Jackson Heights Life

http://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/politics/2017/03/13/state-senate-agrees-in-its-budget-to-raise-age-of-criminal-liability-to-18.html

This is an interesting story and reflects why everyone feels so frustrated with State government.

Its an announcement that "Raise the Age" has been included in the budget, and everyone congratulating themselves for doing it. But all it says is that there is an agreement to discuss it. No details, no commitment, no nothing. Absolute thin air designed for a press release. Yet Senator Klein is patting himself on the back I am sure to be followed by our local Senator and others spending tax dollars to do the same thing.

Its the same old bait and switch. The IDC announces something is a priority then gets a reporter to write that it was a big accomplishment getting a half measure done, then the IDC points to that as the reason they accept money, perks and power to betray the Democratic caucus and Democratic issues. In this case, they didn't even get anything done and they are taking a victory lap. By the time its over, no one will even know what was in the bill.

No wonder people are taking to the street. And BTW, I guess we all are now supposed to forget about the Dream Act, the Women's Equality Act, GENDA, campaign finance reform, ethics reform, etc, etc, etc. Because of course we got a major victory of a promise to discuss something in the future. Maybe. Thankfully the voters aren't falling for this stuff anymore.

POLITICO

New pay raise bill introduced

By Bill Mahoney
02/24/2017 05:20 AM EDT

ALBANY — State lawmakers have introduced 260 bills over the past week, including 101 that aren’t reintroductions of legislation active in past sessions.

In the Assembly, Assemblyman David Weprin introduced a pay raise bill identical to one proposed by Sen. Jose Peralta last month. The bill, beginning in 2019, would adjust lawmakers' current $79,500 salary for the inflation that’s occurred since this rate took effect at the beginning of 1999, likely resulting in wages somewhere between $115,000 and $120,000.

The bill’s sponsor's memo directly rebuts claims made by Gov. Andrew Cuomo before his appointees to a compensation commission blocked lawmakers from getting a raise last November. “Contrary to common belief, the majority of New York State legislators typically engage work on an annual, full-time basis,” it says. “As the discussion over whether to designate the New York State Legislature to be a ‘full-time’ legislature continues, it is true that most legislators already view their offices as being exactly that.”