Maybe I should call it "The End of Chaos in Albany", but I'm too cynical to believe that the chaos is ultimately over...
Back in early June, I posted about the coup in NY State's Senate, and about how the balance of Dems and the GOP had gone from 32-30, D-R, to 30-32, D-R, with two Democrats being flipped.
Within a week one flipped back, making it a deadlocked stalemate for about three weeks--absolutely nothing was getting done. But, let's remember, this is New York State, so really, nothing getting done is pretty much par-for-course.
Well, since nobody could find a solution, Governor Paterson decided to get creative. David Paterson had been Lt. Governor and ascended to the throne when Spitzer stepped down...ahh, Elliot...but, he's been running the state without a Lt. Gov of his own.
One of the Lt. Gov's jobs, like the VP in the Executive branch of the federal government, is to be able to break stalemates within the (State) Senate. There is also an obscure rule that the Governor can appoint people to vacant offices, but there is a great debate going on here to see if that means they can appoint Lt. Governors. Well, Gov. Paterson appointed a Democrat as Lt. Governor, who looked ready to enter the deadlocked State Senatorial fracas and get something passed before lawsuits end his reign as Lt. Gov (as will probably happen anyway) when, low and behold, the other flipper flipped back.
Now it's back to where it was before the coup, 32 Ds-30 Rs.
Now that that's better, clear sailing from here on out, right?
Today on the radio, I heard a story lamenting California's bankrupt state and how it was all due to the Propsitions that had been passed by the electorate. How Prop 13 curtailed property taxes from being raised everytime the legislature wanted a raise to Prop 98 that mandated that 40% of the general fund be dedictated to Education.
ReplyDeleteAre these wise? Well, I did vote for both proposals, my feeling was if the elected officials could not save my rental unit from having the rent go up to accomadate the tax increase and save my children's education then it looked like I had to do it myself.
It is 13 days past the day the budget had to be passed, state workers are being paid with IOU's, and get to take Fridays off now without pay, but once the budget is passed all the Assembly men and women and the Senators will get their back pay, back franking AND back per dieum. That is outrageous. Get your job done ON TIME and for the betterment of the state or find a real job!!!
Yes, I'm cranky.