Editorial: New brand of entertainment in Albany

Issue of June 12, 2009 / 20 Sivan 5769

There's really nothing nice to say about the prevailing method of governance in Albany, unpopularly known as “three men in a room.” No good at all comes from the governor, the senate majority leader and the speaker of the assembly making every major decision without input from other elected officials.

If you had to come up with something nice to say about that absurd arrangement you could always point out that at least somebody was in charge — but apparently even that wasn't the case.

Monday's Republican coup in the Senate, aided and abetted by two Democratic problem children, Hiram Monserrate and Pedro Espada Jr., is certainly the most entertaining political story to come out of Albany in recent memory. However, it also highlights the rank incompetence and political ineptitude of Malcolm Smith, the apparently former majority leader, and of Governor David Paterson, who if New Yorkers are fortunate, will become a political footnote — a half-term wonder who stepped in following the Spitzer scandal. Monserrate and Espada's political plotting must have been weeks in the making –– how on Earth could Paterson and Smith have been caught off guard?

A seasoned political operative we spoke with called Smith “pathetic” for “insisting that he’s still the majority leader. Either way, when he opens his eyes again, he still won't have the votes… there will still be 32 votes against him and 30 votes for him.”

Although the institution of the state legislature was in greater disarray than usual as of this writing, and there's still no budget, in some other key respects, 'it's all good.'

For one, we welcome having local Senator Dean Skelos as majority leader once again — even if he does need to share power with Espada. Multiple investigations may eventually catch up with Espada; he won't be around forever. Monserrate's tenure is likely to be even shorter. If convicted as charged of slashing his girlfriend, Senate rules will require his immediate ouster.

Additionally, two fatally flawed bills would now appear to be dead letters.

The gay marriage bill that — only in New York! — doesn't provide exemptions for religious institutions seems unlikely to come to a vote in this session. Same for the slightly updated Markey bill that would open a window for sexual abuse victims to sue their abusers even if the statute of limitations has passed. The bill has the potential to unmask many predators but might also bankrupt institutions that historically did a poor job of protecting children. Both bills need further consideration. So does the way Albany continues to do business.

Lawrence election

A more stable legislative body is the Village of Lawrence Board of Trustees, which will hold an at-large election on June 16. Incumbent Joel Mael is seeking a fourth two-year term; Michael Fragin is running his first race after being appointed to fill the seat vacated by Lawrence Mayor Simon Felder.

A candidacy by Jackie Handel, long active in Village politics, ended prematurely several weeks ago when it was discovered that her petitions were riddled with errors. She has said she will not run a write-in campaign but with just 130 people having cast ballots in the last election, it seems reasonable to wonder if she will give it a try.

Fragin, it should be noted, is a one-time columnist for this newspaper, which gave us first-hand exposure to the breadth of his political knowledge and ability. He is a valuable asset to the Village of Lawrence who deserves election to a full term.

He and Mr. Mael have done a good job on a board that, just this week, won approval for an ambitious plan to transfer responsibility for waste treatment to Nassau County.  Instead of spending millions to upgrade an aged treatment facility, Lawrence will turn its waste plant into a pumping station to send the 1.5 million gallons of sewage produced in Lawrence each day to a county facility. The expected savings to Village residents will be significant — amounting to hundreds of dollars a year in lower Village taxes.

The Jewish Star supports Mael and Fragin and urges Lawrence voters to do likewise.