Plugged In @ Hinman Straub – November 6, 2018

What’s Inside

  • Governor Announces Funding to Secure Non-Public Schools, Cultural Centers
  • Governor Announces Funding to Combat MS-13 Gang Violence on Long Island
  • Court: State Law Permitting Daily Fantasy Sports Violates State Constitution
  • Overview of Key State Senate Races
  • Gubernatorial Candidates Debate – Without Cuomo
  • Attorney General Candidates Debate
  • Comptroller Candidates Debate
  • Winners & Losers
  • Coming Up

Governor Announces Funding to Secure Non-Public Schools, Cultural Centers

Last Tuesday, Gov. Cuomo announced that the state is accepting applications for a grant program to protect the state’s non-public schools and cultural centers, including religious-based institutions.  The program, which will distributed $10 million in this round of awards, provides funding to help strengthen security measures and help prevent hate crimes or attacks against these facilities because of their ideology, beliefs or mission.

Gov. Cuomo said:

“Here in New York, our diversity of races, cultures, religions and beliefs has always been our greatest strength and we need to protect that legacy.  Hate crimes have no place in New York and this funding will help those who are targeted due to their ideology, beliefs, or mission to take additional steps to increase the security of their facilities and keep our communities safe.”

Governor Announces Funding to Combat MS-13 Gang Violence on Long Island

Last Monday, Gov. Cuomo announced that the state will provide $20 million to combat MS-13 gang activity on Long Island. Specifically, $15 million in capital funding will support the creation of a new community hub; $2.5 million will go to improving park safety through the installation of new lighting and surveillance cameras; $1 million will be used for new surveillance cameras and other law enforcement technology to assist Suffolk County Police Department; $1 million will support apprenticeship programs; and $500,000 will go to mental health and social services programs across Long Island.

Gov. Cuomo said:

“MS-13 is a scourge that has taken too many young lives and affected too many innocents.  Public safety is job one, and every child, every parent, has to know that we are protecting their life, and their liberty. Any group, any thug that would kill children, that is a public safety risk like no other, and we’re going to respond with the most sophisticated, coordinated public safety response that we have had.”

Court: State Law Permitting Daily Fantasy Sports Violates State Constitution

Last Monday, a state judge struck down a 2016 state law that legalized daily fantasy sports (DFS) in New York State. That law classified daily fantasy sports – contests in which players compete by building rosters of professional athletes in a particular sport — are games of skill, not games of chance, which are banned in the constitution.

The court found that that DFS contests, while relying on some skill from its users, also incorporate an element left entirely to chance—the performance of the athletes.  The court found that such contests are not permitted under the state constitution.

The state is expected to appeal the decision, which will allow DFS companies to continue operating in the state.

Overview of Key State Senate Races

New York’s biggest and most contested prize this election season is control of the State Senate. With the exception of two brief periods – 1965 and 2009-10 – the Republicans have controlled the state Senate since 1939.

The Republicans, with only 31 members as of this writing, have been able to maintain control of the New York’s 63-member State Senate only because they have the support of Brooklyn Democrat Simcha Felder.

But a Democratic net gain of just one seat in the November 6th elections will swing control to the Democratic Party in 2019.  If this happens, it is expected to have significant impacts on Albany budget and policymaking.

Some key State Senate races to watch include:

  • Senate District 3 (Suffolk County) – Republican Assemblyman Dean Murray and Suffolk County Legislator Monica Martinez are vying to replace Republican Tom Croci, who returned to military service. While the Democrats have a slight enrollment advantage in this district, President Trump won it in 2016 by 6 percentage points.
  • SD 4 (Suffolk County) – Incumbent Republican Senator Phil Boyle has represented this district since 2012. He is being challenged by former Suffolk County Legislator Louis D’Amaro. While the Democrats have a slight enrollment advantage in this district, President Trump won it in 2016 by 8.1 percentage points.
  • SD 5 (Nassau and Suffolk) – This is a rematch of one of 2016’s closest races. Republican Carl Marcellino has held the seat for 23 years.  He defeated James Gaughran, the Suffolk County Water Authority chairman, by just over one percent.  The Democrats have a slight enrollment advantage in the district, which Hillary Clinton won in 2016 by 3 percentage points. The Democrats view this seat as one of their best “pick up” opportunities.
  • SD 7 (Nassau County) – Freshman Republican Elaine Phillips, who previously served as mayor of the village of Flower Hill, is being challenged by North Hempstead councilwoman Anna Kaplan. The Democrats have a large enrollment advantage in this district, which Hillary Clinton won by 12.8 percentage points in 2016.
  • SD 22 (Brooklyn) – Republican Marty Golden, who was first elected in 2001, is being challenged by Andrew Gounardes, Counsel to the Brooklyn Borough President. Golden easily defeated Gounardes in 2012. While the Democrats have a large enrollment advantage in the district, President Trump won it by 0.7 percentage points in 2016.
  • SD 39 (Orange and Rockland counties) – Democratic Assemblyman James Skoufis and Republican Tom Basile, who serves on the Stony Point Town Board, are competing to replace retiring Republican Senator Bill Larkin. Skoufis is viewed as a strong candidate with high name recognition.  Democrats have an enrollment advantage in the district, but President Trump won it by 3.5 percentage points in 2016.
  • SD 42 (Orange, Ulster, Delaware and Sullivan counties) — Republican Ann Rabbitt, who currently serves as Orange County clerk and previously served in the state Assembly, is facing Democrat Jen Metzger in this open seat. The Democrats have a small enrollment advantage, but President Trump carried district by 5.2 percentage points in 2016.
  • SD 43 (Rensselaer, Saratoga, Washington and Columbia counties) – Republican Daphne Jordan, a member of the Halfmoon Town Board, and Democrat Aaron Gladd are facing off in the race to replace retiring Republican Kathy Marchione. The Republicans have an enrollment advantage in the district, which President Trump won in 2016 by 2.9 percentage points.
  • SD 50 (Onondaga and Cayuga counties) – Republican Robert Antonacci, who serves as Onondaga County Comptroller, and Democrat John Mannion, a high school biology teacher, are running to replace retiring Republican John DeFrancisco. Party enrollment in the district is nearly even; Hillary Clinton won the district by 5 percentage points in 2016.

