The decision by the state Senate to rescind more than $8 million in grants that had been promised to towns and villages in Nassau County speaks volumes about the corrupt way that business is done in Albany and the character or lack thereof of former state Sen. Craig Johnson.
Last fall the incumbent Johnson, a Democrat, lost to Republican Jack Martins by 471 votes in the closest senate race in the state. Johnson’s stinging defeat was one of the major reasons why the Democrats are no longer the majority in the state Senate. Immediately following the election the senate rescinded more than $8 million in funds that had been committed to local causes including schools, parks and fire departments.
The decision to rescind the grant money promised by Johnson has left the Town of North Hempstead, the Village of New Hyde Park, the Village of Williston Park and other local governments in a very difficult position. In most cases the grant money comes as reimbursement for projects that are completed and paid for the municipalities and school districts. Martins said he will try to recover some of that money but given the fiscal crisis in Albany that won’t be easy.
Although the Senate Democrats have tried to justify pulling the funds, it’s clear it was an act of political revenge.
“The senate majority knowing they had lost the majority,” said Martins, “pulled the $8 million in funds to the 7th Senate district.”
Where is the former senator and why hasn’t he protested the Senate’s actions?
So far Johnson has had nothing to say about the grants that have now disappeared even though he had plenty to say about the money that he had secured during his campaign.
It gets worse. Martins said he is having trouble tracking the unfulfilled grants because Johnson did leave any records behind. Martins said the documents recording the financial pledges “have been discarded.”
A spokesperson for the Senate Democratic Conference attempted to make this act of political revenge look like fiscal responsibility.
“Given the need to bring government spending under control,” Travis Proulx said, “if funds are not approved and in use at the time their sponsor departs the Legislature, those grants end. Taxpayers want and expect accountability …”
He added that Martins will now have the opportunity to determine how capital funds are spent.
What he didn’t say was that most, if not all, of the money promised by Johnson was coming from a slush fund created by the state Legislature in a system that has come to be known as “back-door borrowing.”
These funds are handled by two independent public authorities – Empire State Development and the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York. These are state-created entities with their own boards of directors and their own bank accounts.
This allows the state to go into debt without getting approval from the voters. Legislators are able to secure money for their pet projects – some worthy and some clearly not – while cutting funding for education and public safety. For example, while the state was weighing cuts in school funding and closing parks, $1 million was approved for the Tioga Downs racetrack, a private business with $28 million in revenue last year.
The corruption in Albany is a bipartisan endeavor.
No one knew how to use this slush fund for pet projects better than former state Majority Leader Joe Bruno, a Republican.
As he fights the rampant corruption in Albany, we urge Gov. Cuomo to put an end to the slush fund and backdoor borrowing.
That will not be easy, but at least the governor can make certain that the legislature honors its commitments.
A Blank Slate Media Editorial
