Lawmakers grapple with redistricting

ALBANY -- State lawmakers are grappling with redrawing boundaries for all the Assembly and Senate seats and eliminating two of the state's congressional districts in time for next year's elections.

The biggest battle is over the State Senate. Control isn't an issue in the Assembly, because Democrats have a nearly 2-1 majority.

Republicans, who hold a 32-30 advantage in the Senate, have talked about creating at least one more seat -- in the Albany area -- as a way to compact districts and protect their advantage. If so, boundary changes could result in one of the many Queens Senate districts, shifting slightly east to encroach on Nassau County.

A task force officially charged with mapping responsibilities wrapped up a series of statewide hearings with a recent session in Plattsburgh. Publicly, there's been little news made at the forums.

Meanwhile, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has tried to use a carrot-and-stick approach. He simultaneously has promised he'd veto any plan put forth by the task force and signaled he'd prefer not to -- saying it would throw the issue to the courts, potentially causing "chaos." He apparently wants a compromise in which the new maps wouldn't be approved solely by the legislative task force.

Earlier this year, he proposed creating an independent commission to redraw the state's political map. Senate Republicans rejected that idea and many say it's too late at this point to try again. Cuomo, while noting ongoing negotiations, has given several radio interviews in the past few weeks essentially warning lawmakers not to cut him out.

"I think he's having difficulty getting the Republicans to the table to do something substantive," said Barbara Bartoletti of the New York chapter of the League of Women Voters, one of good-government groups that have monitored the process.

Scott Reif, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre) said of the negotiations: "Senate Republicans remain committed to a redistricting process that is bipartisan, open and fair. We look forward to continuing our discussions with the governor and others to enact a plan that is in the best interest of all New Yorkers."

Not just Republicans

It's not just Republicans who have taken umbrage at Cuomo's stance. Democrats too say the governor is trying to insert himself in a legislative function, as defined by the state constitution.

"The basic thing that offends me is this: Should an executive threaten to veto something before seeing the final product?" said Assemb. John McEneny (D-Albany), co-chairman of the redistricting task force. "There's a separation of powers issue here."

While control isn't up for grabs in the Assembly, where the Democrats hold a 99-51 advantage, the stakes are just as high for individual lawmakers. For some the gain or loss of just one key town in their district can alter their re-election chances.

Lawmakers also must redraw New York's congressional districts while eliminating two seats -- reducing the Empire State's delegation to 27. That's because the state lost ground to others in the latest census.

Many expect the parties to each sacrifice one seat. A popular parlor game in Albany could be trying to guess which two. Long Island seats seem safe for now, but it is almost certain that district lines on the Island will be toggled, observers said.

Some believe that the district of Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle (R-Onondaga), a first-year congresswoman from the Syracuse area, could be ripe for merger with another or eliminated. On the Democratic side, Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-Ulster), a 20-year veteran, has been undergoing treatment for cancer and has raised just $43,000 so far -- much less than most New York incumbents -- leading some observers to question whether he'll run again. And there is still speculation about the seat of newly elected Rep. Bob Turner, a Republican who won an upset victory in the Queens special election to replace disgraced Congressman Anthony Weiner.

Cuomo and legislators also face a time crunch. To comply with federal law to accommodate absentee voting by members of the military, New York likely will have to move up its date for state primaries from September to either August or June.

Deadline on map vote

McEneny said new maps will have to be voted on by the Legislature at least 90 days before the primary to ensure time for a mandatory federal review and for candidates to gather petitions to be on the ballot.

For many, this means the governor and legislators need to finish redistricting earlier than usual -- perhaps by New Year's Day, when the regular legislative session kicks off.

"Once you get into January, the focus goes to [the] state budget, it goes to legislative priorities," said Dick Dadey of Consumers Union, another watchdog group.