Will the legislature come back to finish business?

0:00 Speaker 1 With us today, Zach Williams, the star reporter for Albany for the New York Post. How are you, Zach this Sunday morning.

0:08 Speaker 2 I’m doing all right, John, Thanks for having me.

0:11 Speaker 1 Tell us another week is gone by. The budget still has a couple of loose ends. Give all the people of New York and update what the heck is going on.

0:22 Speaker 2 Well, it seems quiet here in Albany. But that’s when you got to worry the most. You know, last weekend, the state Legislature was supposed to wrap up the twenty three legislative session, and indeed the State Senate did, but the Assembly is still going to come back on Monday to finish some last minute bills. But you know what

0:43 is most interesting is what passed in the final days last week. Now, of course, there was a Queen Slate bill that we talked about to automatically seal criminal records after people through their time in prison. Also a whole bunch of changes to election law backed by Albany Democrats, who, as you and I know, love to talk about how

1:06 they’re improving electoral system. But when you look at some of the details of some of the legislation that they passed. You really got to raise your eyebrows. You know. Two of them particularly are interesting. One of them would require all election challenges in New York states to be filed in just five places, Buffalo, New York City, Albany, and Westchester.

1:28 Now why does this matter? It matters because last year the Republicans challenged the so called hocal mander of the congressional map in Steuben County. You know, they looked for a forum that would that they thought would be friendly to their legal argument, and indeed it was that wouldn’t be able to happen that once. They tried to change

1:45 the congressional map this year, opending some litigation and another change that’s really interesting see the public campaign finance system. Now, Progressives have talked four years about how great it would be if we if tax page political donations up to two hundred and fifty dollars. You know, say, if you give one hundred, then the candidate actually gets seven hundred dollars,

2:08 six to one. Match. Now what the what Democrats passed last week is very interesting because they would allow those any gifts to be matched no matter how much somebody gains. So let’s say I gave ten thousand dollars. They’re going to match that up to two hundred and fifty bucks as well. So we’re talking what about fifteen hundred, seventeen

2:29 hundred dollars in addition to that ten thousand dollars gave initially. And what does that do? It dilutes the power of small donors, the ostensible purpose for having public financing begin with understood?

2:44 Speaker 1 Have they finished up? They came up with J fifty one versus what happened with your real estate industry?

2:53 Speaker 2 Oh boy? There was a real eruption down the home stretch of the legislative session where the legislative leaders stay Senate Majority Leader and his Stewart cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Hasey claimed to have a sweeping housing plan that was ready to go if only Governor Kathy Opel would sign on. That sparked a fierce reaction from her communications director,

3:17 who said, I if the legislature had to bill, they should bring it up for a vote. Nobody stopping them. And it is interesting that while the legislative leaders claimed to have this super de duper deal, they didn’t offer any details about what actually would be written in legislative language, begging the question about whether there really was a deal

3:38 to be had at all.

3:40 Speaker 1 Well, one last thing, I understand there was something to do with casinos on a secret deal that that Governor Hockel has done. That the negotiations with the Indians was going to be secret. Have you heard any deal about that?

3:58 Speaker 2 Oh, that’s that’s an interesting one too. So the Seneca Nation had in two thousand and one signed a gaming compact with New York State. Something required of any tribes that want to offer gaming casinos, that type of thing where they just agree, you know, this is our territory.

4:15 This is what the state cut’s going to be, is what the tribe gets. So that’s expiring this year. It was renewed ten years ago as well, and there was a last minute bill that sailed through the state Senate that basically said, we trust Governor Kathy Hokeel, We preauthorize her to do this deal. Normally, the legislature would have

4:36 to approve it after the fact. Now in between this, coming in between this bill passing the state Senate and going to the Assembly, details emerged that not only was there a deal, but there was a deal to bring a casino to downtown Rochester local polls were not happy about being taken surprise that way, and that has stalled

4:57 the bill in the Assembly. It might not passed next week, might not pass for many many more months. It’s ever And what’s so interesting about it is, you know, Governor Kathy Hockel’s husband, Bill Hokeel, works at a company called Delaware North, which is based in western New York and has gained and interest of its own and she, you know,

5:15 supposedly recused herself from any unnecessary, you know, meddling with matters that might affect Delaware North, and certainly the Seneca’s Gaming Compact has a huge effect on what they may or may not be able to do out there. And she, you know, despite this recusal agreement, Governor Hokel issue what’s called a message of necessity to the state Senate, which

5:36 allows them to pass bills that have just been introduced despite a constitutional requirement that they wait three days. Doesn’t sound too much like recusing to me, Oh.

5:47 Speaker 1 My god, oh what else is new? Well, thank you so much, Zach Williams. And it’s sad that the things that go on in Albany and we need help. Thank you so much.

6:03 Speaker 2 Anytime John, Thanks a bunch