With the clock winding down on Mayoral Control and other critical legislation, the circus-like actions continued in Albany, with senators adjourning a special session Tuesday evening, June 30, without taking up any legislative business.
Governor David A. Paterson held a press conference in Albany in which Mayor Michael Bloomberg participated via satellite from New York City on Tuesday afternoon. Paterson reamed state senators for the inaction and follies during the past three weeks and their failure to pass legislation critical to the city.
“These people should hang their heads in shame,” Paterson said, referring to the 62 state senators. “They are now the do-nothing Senate.”
Shortly before Paterson’s press briefing, the Senate Democrats began holding a session with their 31 members, and reports surfaced that Queens Republican Senator Frank Padavan was in the Senate chambers for the session – giving the Democrats a quorum to begin passing legislation.
However, Padavan said he was passing through the Chamber trying to get to the lounge because he was blocked by a gaggle of reporters. Padavan said he never acknowledged the senate clerk to signify his attendance, and he had already made his way to the lounge prior to the session beginning.
“There are a number of adjectives that come to mind – childish, irresponsible, fraudulent petty silly, take your pick,” Padavan said, referring to the Democrats’ actions.
After the reports began to surface, Padavan called Governor Paterson and told him his story.
Paterson reemerged and announced he would not sign any legislation passed in the regular session the Democrats conducted.
During the Democrats’ session, they passed a number of bills, but one bill they voted down that has an impact on New York City is a .5 percent sales tax increase that would raise roughly $60 million a month in additional revenue for the city.
“Another $60 million out of our budget is going to be a problem, and we will start working with all of our agencies to see how we are going to address that,” Bloomberg said at a City Hall press conference on Wednesday, July 1.
The initial chaos in Albany erupted on Monday, June 8, when Bronx Democrat Pedro Espada Jr. and Queens Democrat Senator Hiram Monserrate voted with the Republicans in favor of a new coalition government – flipping the Senate Majority from 32-30 Democrats to 32-30 Republicans. Democrats contend that they adjourned the session prior to the vote, and a week later Monserrate flipped back to supporting the Democrats, creating a 31 to 31 tie and a stalemate that has continued through today.
For weeks, Senators from both sides have argued about who has control over the leadership of the Senate, and although both parties have proposed power sharing plans, no agreement has been reached.
“All we want to talk about right now is passing legislation and all the Senate Republicans want to talk about now is whether they successfully stole control of the Senate on June 8,” said Shams Tarek, a spokesperson for the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee.
