Local supporter of UB 2020 bill issues warning to Assembly leader
Published: June 23, 2009, 12:30 am
Story tools:
Share this story:
ALBANY — Supporters of the University at Buffalo’s ambitious program to dramatically expand have tried all the usual lobbying techniques with state officials: explaining, wooing, wining and dining, and even some pleading.
Now, with the plan in trouble, a new approach: political threats.
In an unusual letter to the leader of the Assembly, an influential labor leader in Buffalo warned of political retribution if the UB 2020 plan does not pass the Legislature in the rapidly waning 2009 session.
Paul Brown, president of the Buffalo Building and Construction Trades Council, an umbrella group of more than a dozen unions, warned Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver that he could face a primary if the bill doesn’t pass. He said such talk has been spread by forces loyal to Florida businessman and Buffalo Sabres owner B. Thomas Golisano.
Besides giving greater autonomy to UB over tuition policies and the ability to create business partnerships, the UB 2020 program also envisions major growth of its campuses, which could create hundreds of construction jobs. The bill has passed the Senate, but is stalled in the Assembly over a number of concerns, chief among them creating a special law to benefit just one university of the sprawling SUNY system.
With session winding down, Brown fired off the letter last week to Silver. He noted to the Democratic leader that six Western New York Democrats support UB 2020.
“To leave them hanging out to dry would be a travesty,” Brown wrote Silver. A copy of the letter was obtained by The Buffalo News.
“There is already talk of a Golisano-backed primary against Schimminger (Chuck Swanick) and yourself (an unnamed Asian woman) if this bill doesn’t pass,” Brown wrote, referring to Assemblyman Robin Schimminger, D-Kenmore. Swanick, a former county legislator, is a Republican and, as such, could not run a primary against Schimminger.
“What better campaign fodder would they have than to say the Democrats in office can’t deliver?” Brown wrote on letterhead of the Local 9 of the plasterers and cement masons union, which he also serves as business manager.
“Nobody is suggesting this is an easy bill to pass but if you were to not only shun Western New York but also have your fellow Assembly people open to attack then you should be ashamed of yourself,” he added. “I certainly hope that you decide to have the courage to give this a major economic boost to Western New York and to protect your fellow Democrats by passing this bill.”
The labor leader said he was not threatening political retribution against Silver or Schimminger.
“I would never do that,” he said, adding that he was merely informing the Assembly leader of talk brewing by forces loyal to Golisano. “I’m not a Golisano fan at all,” he said.
“My point is they came out publicly for UB 2020 and now Shelly is the one holding it up. So, I tell them if they don’t pass it [critics] will say they can’t deliver and it will be true,” Brown added.
Brown said Assembly Democrats have repeatedly said publicly that they back the UB 2020 plan. He said his message to Silver was simple: “Protect your fellow Democrats.”
“If he passes the UB 2020, none of these guys will have a challenger,” Brown said. “Who would challenge an Assemblyman with the best bill Western New York has ever seen?”
Schimminger declined to comment.
Silver’s office also declined to comment.
tprecious@buffnews.com
Reader comments
Log into MyBuffalo to post a comment
MyBuffalo is the new social network from Buffalo.com. Your MyBuffalo account lets you comment on and rate stories at buffalonews.com. You can also head over to mybuffalo.com to share your blog posts, stories, photos, and videos with the community. Join now or learn more.
Comments have been disabled.
Due to a high volume of submissions that violate The News’ guidelines, commenting is no longer available on this story. If you’d like to share your thoughts on this story, click here to get information on contributing to The News’ opinion pages.