10/29/2015

Assembly Passes Big Ugly, Legislature Adjourns

Big Ugly Passes Senate

Here and Now

Assembly Passes Big Ugly, Legislature Adjourns

Lawmakershave left the state capitol after members from both chambers
overwhelmingly supported a final agreement between Governor Cuomo and legislative
leaders.
The Senate approved the measure earlier in the night, followed by the Assembly just
before midnight in a vote of 122 13.
A handful of Republicans and at least one Democrat opposed the final measure.
Assemblyman Charles Barron said the agreement doesnt guarantee enough
protections for tenants in New York City.
Rent protections, not there I dont think, 421-a program shouldve been scrapped,
Barron said on the Assembly floor. When I look at this bill I am disappointed and I
know you think in negotiations you go as far as you think. We can talk about the
Republican senate, the governor. To me, the governor is a disgrace to this state.
Others, including those in the minority looked to the cost-saving measures for
taxpayers as a positive.
For me, the fact that we are able to extend the property tax cap, that we are providing
some relief to our property tax payers despite the fact we couldve done so much more
with significant mandate relief, Assemblyman Bob Oaks said on the floor. My choice
tonight is going to be voting in the positive.
The final vote marks the end of this years legislative session. Lawmakers are due back
in January.
In his closing remarks, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said that whilethe past few
months have been a challenge, the outcome was worth it.
After this session our families are stronger, our schools are stronger, and our
communities are stronger. Heastie said. It truly is a testament to the hard work and
dedication of the women and men on both sides of the aisle.
Heasties counterpart in the Republican-led Senate had much of the same to say. In
his closing, Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan touched on his working relationship
with Governor Cuomo since he assumed the leadership role just last month.
We have had a tumultuous couple of weeks for sure but at the end of the day we
worked closely together, we worked well together, certainly disagreements, Flanagan
said. He is tenacious, as he will often tell people, and I look forward to working with
him again.
On Heastie, Flanagan had no complaints.

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10/29/2015

Assembly Passes Big Ugly, Legislature Adjourns

Carl Heasties a good guy, hes a gentlemen, Flanagan said. Hes a fair broker, he
certainly was very passionate on issues like rent and certainly issues involving the city
of New York. He has been good to work with, plain and simple.
Flanagan pointed to a few of the chambers major victories, like the historic increase in
education aid included in this years budget, along with movement on the Womens
Equality Agenda.
The log-jam on that broke, Flanagan said. We passed all the bills and we got a lot of
cooperation from the Assembly.
Flanagan even hinted at an issue hes planning to make a priority in the Senate next
year: organ donation.
We are 50th in the country, which is abysmal, Flanagan said. For as progressive of a
state as we are, and the things that we advocate I find it reprehensible that we are not
better at that subject matter, at that issue, and I would hope that my colleagues would
think about that very seriously.
For now, lawmakers will return to their districts more than a week after the legislative
session was originally scheduled to end.
In the final days of session, lawmakers were able to tackle key issues like rent control,
education reform, and an extension to the states property tax cap. But others didnt
make the final cut, including the governors education tax credit, a hike in the states
minimum wage, and an agreement on pension forfeiture.
Whether lawmakers will take any significant action on those issues next year is unclear
members from both chambers are up for re-election the following November.

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This entry was posted by Dan Clark on June 26, 2015 at 1:07 am, and is filed
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