Dear Editor:
Your Feb. 2 editorial was no surprise for those of us who observe the Albany state legislature (the editorial is available online at www.times newsweekly.com).
Democratic State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Senate Democrats along with Republican State Assembly minority leader Brian Kolb have nothing to fear from an independent reapportionment. Based upon the State Board of Elections registration figures as of Nov. 1, 2011, New York continues to evolve into an overwhelming Democratic bastion. Consider that there are 5,660,246 Democrats versus 2,824,680 Republicans, 2,325,786 blank (unaffiliated) and 434,752 Independence Party registered voters. Democrats outnumber Republicans by 2,835,568.
Only Republican State Senate Majority leader Dean Skelos, with a slim one vote margin, is nervous about the future of his caucus. There are just not enough registered Republicans left to gerrymander a majority of Senate seats in his favor. Real reform can only come to Albany with honest competitive elections as supported by former New York City Mayor Ed Koch and his New York Uprising movement.
Our current State Assembly, Senate and Congressional district lines look like a jigsaw puzzle. Every 10 years, after the census, district lines have to be redrawn.
Past Republican State Senate majority leaders, the late Warren Anderson, Ralph Marino, and Joe Bruno cut deals with past Democratic State Assembly Speakers Stanley Steingut, Stanley Fink, Mel Miller, Saul Weprin and Silver. These political back room arrangements were a quid pro quo deal preserving the status quo. Each gave the other unlimited freedom to protect and expand their respective majorities in each legislative house they controlled.
Everyone knows that Speaker Silver rules the Assembly with an iron hand. He controls whose bills come out of committee to a full vote, lulus for chairing committees, funding for member-item pork barrel projects, staffing, mailings and district office budgets. Skelos has similar powers in his chamber.
As two of the infamous “Three Men In the Room,” change will only come to Albany with an honest reapportionment and election of a new Speaker and Senate majority leader.
There is still time for political redemption. The only power voters have is in 2012 when the incumbent members of the legislature are up for re-election. If they don’t deliver between now and then, the way to obtain real change is to fire those incumbents. Perhaps it is time to give a new generation of elected officials a chance.
Larry Penner
Great Neck
