December 5, 2012 7:21 PM

End Game: The Zombie Apocalypse And Mayor Bloomberg's Pig-Shaped Pillow

BY Celeste Katz

Good evening...

U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) is taking aim at wasteful homeland security spending and has zeroed in on a zombie apocalypse training exercise as one prime example. (NYDN)

Detroit City Councilwoman JoAnn Watson thinks President Obama owes her city for his election victory – and it’s time to pay up. (NYDN)

The federal Consumer Product Safety Commission is going after the makers of the Nap Nanny baby recliner after five infant deaths. (NYDN)

Democratic sources say President Obama's preparing to ask Congress for far less federal funding than requested by states pummelled by Hurricane Sandy; officials call the figure premature. (AP)

Looks like that fit Karl Rove pitched on Election Night didn't help his TV career much. (NYDN)

The Senate may get treated to a screening of Lincoln. (NY Mag)

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End Game

December 5, 2012 6:43 PM

Black Leaders Rip Coalition Government Deal

BY Ken Lovett

Senate GOP Leader Dean Skelos says a new bipartisan power sharing deal is a model for the country--but some black leaders says it leaves minorities out in the cold.

A day after the Senate GOP and five renegade Dems agreed to jointly run the chamber, the Rev. Al Sharpton said the deal precludes the minority-heavy Democrats from leading despite winning as many as 33 of 63 seats.

There is only one black member among the Dems working with the GOP, compared to 15 black and Hispanic legislators in the traditional Democratic conference, Sharpton said.

He called it a “perversion of justice” that ignores tradition that the party with the most seats controls the chamber. He said It also denies minority lawmakers a chance to chair committees and set the agenda that matters to their constituents..

“This means that policy and resource discussion on issues such as Stop and Frisk, affordable housing and rebuilding the Rockaways after Hurricane Sandy will be led by Senators from Upstate New York rather than those Senators whose communities are most directly impacted by these policies and events,” he said.

“Moreover, it would be enormously troubling for any leader in this state to allow such a miscarriage of justice and obstruction of the will of the people to go forward,” Sharpton added.

Sen. Bill Perkins (D-Manhattan) agrees with Sharpton’s assessment.

“It’s a sham; I don’t believe it’s going to work,” Perkins said of the coalition.

Perkins also expressed disappointment in Gov. Cuomo for not doing more to help the Democrats gain control of the chamber.

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December 5, 2012 5:41 PM

Cuomo: Nobody Knows How Coalition Government Will Work

BY Ken Lovett

Gov. Cuomo says he’s willing to give the new Senate bipartisan coalition a chance, but has no idea if it will work.

“I don’t know,” he told reporters. “I don’t know. Obviously I want what the people of the state want, which is a government body that operates, that conducts itself professionally.”

“We’ve seen the alternative and it was terrible,” he said of the two years the Democrats headed the chamber. “Does this accomplish that? I don’t know. I don’t know that anybody knows. I don’t know that they know.”

“I get the concept, but we have to see how it actually works in practice. And if it functions well, that’s the first question. The second question is: ‘Did you vote on the bills that are important to the people of this state and did they pass or did they not pass.’”

Like in his op-ed piece for the Albany Times Union, Cuomo said neither the Dems when they were in charge nor the Republicans during their decades heading the chamber put through a progressive agenda.

He said the Democrats "squandered" their chance when they took over in 2009 other than reforming the tough Rockefeller-era drug laws.

Issues like a minimum wage hike, campaign finance and redistricting reform did not come up for a vote during the two years. And the legalization of gay marriage was voted down. It passed last year with the GOP in control of the chamber.

“It’s almost inarguable that that was not a good period of government,” Cuomo said of the brief Democratic Senate majority era..

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December 5, 2012 4:36 PM

Tappan Zee Bridge Project Almost Ready To Begin

BY Ken Lovett

Groundbreaking on a new Tappan Zee bridge is expected to begin as soon as early next year, Gov. Cuomo said today.

The state Thruway Authority will vote on one of three project design projects at its Dec. 17 meeting. The projects range in costs between $3.142 billion and $4.059 billion, all below the originally anticipated $5 billion price tag.

There could be an additional $600 million to $800 million in additional associated costs.

Still unclear is just how the project will get funded. The state is still awaiting word about whether it will receive a major loan from the feds it is seeking. The sale of bonds is another possibility, Cuomo said.

A committee created by Cuomo recommended the lower cost design, though the suggestion is not binding.

The three designs are available for viewing at www.newNYbridge.com

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December 5, 2012 4:28 PM

White House Superstorm Sandy Funding Plan Just A Start, Gov. Cuomo Says

BY Ken Lovett

Gov. Cuomo said the White House has dismissed a report that President Obama would seek just $50 billion in post Superstorm Sandy federal aid for the region as “premature.”

“I will wait to find out exactly what they’re saying,” Cuomo told reporters when asked about the report.

New York and New Jersey are seeking nearly $80 billion combined in federal storm relief.

“I know it’s a lot of money,” Cuomo said. “I understand the fiscal situation. But that is the need and e’re looking to meet the need.”

Cuomo said he has yet to hear not only what the White House will seek, but what the plans are from the Democrat-controlled Senate and House Republicans.

“They all said they wanted to be cooperative, but we’ll wait and see what they actually do,” he said.

