This Week In Albany - Week ending May 4, 2012

Court Upholds 63rd Senate District

In a unanimous decision, the Court of Appeals ruled that the Legislature was within their constitutional rights when they added a 63rd Senate district.

The 63rd seat was created to the west and south of the Capital Region and goes from Amsterdam to Kingston.  Republican Assemblymember George Amedore is campaigning for the seat.  There is no declared Democrat.You can see your new Senate and Assembly districts at http://www.latfor.state.ny.us/maps

Governor Creates Education Reform Commission
Governor Cuomo established the “New NY Education Reform Commission” to examine the current structure of the state's education system.  The commission is charged with reviewing teacher recruitment and performance, student achievement, education funding and costs, parent and family engagement, problems facing high-need districts, and the best use of technology in the classroom.  It will also look at strategies to reorganize the state's education system including district consolidation, shared services and regional governance.

Cuomo Announces Membership of NY Works Task Force

Governor Cuomo announced the membership of the NY Works Task Force.  This task force will work to coordinate the state’s investment in infrastructure projects.  The task force will be co-chaired by former State AFL-CIO President Denis Hughes.

CSEA will be closely monitoring this task force for any proposals or actions that may result in the privatization of any state infrastructure assets.

For more details on this task force, please visit the Governor’s website at http://www.governor.ny.gov/print/3380

Koch Brothers Bankroll New York Business Groups  

A new report by the Center for American Progress details the impact of the Koch brothers, who were made famous by their public support of Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and Ohio Governor John Kasich’s effort to eliminate collective bargaining for public employees.

Locally, the report showed that the Koch Brothers donated $1.6 million to the E.J. McMahon led ‘The Manhattan Institute’, which is an outspoken critic of public employee pensions, pay, and benefits.

You can read this report at http://www.americanprogressaction.org/issues/2011/04/pdf/koch_brothers.pdf

Wisconsin Recall Election Takes Shape

Democratic voters in Wisconsin will vote in a primary election Tuesday to determine who will run against Governor Scott Walker in the June 5th recall election.  The Democratic candidates are Tom Barrett, Mayor of Milwaukee, and Kathleen Falk, County Executive of Dane County.  Current polls have Tom Barrett leading the primary and have him in a dead heat with Governor Walker.