Senate GOP looks to strengthen its control
From left, Republican state Sens. Jack Martins, Kemp Hannon and Dean Skelos celebrate victory at the GOP's election night headquarters in Westbury on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2014. Credit: Howard Schnapp
ALBANY -- Republicans who regained sole control of the State Senate's majority Tuesday set their sights on stopping the liberal movement led by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and strengthening their majority control.
Among the Democratic priorities facing a roadblock are Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's push to further protect late-term abortions, public financing of campaigns and a higher minimum wage.
The Republicans said they will instead push their priorities of cutting taxes and spending growth, and supporting charter schools.
"Baby steps are no longer enough; we must think boldly and creatively so New Yorkers can dream and thrive once again," said Sen. Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre), the Republican leader. After two years of having to share power with the Independent Democratic Conference (IDC), Skelos will again become the sole majority leader of the chamber.
Senate Democrats said they will pursue their liberal priorities. In addition, Senate Republicans will have to deal with the Assembly's Democratic majority under Speaker Sheldon Silver, which gained six seats, to a 105-43 majority with two races still undecided.
"Assembly Democrats will continue the fight for a higher minimum wage, a Dream Act for immigrant youth, increased funding for our neediest schools, and the enactment of the full Women's Equality Agenda, including protecting a woman's right to choose," Silver said Wednesday.
At 32 votes, Republicans won just enough seats Tuesday to control legislation, resources and the Senate's role in state budget talks for the next two years. Republicans have a cushion in conservative Democratic Sen. Simcha Felder of Brooklyn, who has sat in the GOP conference for two years and is expected to continue that role.
Wednesday, another Democrat, Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr. of the Bronx, guaranteed his vote to Republicans in fighting the liberal agenda of de Blasio and Cuomo.
"I am a Democrat, but you know that the Cuomo agenda is a poison to me," Diaz told Newsday.
That gives the Republican conference 34 reliable votes.
Long term, however, the increasingly Democratic state will make it harder for Republicans to repeat Tuesday's win.
That leads to the uncertain role of the five-member IDC, which had a historic bipartisan relationship with Republicans since the IDC was formed by breakaway Democrats in 2011.
From 2011 to 2012, the IDC received some committee chairmanships and resources from the Republican majority. In 2012, when Republicans slipped to fewer than the 32 votes need to run the chamber on their own, the IDC agreed to a new relationship in which they shared majority control with the Republicans.
Republicans said Wednesday that negotiations were likely to yield a new agreement, similar to the initial relationship, in which the IDC and its leader, Sen. Jeff Klein (D-Bronx), will get some perks and power, but would no longer have equal share with Republicans in controlling legislation.
"I haven't spoken to Jeff," Skelos told public radio's "Capitol Pressroom" Wednesday. Skelos said he would "chat" with Klein when Klein returns from an annual conference of Latino lawmakers. Klein wouldn't comment Wednesday.
Michael Gormley has worked for Newsday since 2013, covering state government, politics and issues. He has covered Albany since 2001.
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