Paterson tells State Senate it must act to end gridlock
Vows to keep senators in Albany indefinitely
ALBANY — Gov. David A. Paterson on Sunday ordered New York’s Senate into special session beginning Tuesday in a bid to end a partisan power struggle that has paralyzed the chamber for two weeks. He said he will compel senators to stay in Albany indefinitely until they act.
“I will convene a special session every day until they do,” Paterson said. “That means Saturdays, Sundays, that includes July 4, there will be no excuses and there will be no tolerance to noncompliance with this order.”
Asked whether that included using state troopers to bring senators into the chamber, Paterson said he does not expect any elected official to refuse to attend. He added, however, that he would take action against those who defy the order but declined to elaborate.
The 2009 regular session ends today.
The Democratic conference welcomed Paterson’s plan for a special session presided over by Chief Judge Jonathan Lippmann, who oversees the state’s judicial system. Democrats won majority control of the Senate in the November election only to face a revolt June 8 by a coalition of 30 Republicans and two dissident Democrats who voted to take majority control.
The Senate hasn’t been able to assemble enough of its members to begin action since one of the coalition’s Democrats, Sen. Hiram Monserrate, returned to the Democratic conference, leaving the chamber in a 31-31 deadlock.
“To the people of New York, I tell you that this situation will be addressed and we will get the people’s business done,” Paterson said. “We’re not a government of people. We’re a government of laws.”
Although a governor can compel legislators into special session and set the agenda of bills, lawmakers can’t be forced to vote. Paterson said his agenda will include more than a dozen measures to authorize local governments, including New York City, to arrange taxing or borrowing to raise revenue already planned for in their budgets. He also seeks to extend major laws without substantive change, including those providing mayoral control of New York City schools and a program that provides lower cost energy to major employers.
A bill held up in the Senate to legalize same-sex marriage won’t be on the special session’s agenda but could be added if the Senate acts first on the bills that are Paterson’s top priorities and then tries to make up for its two weeks of inaction.
The coalition’s leaders said no special session is needed and they plan to continue meeting in the chamber through the week and beyond today’s scheduled end of the 2009 legislative session.
“What we do need is all 62 senators to show up for work,” said Democratic Sen. Pedro Espada of the Bronx, elected Senate president by the coalition.
“We will stay in session to get the people’s business done and hope that we reach an agreement that will get the members of the Senate Democratic conference to join us,” said Republican Sen. Dean Skelos of Nassau County, the coalition’s majority leader.
The Democrats, however, won’t work under the coalition’s leaders, and the coalition won’t relinquish control.
“We have to put partisanship aside and work together so we can work to serve the people,” said Democratic conference spokesman Austin Shafran.
Neither side would respond to Paterson’s threat to keep senators in Albany indefinitely.
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