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Artvoice Daily Index, combined AV blog headlines

News & Commentary from the Artvoice Editorial staff


February 12, 2009

The Brunomobile and Other Tales of Thrift

Filed under: State Politics — Tags: , , — Geoff Kelly @ 5:55 pm

How did I miss this piece from Wednesday’s New York Times, tracking the perks and pork enjoyed by the deposed Republican majority in the New York State Senate:

They recently realized there are some 75 employees working at the Senate’s own printing plant, a plain brick building on the outskirts of Albany. On Long Island, they found a small television studio, which had been set up — all with public money, with two press aides on hand to help operate it — for the exclusive use of Republican senators to record cable TV shows.

Democrats also came across what they are calling the “Brunomobile,” a $50,000 specially outfitted GMC van, with six leather captain’s chairs (some swiveling), a navigation system, rearview camera and meeting table. Joseph L. Bruno, the former Senate majority leader who was recently indicted on corruption charges, traveled in the van after his use of state helicopters sparked a feud with the Spitzer administration.

The Brunomobile

The Brunomobile

Then there are the parking spots, always at a premium near the Capitol. Democrats had been given roughly one spot per senator — there were 30 Democrats last year — and guessed there were perhaps double or even triple that controlled by the majority. Instead, they have learned, there are more than 800.

And Democratic leaders must determine what to do about 45 workers toiling away in a building close to the Capitol who appear to have been engaged in quasi-political research for the Republicans.

But wait. There’s more:

Republicans have long defended their spending as the prerogative of the majority party, and also characterize as absurd the claim that they have been uncooperative — a smokescreen to hide that Democrats are now giving Republicans fewer resources than Democrats had received when they were in the minority. Indeed, Mr. Smith, while increasing the allotment for individual senators, is cutting the minority’s central staff budget to about $3 million from $7 million, after promising to put the minority party on more equal footing.

“That effectively neuters our ability to function as an opposition,” said Dean G. Skelos, a Long Island Republican and the new minority leader. Still, many in the capital are tittering at the howls of anguish from the Republicans, who for so long gleefully starved the Democrats, and were known for paying their top staffers even more than the governor’s $179,000 salary.



May 6, 2008

Echo Chamber: the local chatter

Filed under: Echo Chamber — Tags: , , , , , , — Jamie Moses @ 3:47 pm

BEES As if there weren’t enough stress in the world food system, the Buffalo News has a disturbing story today about the struggle in Niagara County and across NY state that farmers are having with the loss of bee populations. “Without bees, none of the crops would produce food,’ said Jessica Chittenden, spokeswoman for the state Dept. of Agriculture and Markets. Bees pollinate more than 90 percent of the fruit and vegetable crops grown in NY state. There are number of possible causes for the loss of bee population, from decimation of habitat by development, insecticides, parasites and other possibilities. No single factor has been pinned as the sole cause, but whatever the cause, it needs to be identified and addressed. Without bees there is little pollination, without pollination, no food.

Antoine Thompson is no doubt somewhat discouraged about a being a member of the minority party in the NY State Senate. Today’s Buffalo News story about pork barrel spending showed that republican Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno doled out not twice as much cash, not five times as much cash, not ten times as much cash, but more than 20 times the amount of cash that was given to Antoine to spread around his district. Bruno clocked in with over $4.2 million to dole out, while Antoine limped home to Buffalo from Albany with what must seem like pocket change, $190,000. Assemblyman Robin Schimminger of Kenmore controlled a hefty $2.2 million to give away…. but he gave three quarters of that to places far away from home, Manhattan, Brooklyn and Syracuse.

SHEILA KEE DOUBLE DIPS: A former Erie County worker is collecting a big state pension, while drawing an even bigger state salary at the same time! All this with a huge state deficit looming.

Sheila Kee was appointed as Associate Commissioner of the New York State Health Department for the Western Region in 2007. But at the time, as a state retiree, she was collecting a pension of $99,000. Typically, if someone is going to enter back into the state public workforce, collection of their pension is suspended until they retire again. But in the case of Sheila Kee, she continues to collect her pension, while also being paid $143,013 as Associate Commissioner.

Nardin 8th Grader Michael Viola is headed to the National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C. at the end of the month to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Viola won the 81st News Spelling Bee after correctly spelling “gelatigenous,” which means producing a gluey material. It was that correct answer that earned him the ticket to the national competition. (Artvoice feels obligated to promote anyone who can spell, there are so few out there.)