He said regardless of what the White House proposes, it could mean nothing if Congress doesn’t agree.

“This is just a proposal from the White House,” Cuomo said. “This is like the governor sending up a program bill, totally pointless sometimes.”

Cuomo said he would have to see what was included in the $50 billion and whether is the total aid or just a first step.

He also wouldn’t bite when asked if a significantly lower proposal from the White House would be a “betrayal” of a promise from President Obama to do whatever the states need to help.

Cuomo also said his administration has not yet begun ways to generate revenue if the feds don’t come through with what was requested.

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December 5, 2012 3:54 PM

Gov. Cuomo Says He Will Stay Clear Of NYC Mayoral Race Next Year

BY Ken Lovett

Gov. Cuomo said he doesn’t expect to make any endorsement in next year’s New York City mayoral race.

“I’m going to try and stay out of the politics of New York City if I can avoid it,” Cuomo said at a Capitol press conference.

Cuomo had kind words for MTA Chairman Joseph Lhota, who is said to be considering a run for mayor on the Republican line. But Cuomo stopped short of saying Lhota should enter the fray.

“I would like to see Mr. Lhota do what Mr. Lhota wants to do,” Cuomo said. “He has done an extraordinary job as head of the MTA. The entire region got to do that during the storm, Sandy. I knew how well he was performing but they actually saw the performance."

Cuomo said while he admires Lhota desire for public service, he warned him to think twice about running for office “because it’s a nasty process to go through.”

Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani confirmed to me in Monday’s editions that Lhota was considering a run and will likely make up his mind around Christmastime.

Lhota, who was in attendance at Cuomo’s cabinet meeting, told reporters afterward that he read Giuliani’s comments but denied to comment further on his plans.

Lhota would have to quit his job if he decides to run.

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December 5, 2012 3:42 PM

32BJ SEIU Becomes First Major Union To Endorse Scott Stringer For NYC Comptroller

BY Celeste Katz

Manhattan BP Scott Stringer, who appears -- at least for now -- to have cleared the field for the Democratic nomination to succeed NYC Comptroller John Liu, has picked up his first major union endorsement, the Daily Politics has learned.

recchia stringer markowitz.jpg "The comptroller's office is one of the most important in the city, with responsibility for overseeing city contracting, enforcing prevailing wage laws and managing a more than $100 billion pension fund for city employees," said 32BJ SEIU President Héctor Figueroa.

"Scott Stringer has, as Manhattan Borough President, been a consistent champion of New York's working people," said Figueroa, whose property service-workers' union boasts 70,000 members in New York. "He is a conscientious public official who has ensured that some of the city's most important economic development projects create the kind of good jobs with decent wages and benefits that New York needs. He would serve our city exceptionally well as comptroller."

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December 5, 2012 2:29 PM

Today's Gov. Cuomo Sandy Update

BY Celeste Katz

In progress, an update from Gov. Cuomo and top officials on Sandy recovery:

Watch live streaming video from newyorkstateofficeofthegovernor at livestream.com

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December 5, 2012 2:15 PM

Document Drop: Fixing NYC's Voting System

BY Celeste Katz

Here's state Board of Elections Co-Chair Doug Kellner's testimony as prepared for today's City Council Committee On Government Ops hearing on how the city BOE did with this year's voting, which as of course, you recall, took place amid the extreme disruption of Superstorm Sandy. Kellner says the BOE did well in facing the storm challenges, but he recommends a slew of reforms including (but not limited to!) moving the primaries from September to June, increasing the number of pollworkers during voting "rush hours" of presidential elections, ending the archaic cut-and-tape system for tabulating results, and promoting a more expansive early voting system. (Updated with Citizens Union and NYPIRG testimony.)
Kellner 121205 NYC Testimony

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December 5, 2012 11:46 AM

Gov. Cuomo Lays Out 'Litmus Test' Issues For New Senate Leadership Coalition

BY Ken Lovett

Gov. Cuomo in an op-ed slated to run tomorrow in the Times Union (and already posted on the paper's website) lays out what he wants to see from the new state Senate bipartisan leadership coalition.

In it, he lays out 10 issues he wants done, including a hike to the minimum wage and campaign finance reform. Cuomo says the deal between the Senate GOP and the five members of the Independent Democratic Conference led by Sen. Jeffrey Klein (D-Bronx) was necessary.

"The Democratic Conference dysfunction was legendary and the
current leadership has failed to come to a cooperative agreement with
Mr. Klein’s IDC faction.

"So rather than base my support on amorphous and often misleading political labels, shifting coalitions, or internal organizing concepts,I prefer to base my support – or lack thereof – on specific policy positions.

Here is the op-ed:

By Gov. Andrew Cuomo
Elections often clarify political situations, but sometimes confuse
them. The New York State Senate leadership question is an example of
the latter. A “coalition governance” structure combining the
Independent Democratic Conference and the Republican Conference has been
announced.
The politics of this New York State Senate are especially complicated
and have been for years. There are geographical and ideological
factions and political philosophies ranging from the far left to the far
right and everything in between. Corruption is no stranger to the
Senate, as I well know from the cases I brought as Attorney General.
Neither the Republican nor Democratic conferences come to this juncture
with clean hands. From 1966 to 2009, the Republican Conference led for
42 years and blocked much progressive legislation, including last year’s

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