Gubernatorial Candidates Debate – Without Cuomo

Last Thursday night, 4 of the 5 candidates for governor faced off in Albany at a debate hosted by the League of Women Voters.  Republican Marc Molinaro, independent Stephanie Miner, Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins and Libertarian Larry Sharpe debated in front of a crowd of roughly 100 people; only Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo chose not to participate.

Molinaro called for upstate communities to receive more attention from state government, and called for property tax relief by the state taking on the local share of Medicaid costs.

Miner called for the end of the Cuomo Administration’s economic development programs, urging investment in local infrastructure instead.

Hawkins said that he supports 100 percent clean energy in the state by 2030, which would create thousands of jobs; promised to address harmful algae blooms and lead and other contaminants in the state’s water; and would pay for his initiatives by raising taxes on the rich.

Sharpe called for a simpler tax code that is less onerous, and promised to reduce the size of the state government.

Watch the debate via Facebook here.

Governor Cuomo spent the week at various ribbon-cutting events, including a new cancer and medical research center at Stony Brook University and airport enhancements in Syracuse, Rochester, Elmira and Plattsburgh.

Attorney General Candidates Debate

Last Tuesday, Democrat Letitia James and Republican Keith Wofford, the leading candidates for state Attorney General, faced off in their only live televised debate before Election Day. (Watch the debate here.)

The Attorney General’s office became open in May when then-Attorney General Eric Schneiderman resigned in the wake of allegations of physical abuse by multiple women.  The Legislature chose Barbara Underwood to replace Schneiderman; she did not seek election for a full term.

New York City Public Advocate Letitia James is the frontrunner in the race.  James cited her experience as a state legislative staffer; as a New York City Council member; and as New York City Public Advocate.  James said that she will challenge the policies of the Trump administration; work to root out government corruption; will work with the governor and Legislature to enact ethics and campaign finance reforms; and promised to uphold protections for undocumented immigrants.

Keith Wofford is an attorney in private practice who specializes in bankruptcy and creditors rights. This is his first run for public office. He argues that the state’s next attorney general should not be a career politician but an independent professional. Wofford criticized James for being the governor’s “hand-picked” candidate who will not hold him and his administration accountable.

Comptroller Candidates Debate

Last Monday, incumbent Comptroller Tom DiNapoli and Republican challenger Jonathan Trichter met in a televised debate. (Watch the debate here.)

The two sparred over President Trump, the performance of the state’s pension funds and sexual harassment settlements.

Trichter called DiNapoli “an Albany insider” who has “protected the status quo.”  He said that the state pension fund, which DiNapoli has sole oversight of, has not performed as well as other large pension funds around the country.

DiNapoli defended his stewardship of the state’s pension fund, touted his office’s work in saving taxpayer money and fighting corruption in partnership with the New York Attorney General.

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

Today is Election Day.

On November 13, the New York State Compensation Commission holds its first meeting.

On November 15, the Assembly Elections Committee is holding a public hearing to “examine ways to improve access to voting, both in person and by absentee ballot, including through early voting and no-excuse absentee ballot reforms.

On November 16, the Assembly Environmental Conservation Committee is holding a public hearing in Albany “to examine recycling-related issues.”

On November 16, the Assembly Judiciary Committee is holding a public hearing in New York City “to examine the current status and potential expansion of electronic filing of court papers in New York.”

The Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) holds its next meeting on November 27.

On DeCember 14, the State Board of Elections meets.