The Orange County Chamber of Commerce held its first breakfast of 2010 at the Fountains at Wallkill. The room swelled with business leaders from across the county who came to hear from legislative leaders. What they received was a message that “three men in a room” decisions ”“ with three men deeply rooted in deep-pocketed New York City ”“ continue unabated in Albany.
State Assemblywomen Nancy Calhoun, R-Blooming Grove, Aileen Gunther, D-Forestburgh and Annie Rabbit, R-Greenwood Lake, joined state Sens. William Larkin, R-Cornwall-on-Hudson, and John Bonacic, R-New Hope, at the dais.
Who is to blame for the gridlock in Albany? With the Assembly outnumbered by Democrats and the Senate split in Democrats favor, none looked forward to returning to the legislative aisles to work on what Calhoun predicted would be more infighting, a bigger budget and no quick fixes to New York”™s fiscal crisis, particularly since federal recovery funding will end by December.
The worst pain will be felt by schools, “not good news,” said Calhoun, elected in 1990, saying there is $700 million available to the state for charter schools ”“ but to get that funding will mean accountability measured by test scores and students”™ performance. To date, New York outspends the nation ”“ No. 1 at $15,981 per student per year in 2007 ”“ and produces lower test scores than many of its less expensive counterparts, ranking 21st nationally in grade school tests, according to U.S. Census figures.
Larkin, senior member among the officials who has sat in the Capitol since 1990, reported the Division of Budget found the SUNY system had given $177 million in education funds to non-New Yorkers. “The opposition tells us, ”˜You don”™t want diversity.”™ If I send my grandchildren out of state, I pay full freight. Why should it be any different for anyone coming into New York?”
Gunther agreed the news from Albany was “not good,” but told constituents she intends to fight to keep important programs in place. For Rabbit, stopping mandates on business “is seldom heard or addressed on the Assembly floor ”“ business owners must follow ”˜the golden rule: pay yourself first”™ or they are soon out of business. But they need employees and cannot pay themselves and employees and grow as conditions stand now in the state.”
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Bonacic said small businesses have taken the hit long enough. “Farmers getting less for their products than it takes to produce them; Empire Zones cut; fees and licensing from automobiles to fishing disproportionate to the incomes here in the region. It”™s time to change the people in power. This is the year of the Super Bowl in politics; every seat is up for grabs.”
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Banacic cited 32 major authorities headed by appointees who do not need to pass a Civil Service test, asking how payment is measured or positions handed out. “Further, what happened to consolidation? We have criminal justice, department of corrections the parole division and probation: four separate agencies with 200 credit cards. Paterson will be able to consolidate some, but not all.”
Westchester and Long Island were chastised for buying into the MTA”™s mobility tax but praise for its new county executive, Republican Rob Astorino, was evident among the mid-Hudson political leaders. “Westchester wanted change, and they voted Spano out. If you want change, you vote. If you don”™t vote, don”™t complain,” said Larkin.
Clearly dissatisfied with Albany dysfunction was Aileen Gunther, the lone Democrat of the group, who was appointed to her late husband”™s (Jake Gunther) seat and has won re-election handily. “Six years ago, the budget was $92 billion. Today it is over $130 billion. Our Senate leadership is dysfunctional and a disgrace to the state last summer. Why do we need the Excelsior Program? What was wrong with the Empire Zone Program? Must it be thrown out and replaced? How are we going to attract business here when no one is sure how this program works and if it will work at all? You don”™t throw out a successful program because it needs tweaking. ”
All agreed New York faces losing two more seats in the U.S. House of Representatives when the 2010 Census is completed. “People are voting with their feet,” said Bonacic. “Why stay in New York when South Carolina, Florida and other places with fewer taxes can provide more spendable income?”
“It was a good opportunity to hear their views, and they had the opportunity to share their thoughts,” said Richard Struck, recently named economic development director of Orange & Rockland Utilities, headquartered in Pearl River, of which he is a 25-year veteran. “We”™ll have to see what the budget asks for and how far our officials in Albany will go to work together.”
John D”™Ambrosio took the opportunity after the meeting to quash rumors about his own leadership role. “I have no intention of leaving the presidency of the Orange County chamber and fully intend to stay until I am ready to retire,” he said.
