NEW YORK POST
Ok........wishful thinking??? all it takes is for one state senator to come down with the flu for a few days and chaos can return......let's see how this all plays out...........
Dean Skelos' plans for the state Senate
By ANNIE KARNI
Last Updated: 5:15 AM, December 5, 2010
Posted: 12:32 AM, December 5, 2010
Democratic Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver could find himself the odd man out of a budding courtship between incoming Gov. Andrew Cuomo and incoming Republican Majority Leader Dean Skelos next year.
With Republicans set to regain control of the state Senate next month, Skelos will be the only Republican huddling with two Democrats, Silver and Cuomo, as part of Albany’s “Three Men in a Room” who determine the state’s legislative process.
But the Long Island Republican says it’s Silver, not him, who’s going to be the wild card.
“Cuomo and I are in synch,” Skelos told The Post. “His issue is going to getting Speaker Silver on board.
“What he’s indicated since the election is very much in line with the Republican Senate majority. He wants no taxes and to cut spending, and that’s our theme. We’re supportive of his property-tax cap. We should work very well together.”
After a recount was completed yesterday, Republican challenger Jack Martins pulled off a narrow win against Democratic Sen. Craig Johnson for the Nassau County seat, ensuring Republicans will regain control of the Senate after two years of Democratic control.
The current seat count is 32-29, with one race still to be determined: the Westchester run-off between Democratic Sen. Suzi Oppenheimer and Republican challenger Bob Cohen, in which Oppenheimer currently enjoys a slim lead.
Last week, Cuomo had already reached out to Republicans to discuss a deficit reduction plan and a bailout for OTB, a source said.
Skelos is one of Albany’s longest serving elected officials, winning his first election to the state Assembly in 1980. He was first elected to the state Senate in 1984.
Last week, outgoing Gov. Paterson blasted Abany lawmakers, saying “the caliber of people I worked with 25 years ago in Albany is far superior to those that are there now.”
Silver-haired Skelos said he takes offense at the lame-duck governor giving state lawmakers a bad rap.
“Was Paterson criticizing himself? Was he criticizing Eliot Spitzer? I think we have a lot of fine people that serve in the Legislature. But I have seen it become more partisan. We have to think about how to make it less partisan.”
Skelos served as majority leader in 2009, during the Senate leadership crisis. In the past, he has suffered a tense relationship with Silver, who is known to even mis-pronounce Skelos’ last name.
But the upcoming session won’t be about petty politics, Skelos promised.
“We’re fine,” he said of his relationship with Silver. “There are political seasons and governing seasons. With the new governor being more supportive of the Republican side, I think we can work things out.”
At the top of Skelos’ agenda for next year is cutting state spending and not raising taxes or fees.
“We spend $1 billion a week in Medicaid — that’s 70% more per individual than the national average,” he said. “The Medicaid system is unsustainable for the state and taxpayers. That’s where the money is.”
Skelos said he’d push to end the opaque “Three Men in a Room” scenario. He wants to open up the negotiating table to include at least five key players. “The minority leaders should be there, too,” he said. “There should be more openness and transparency. Those invitations come from the governor.”
Skelos might think he’s in fiscal lock-step with the incoming Democrat governor. But when it comes to social issues, Cuomo and Skelos are likely to clash. While Cuomo is expected to be highly supportive of gay marriage, Skelos adamantly opposes legalizing same-sex unions and helped kill the bill last December when it reached the floor of the Senate, where it was defeated 38 to 24. For now, he dodges questions about anything but closing the gaping $10 billion budget gap.
“I think people of the state want us to deal with the deficit,” he said. “They want government to cut spending and they don’t want taxes. I have opposed gay marriage in the past, and I will continue to vote against it. We’ll see what the conference says about it coming out for a vote.”
With Republicans set to regain control of the state Senate next month, Skelos will be the only Republican huddling with two Democrats, Silver and Cuomo, as part of Albany’s “Three Men in a Room” who determine the state’s legislative process.
But the Long Island Republican says it’s Silver, not him, who’s going to be the wild card.
“Cuomo and I are in synch,” Skelos told The Post. “His issue is going to getting Speaker Silver on board.
Senator Dean Skelos
After a recount was completed yesterday, Republican challenger Jack Martins pulled off a narrow win against Democratic Sen. Craig Johnson for the Nassau County seat, ensuring Republicans will regain control of the Senate after two years of Democratic control.
The current seat count is 32-29, with one race still to be determined: the Westchester run-off between Democratic Sen. Suzi Oppenheimer and Republican challenger Bob Cohen, in which Oppenheimer currently enjoys a slim lead.
Last week, Cuomo had already reached out to Republicans to discuss a deficit reduction plan and a bailout for OTB, a source said.
Skelos is one of Albany’s longest serving elected officials, winning his first election to the state Assembly in 1980. He was first elected to the state Senate in 1984.
Last week, outgoing Gov. Paterson blasted Abany lawmakers, saying “the caliber of people I worked with 25 years ago in Albany is far superior to those that are there now.”
Silver-haired Skelos said he takes offense at the lame-duck governor giving state lawmakers a bad rap.
“Was Paterson criticizing himself? Was he criticizing Eliot Spitzer? I think we have a lot of fine people that serve in the Legislature. But I have seen it become more partisan. We have to think about how to make it less partisan.”
Skelos served as majority leader in 2009, during the Senate leadership crisis. In the past, he has suffered a tense relationship with Silver, who is known to even mis-pronounce Skelos’ last name.
But the upcoming session won’t be about petty politics, Skelos promised.
“We’re fine,” he said of his relationship with Silver. “There are political seasons and governing seasons. With the new governor being more supportive of the Republican side, I think we can work things out.”
At the top of Skelos’ agenda for next year is cutting state spending and not raising taxes or fees.
“We spend $1 billion a week in Medicaid — that’s 70% more per individual than the national average,” he said. “The Medicaid system is unsustainable for the state and taxpayers. That’s where the money is.”
Skelos said he’d push to end the opaque “Three Men in a Room” scenario. He wants to open up the negotiating table to include at least five key players. “The minority leaders should be there, too,” he said. “There should be more openness and transparency. Those invitations come from the governor.”
Skelos might think he’s in fiscal lock-step with the incoming Democrat governor. But when it comes to social issues, Cuomo and Skelos are likely to clash. While Cuomo is expected to be highly supportive of gay marriage, Skelos adamantly opposes legalizing same-sex unions and helped kill the bill last December when it reached the floor of the Senate, where it was defeated 38 to 24. For now, he dodges questions about anything but closing the gaping $10 billion budget gap.
“I think people of the state want us to deal with the deficit,” he said. “They want government to cut spending and they don’t want taxes. I have opposed gay marriage in the past, and I will continue to vote against it. We’ll see what the conference says about it coming out for a vote.”
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