Syracuse, NY - The state Legislature will go into special sessions at 7 p.m. tonight in Albany, as required by Gov. David Paterson’s proclamation, but lawmakers may not vote on a budget. In their continuing power struggle with Paterson, the Legislature can meet, do nothing, bang the gavel, and declare their session over in a matter of minutes. Or even...
Syracuse, NY - The state Legislature will go into special sessions at 7 p.m. tonight in Albany, as required by Gov. David Paterson’s proclamation, but lawmakers may not vote on a budget.
In their continuing power struggle with Paterson, the Legislature can meet, do nothing, bang the gavel, and declare their session over in a matter of minutes. Or even seconds.
Assemblymen William Magnarelli, D-Syracuse, and Al Stirpe, D-North Syracuse, said at about 6:30 p.m. that it is unclear why the governor called the Legislature back to work on Sunday, and also unclear if the Legislature will vote on anything.
“On Thursday and Friday, the leadership (of the Assembly) was looking for the governor. And he was nowhere to be found,” Magnarelli said.
“But coming back on Sunday is no big deal. I’m used to working on Sunday,” Magnarelli said.
Today in New York City, Paterson said the Legislature on Monday has a choice: pass the budget extender bills he submitted Friday, which include deep cuts in education spending, or bring state government to a shut-down. In his budget extender bill, Paterson also included a local property tax cap and a plan to allow public universities to set their own tuition increases.
“If they don’t vote for it, it could very well shut down the government,” Paterson said of his extender bill. “If you face the potential of the government shutting down, we should be in Albany making sure that doesn’t happen. So I instructed the legislators to come back today on Sunday.”
Dan Weiller, a spokesman for Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, said, “The governor has asked us to consider legislation. We will consider that legislation.”
But he noted the governor cannot compel the Assembly or Senate to vote on anything.
The Assembly and Senate, whose leaders agreed on Friday to amend the governor’s proposed budget and restore $600 million in education spending, plan to vote Monday on the amended budget bills.
Contact Mike McAndrew at mmcandrew@syracuse.com or 470-3016.