New York State government

  • Democrats, Republicans Hold State Nominating Conventions
  • Governor Issues First Group of Conditional Pardons, Restoring Voting Rights to Over 24,000
  • Governor Vows to Toughen State Gun Laws
  • Governor Announces Empire Discovery Institute
  • Federal Government Plans to Limit SALT Workarounds
  • Political Update
  • Coming Up

Democrats, Republicans Hold State Nominating Conventions

Both of the state’s major political parties held their state party nominating conventions this week.  The Democrats met on Long Island, while Republicans met in Manhattan. While the two parties have designated their candidates for the statewide offices that are being contested in November, party members can get on the primary ballot through a petitioning process – collecting a requisite number of signatures of parity members.

New York State’s federal primaries will be held on Tuesday, June 26, its state primaries on Thursday, September 13, and the general election on Tuesday, November 6.

Republicans

The state Republican Party nominated Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro as its candidate for Governor on Tuesday. Before assuming that office in 2012, Molinaro served in the state Assembly.

He criticized Gov. Cuomo for building a $30 million campaign war chest while giving out billions of dollars in corporate grants and tax breaks. He also promised to reshape the state’s income tax code while promising – in the coming weeks — a comprehensive plan to cut local property taxes.

Molinaro has selected Julie Killian to be his running mate. She is a former City of Rye councilwoman who lost races for the State Senate in 2016 and in a special election last month.

The Republicans also nominated Keith Wofford to their candidate for Attorney General. Wofford, a Buffalo native, earned his bachelor’s degree from Harvard College and his law degree from Harvard Law School. He is co-managing partner at law firm Ropes & Gray, a large New York law firm office that focuses on bankruptcy and creditors’ rights.  He has never run for public office before.

The GOP also nominated political operative Jonathan Trichter as the party’s state Comptroller candidate.

Democrats

State Democratic Party delegates voted overwhelmingly for two-term incumbent Andrew Cuomo.  He gained 95 percent of the vote over actor Cynthia Nixon, who received just under 5 percent.  But Nixon, who is challenging Cuomo from the political left and has already gained the support of the Working Families Party, said she will collect the petition signatures necessary to get on the September primary ballot.

For Lt. Governor, incumbent Kathy Hochul gained the party’s support.  She is serving her first term in that office.  New York City Councilman Jumaane Williams said that he plans to petition to get on the ballot.

Incumbent State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, who has served in that position since 2007, gained unanimous support from delegates.

New York City Public Advocate Letitia James gained the support of most party delegates. James won 85 percent of the delegate count to win the party’s nomination, finishing ahead of Leecia Eve, who served in the Cuomo Administration and as Counsel to Hillary Clinton, and Zephyr Teachout, a law professor and liberal activist.  Both Eve and Teachout said that they plan to circulate petitions to get onto the ballot.

Governor Issues First Group of Conditional Pardons, Restoring Voting Rights to Over 24,000

On Tuesday, Gov. Cuomo announced that he has issued the first group of conditional pardons that restore the right of New Yorkers who are currently on parole to vote.  According to the Governor, 24,086 people will be impacted. The pardons follow an Executive Order the Governor issued in April.

Gov. Cuomo said:

“The right to vote is fundamental and it is unconscionable to deny that basic right of citizenship to New Yorkers who have paid their debt to society.  Restoring a voice to men and women reentering their communities will strengthen our democracy, as well as the reentry process, which in-turn will help reduce recidivism.”

Governor Vows to Toughen State Gun Laws

In his speech accepting the state Democratic Party’s nomination for Governor, Gov. Cuomo promised to push for additional gun laws.

He said that he will push for legislation to raise the age to purchase firearms in New York to 21.  He also said that he will try to increase the waiting period for some gun purchase background checks to 10 days, up from the current three, and to enact a “red flag” gun law that would make it easier to confiscate guns from people considered a threat to themselves and others.

