opinion

Cuomo freezes out residents of Senate District 37: Editorial

If you live in the 37th state Senate District — which includes communities up and down the Sound Shore, over to Yonkers and up to Bedford — you can thank Gov. Andrew Cuomo for ensuring that you have a limited voice in the Senate this all-important budget season, as precious state dollars are divvied up for projects big and small.

The governor has, so far, failed to call for a special election to fill Westchester County Executive George Latimer's former Senate seat, the Bronx-area Senate seat of Ruben Diaz Sr., now a New York City Council member, and nine Assembly seats around the state. Because the election cannot take place until 70 days after the governor's election declaration, even if Cuomo called for the special election now, the election couldn't take place until April — after the budget deadline.

Albany's budget deals are traditionally made by four men in a room. Four because Senate Independent Democratic Conference Leader Jeffrey Klein gets a seat at the table due to the extraordinary power he has in keeping Senate Republicans in charge. And yes, they are all men.

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But local representatives are the conduit for building a state budget that invests in local projects. In previous years, for example, Latimer's work during budget season helped boost Yonkers funding for schools and launch a Water Infrastructure Improvement Act that provided grant money for critical repairs to Mamaroneck's sewer system. This year, especially, with the state staring down a $4 billion-plus deficit and federal cuts adding pressure to our blue state, local voices need to be heard as plans are made to spend limited state resources.

Why would Cuomo, a Democrat, hold off calling for these elections, especially since both empty Senate seats were held by Democrats and are likely to go to Democrats?

It's reportedly part of a deal to get the Senate Democrats to unify. Here's the play: Cuomo delays the special election until the Fiscal Year 2019 budget is all set; then the IDC drops its power-sharing deal with the Senate GOP; the IDC aligns with the mainstream Democrats in a similar power-sharing deal, which still gives Klein a seat at the table. Also part of the reported deal is a promise that mainstream Dems won't primary those IDC members, but individual Democrats are already balking at that.

It's pretty clear what the Republicans get out of the deal: Power for just a bit longer, and through the budget crafting, which is when all the important stuff gets done. The IDC retains power beforehand and keeps power after. The Democrats get to finally take power in the Senate.

But what does Cuomo get out of this deal, which ensures Republicans the potential power to muffle a so-called progressive agenda for FY 2019 that the governor's been shouting about? Maybe it's the ability to say "I tried" when it comes to passing things like ethics reform, a DREAM Act and other initiatives that would bolster his progressive cred in New York but possibly cramp his nationwide draw for a presidential bid.

We don't really know. But here's what we do know: New Yorkers who live in the Senate and Assembly districts that will go unrepresented during Albany's all-important budget season should be angry by Cuomo's inaction on this issue. We are.