Quid pork quo - Westfair Communications

Sandy Galef is no longer the lone voice in the dark.

She has not always taken the popular route among her colleagues in the Assembly in Albany. From supporting consolidation of municipal services to making candidates”™ campaign contributions more transparent to voting against ”“ yes, against ”“ giving the MTA a huge bailout on the backs of businesses in the lower Hudson Valley via a payroll tax, she is now shining a light on member items ”“ aka legislative pork.

As she ventures into this hallowed realm, long venerated by lawmakers worldwide for its healing powers to soothe the chosen among the electorate, she is not alone.

Galef now has Assembly members Amy Paulin and George Latimer on her team ”“ the anti-pork barrel team.
It”™s not a team many are willing to join up with because it means abstaining from that financial balm that has helped many a politician get re-elected.

“I am happy that my colleagues are joining together to oppose discretionary spending as we deal with the unprecedented revenue deficit,” Galef said in announcing legislation that would ban member items in the 2010-11 state budget. “Eliminating member items for the next state fiscal year shows that we can make the difficult yet necessary decisions to benefit New York”™s future.”

Latimer and Paulin have apparently seen the light. Paulin”™s expenditures for the 2009-10 budget totaled $339,000. Latimer”™s total was $256,500. The totals for the two Assembly members includes items that they co-sponsored with each other or other legislators.

Their amounts, however, pale in comparison with state Sen. Suzi Oppenheimer, who is among the top porkers in the state. Her total for this budget year is $3 million.

She spread her bounty among 79 recipients across all strata of government and cultural groups, according to the Empire Center for New York State Policy; from $5,000 to the New Rochelle Opera for funding orchestra and singers for a production of “La Traviata” to $10,000 for the Constitution Education Foundation to engage students in the study of civics and government to $1.3 million to 13 school districts.

Other notables who did well at the Democrat-controlled Senate pork barrel were: Senate President Pro Tempore Malcolm Smith, $5.7 million; Deputy Majority Leader Jeff Klein, $5 million; Deputy President Pro Tempore David Valesky, $4.5 million; Vice Chair of the Finance Committee Liz Krueger, $4 million; Finance Chair Carl Kruger, $4 million; Sen. Bill Stachowski, $4 million; and Senate Conference Leader John Sampson D $3.04 million.
Andrea Stewart-Cousins was further down the list with $1 million.

If it appears that we”™re picking on the Democratic-controlled Senate it”™s because they voted along party lines for the MTA payroll tax. Several Democrats in the lower Hudson Valley delegation of the Assembly broke ranks in voting against the payroll tax. Along with Galef, they included, Adam Bradley, Ellen Jaffee, Frank Skardatos and Ken Zebrowski.

Over on the other side of the aisle, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver amassed $8.8 million in member items, but was outdone by Jeffrion Aubry with $10 million.

All tolled, the Senate had $84,953,600 in member items. The Assembly had $63,375,925.

Combined, that”™s a lot of pork.

Galef pointed out that while the recent passage of the Deficit Reduction Plan had a 12.5 percent cut in member items for 2009-10, her bill would get rid of them entirely for the following fiscal year.

“It is necessary for the Legislature to lead again as families around New York state have cut back on purchases that are not vital for the well-being of their families,” Galef said.

“It is time for New York to take that same approach and lead by example. Sacrifice is needed for New York to come out of the recession and sustain a strong foundation for its future.”

Leading by example might be a bit difficult for this dysfunctional Legislature.

Perhaps they can follow Galef”™s lead, doing what she was tasked to do when elected ”“ represent her constituents.

One other thing, Galef did not accept any member items this year or last.

Let”™s see the line form now behind her plan; it is an election year upcoming.