Budget Passed, But Critics Say

The latest budget in New York States history and an unproductive legislative session received an underwhelming appraisal this week from politicians and public groups, many of whom framed their responses by what was left undone in Albany rather than what was accomplished.
The State Senate and Assembly passed a $101.3 billion spending plan in late-night votes last Wednesday. After four months of delays, the quick turnaround was made possible by a request from the Senate for a "mandate of necessity," which allowed the Legislature to drop the state constitutions required three days of public review of the spending plan. The budgets quick passage, however, gave no time for the public or most voting politicians to examine its items.
"I am so sick of seeing dysfunctional coupled with Legislature," said State Senator Toby Stavisky, irked by the absence of public review and the number of items left unaddressed. "It was a very difficult experience voting on a bill that we had only a half hour before."
The State Senate made the request to the governor to expedite the vote and approved the spending plan first, giving it control of the timing of all overrides. The move is seen by some as a political maneuver to save the governor of any embarrassing squabbles during the Republican National Convention. It is still unclear if and what the governor will veto from the budget.
One state watchdog group, the Citizens Budget Commission (CBC), sharply criticized many one-time-only boosts to the budget, like the extension of the sales tax on clothes less than $110, rather than embracing permanent cost-cutting measures.
Also noticeably missing from the budget and the legislative session was a new formula on state aid to New York City and rural schools that had been mandated by the state appellate court in June 2003. As a result of the decision in the Campaign for Fiscal Equity (CFE) case, the state had until July 30, 2003, to readjust payments to traditionally shortchanged schools. When the legislature and the governor were unable to reach an agreement, three court-appointed special masters were authorized to devise an equitable formula.
Assemblyman Michael Gianaris blamed the governor for the budgets tardiness and the inability to address the CFE case. He remarked that once the July 30 deadline passed with a deadlock, the budget moved quickly because the governor was not involved.
"Unfortunately, the governor refused to negotiate with us," Gianaris told The Queens Courier, noting that despite the disagreement on the CFE case, the budget still included $700 million in new education funding, with $300 million earmarked for the city. "Its the second year that the governor was not party to the final budget."
Stavisky, a member of the Senates Education Committee, had introduced a hostile amendment to the budget that would have provided even more state funding to high-needs school districts, but the measure failed.
Also left off the table during the legislative session was the rewriting of the states capital punishment law, the Rockefeller drug laws and the states election system.
Despite the omissions, politicians and watchdog groups did chirp about some accomplishments in the budget and legislative session.
Stavisky lauded the passing of a bill that regulates and requires the licensing of assisted-living homes. She also said she hopes to see an override of the governors veto of the increase in the states minimum wage after the Republican convention.
Gianaris said he was pleased with the passage of a new tax credit that intends to attract more movie and television crews to New York City, particularly to Kaufman Astoria and Silvercup studios. The bill provides a 10% tax credit to film companies that do 75% of their production in New York.
The CBC was pleased with the state absorbing the full cost of the Family Health Plus Medicaid program and relieving them.
Stavisky also said she hoped that criticisms of the State Legislature recently illuminated in a report by the Brennan Center for Justice which called Albany "dysfunctional" would be addressed.
One solution, she said, is to push the budgets deadline to May 1. The measure has passed the Legislature but needs to pass in another session and as a ballot referendum. Stavisky said the current April 1 deadline does not give Legislature enough time to know how much money is available.
E-mail this reporter at jfanelli@queenscourier.com .