Governor Announces Empire Discovery Institute

On Thursday, Gov. Cuomo announced the formation of the Empire Discovery Institute (EDI), partnership of three “academic, research and clinical institutions that will leverage academic and industry resources and expertise to accelerate life science research through early-phase drug development.”  The new entity “will expedite the pathway toward successful licensing and commercialization of early drug discovery research, creating new revenue, new companies and new jobs, while capitalizing on New York’s leadership as a vibrant life science cluster and hub for early-stage discovery.”

The EDI is a not-for-profit drug discovery and development collaborative formed by the University of Rochester, University at Buffalo, and Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center,

Gov. Cuomo said:

“New York is home to world-leading institutions producing cutting-edge research, advancements, and breakthroughs in human health,” Governor Cuomo said. “The Empire Discovery Institute will harness New York’s wealth of academic capital and provide the resources needed to bring life-changing discoveries out of the lab and into the economy, generating new jobs, new companies and new investments in the growing life sciences sector.”

Federal Government Plans to Limit SALT Workarounds

Last Wednesday, Treasury Department and IRS said that they plan to propose regulations addressing the federal income tax treatment of certain payments that allow taxpayers to claim a federal credit against their state and local taxes, according to a notice from the agencies.

The regulations will cover laws that some states, including New York, have passed or are considering that would allow their residents to get around the $10,000 ceiling on the federal deduction for state and local taxes. As part of the state’s 2018-19 budget, New York passed a law to let taxpayers contribute to state charities in lieu of some taxes, which would come with a federal deduction.

The notice states:

“Despite these state efforts to circumvent the new statutory limitation on state and local tax deductions, taxpayers should be mindful that federal law controls the proper characterization of payments for federal income tax purposes….The proposed regulations will make clear that the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code, informed by substance-over-form principles, govern the federal income tax treatment of such transfers.”

In a statement, Gov. Cuomo said:

“The federal government passed a disastrous tax bill that put corporations over people and specifically targeted New York and other Democratic states with the elimination of full state and local tax deductibility…. “Make no mistake: We have been and will continue to fight against this economic missile with every fiber of our being. The IRS should not be used as a political weapon, and I urge this administration to stop its partisan assault on New Yorkers and instead work with us to deliver real, lasting relief for hardworking families.”

Political Update

Working Families Party Designates Candidates for State Offices

At its statewide convention last Saturday, the liberal Working Families Party (WFP) designated Cynthia Nixon as its candidate for Governor, as well as New York City Councilman Jumaane Williams for Lt. Governor and state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli for another term at Comptroller.

For Attorney General, the party designated a placeholder, indicating that it will ultimate endorse the winner of a potential Democratic primary between Letitia James and Zephyr Teachout.

The WFP’s decision not to endorse Gov. Cuomo for a third term as Governor – saying that he “represents a wing of the Democratic Party that is out of touch with what voters want right now” – sets up the possibility of a three way gubernatorial race in November.  While most political observers see Nixon’s bid for office as a long shot, some Republicans see it as creating an opportunity for their candidate, Marc Molinaro.

Skoufis Launches Run for State Senate

Last week, Assemblyman James Skoufis (D-Woodbury) announced that he will run for the 39th State Senate seat that is being vacated by Senator Bill Larkin (R-Cornwall-On-Hudson). The district includes parts of Orange, Rockland and Ulster counties. (Watch a video of his campaign launch here.)

Two Republicans have announced that they are running for the seat — Thomas Basile, a Stony Point town councilman, and Michael Anagnostakis, and Orange County legislator from the Town of Newburgh.

This race is expected to one of the handful of competitive races that could determine control of the narrowly-divided Senate in. 2019. As such, it is expected to be an expensive and high profile one.

The 39th Senate District includes parts of Orange, Ulster and Rockland counties.

Winners & Losers

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

Coming Up

The Legislature is in session on Wednesday and Thursday this week.

On May 30, the Senate committees on Labor and Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business are holding a public hearing to examine the state’s Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBE) program, and consider potential legislative solutions to create a more effective and efficient program to enhance New York’s business climate.

The state Board of Regents holds its next meeting on June 11 and 12.

The Public Service Commission (PSC) holds its next meeting on June 14.

The 2018 state legislative session is scheduled to end on June 20.

The state Board of Elections holds its next meeting on June 25.

The Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) holds its next meeting on June 26.