Gov. Cuomo and the state Legislature have adjourned the most recent session without agreeing to any plans for drawing new district boundaries.
Democratic Assembly Speaker Silver and Senate Democrats along with Republican Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb (R,I,C-Canandaigua) had nothing to fear from an independent reapportionment.
New York is an overwhelming Democratic bastion with registered Democrats outnumbering Republicans by 2.5 million.
Only Republican Senate Majority Leader Skelos, with a slim one-vote margin, is nervous about the future of his caucus.
There are just not enough registered Republicans left to gerrymander a majority of Senate seats in his favor. Real reform can only come to Albany with honest competitive elections as supported by former New York City Mayor Koch and his New York Uprising movement.
Our current Assembly and Senate district lines look like a jigsaw puzzle. Every 10 years, after the census, district lines have to be redrawn.
Past Republican Senate Majority Leaders, Anderson, Marino, and Bruno cut deals with past Democratic Assembly Speakers Steingut, Fink, Miller, Weprin and Silver. These political back room arrangements were a quid pro quo deal preserving the status quo. Each gave the other unlimited freedom to protect and expand their respective majorities in each legislative house they controlled.
In 1812, Massachusetts Governor Elbridge Gerry signed a redistricting bill allowing his party to rig the drawing of district boundaries in their favor. This practice is commonly known as gerrymandering today.
With a fair reapportionment, Republicans would lose several Senate seats they have historically gerrymandered relegating them back to minority status. On the other hand, Republican Assembly members might be able to increase their beleaguered numbers from 50 versus 100 Democrats. With a fair fight, Democrats would still control the Assembly, but perhaps by a reduced margin of 90 to 60.
Everyone knows that Silver rules the Assembly with an iron hand. He controls whose bills come out of committee to a full vote, lulus for chairing committees, funding for member-item pork barrel projects, staffing, mailings and district office budgets. Skelos has similar powers in his chamber.
As two of the infamous “Three Men in the Room,” change will only come to Albany with an honest reapportionment and election of a new speaker and Senate majority leader.
There is still time for political redemption. The only power voters have is in 2012 when the incumbent members of the legislature are up for re-election.
If they don’t deliver between now and then, the way to obtain real change is to fire those incumbents. Let a new generation of elected officials a chance.
Larry Penner
Great Neck
