Budget Vote Results

"Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing because it is right. These are the magic keys to living your life with integrity."

W. Clement Stone

Wall of Shame!

36 to 26 Senators voted to pass Cuomo's somewhat modified 

proposals to have an on time budget. 

Below are the Senators who voted YES.  

Lets make sure they don't get re-elected!

Amedore Avella Bonacic Boyle Carlucci Croci DeFrancisco Diaz Farley

Felder Flanagan - Sadly he never responded to my letter Funke Gallivan Golden Griffo Hannon Lanza Larkin

LaValle Little Marcellino - Sadly he is a former Science HS teacher Marchione Martins Murphy Nozzolio O'Mara Ortt

Ranzenhofer Ritchie Robach Serino Seward  Skelos Valesky Venditto Young

Clearly it is all about the money

Senator Flanagan's top contributor is StudentsFirst, you can check this out on the below site:
http://votesmart.org/candidate/campaign-finance/4315/john-flanagan-jr#.VRbbJPnF-SY

Interestingly if you google StudentsFirst it is an organization that promotes private and charter schools.  Their mission, great teachers and great schools.  Sounds a lot like the what Senator Flanagan was promoting in the Capitol Pressroom last month. More importantly, StudentsFirst is an organization that is NOT currently available in NEW YORK.  Check out their below site for more information.
https://www.studentsfirst.org/TheReformSolution

92 to 54 of our NY Assembly voted to pass Cuomo's somewhat revised proposals with heavy hearts.    Heavy hearts because they were too scared to find out what would happen if NY State did not pass the budget on time.  Technically the budget was 3 hours late, but better to pass seriously flawed proposals, then take the time to fix it!  A heavy heart is just a cop-out!

Below are the Assembly Members who voted YES.  

Lets make sure they don't get re-elected!

Abbate Arroyo Aubry Barrett Benedet Bichott Blake Braunst Brennan Bronson Brook-K Buchwal Colton Cook Crespo Cusick Cymbrow Davila DenDekk Dilan Dinowit Fahy Farrell Fitzpat Galef

Gantt Gjonaj Glick Gottfri Gunther Hevesi Hooper Jaffee Jean-Pi Joyner Kaminsk Kavanag Kim Lavine Lentol Lifton Linares Lupardo Magee Magnare Markey Mayer McDonal Miller Morelle

Mosley Moya Nolan O’Donne Oritz Otis Paulin Peoples Perry Persaud Pichard Pretlow Quart Ramos Rivera Roberts Robinso Rodrigu Rosenth Rozic Russell Ryan Scarbor Schimel Schimmi

Seawrig Sepulve Silver Simanow Simon Simotas Skartad Solages Stirpe Titone Titus Walker Weinste Weprin Wright Zebrows Mr Spkr

Thank you to all the Senators and Assemblymen who had the courage to vote no!

What would have happened if the budget did not pass on time.

First, it would send a very clear and much needed message to Cuomo that his bullying tactics need to end today!  Then the NY State would have to figure it out.  

"In the event that a budget has not been passed by the start of a new fiscal year, state action usually consists of one or more of the following:

• The legislature passes a temporary appropriation bill, also known as a "continuing resolution,” or "stopgap measure.” Eleven states use temporary appropriation bills to maintain government operations if the new budget has not been enacted by the beginning of the fiscal year. Six of the eight states with late budgets in FY 2004 passed temporary appropriation bills. Connecticut, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania passed temporary appropriation bills in FY 2010. 
• Constitutional provisions or other procedures ensure the continuous operation of government. Twelve states have various provisions that allow for continuous payment of funds for agencies and services absent a new budget. The current interpretation of California court rulings on cases related to late budgets allows continuous operation of most of state government through automatic funding at the previous year’s level. In Arizona, dedicated revenue fund expenditures continued despite the lack of a budget in FY 2010. Lawmakers did approve the restoration of some education funds while the FY 2010 budget was being finalized in order to qualify for federal funds.
• Government partially shuts down.  In the absence of a budget or a temporary appropriations bill, 22 states face government shut downs. This most often involves furloughing state employees not deemed critical to the maintenance of public safety and health. State parks are often closed, along with some state offices such as those that issue driver's licenses. Positions exempted from mandatory furloughs are usually referred to as "essential" state employees, and often include staff within the department of corrections, state police and disease control centers. 

Deviations from these procedural options have occurred in some states. The Nevada Legislature passed the state budget in FY 2004 only after the intervention of the state Supreme Court resolved an impasse between the governor and the Legislature. And in 1992, the Florida governor avoided a shutdown by promising retroactive pay for state employees while lawmakers continued to work on the budget.

In 11 states, government officials do not know what would happen if the budget is late because state law does not directly address the issue. Because the budgets in these states have always been passed on time, the issue has never been tested.

More information on state provisions when the budget is late can be found at: http://www.ncsl.org/default.aspx?tabid=12616"

Quoted from:  http://www.ncsl.org/research/fiscal-policy/late-state-budgets.aspx