Can Hochul Become an Uber-Powerful Governor?
Can Hochul Become an Uber-Powerful Governor?
After a month of bickering, on Thursday evening Governor Hochul convened an unscheduled news conference to announce a month late “conceptual” budget agreement.
The legislature will convene in a few days and begin voting on the thousands of pages of “the budget,” then again, this is Albany.
Politico summarizes the budget agreement here
Typically the legislative leaders brief their members and hold a joint press conference with the governor, this year the governor shunned the legislature to dominate the news cycle, and, disrespected legislators.
Aretha got it right, “I’m about to give you all of my money
And all I’m askin’ in return, honey
is to give me my propers when you get home.”
Hochul dragged the budget negotiations on for weeks because she could, to make it clear to the legislature and the public that she’s in control. Newly elected governors are given a copy of the State Constitution and probably Machiavelli’s The Prince. (“It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both. If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared”.) Cuomo learned well! Will Hochul?
A year ago as an unelected governor Hochul was overwhelmed by the legislature, for twenty plus years governors used the budget process to reward friends and punish perceived enemies. In the 2014 election cycle the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) did not make an endorsement in the democratic primary and a few NYSUT locals endorsed Cuomo’s opponent, Zephr Teachout. Cuomo “punished” NYSUT by extending teacher probation from three to four years and adding a few charter perks.
Hochul, the lieutenant governor and virtual unknown was thrust into the Albany Executive Mansion as Cuomo fell into the “#me-too” abyss. Lee Zeldin, her opponent, a Congressman representing Eastern Suffolk ran a one issue campaign: crime. Zeldin, an ultra Trumper, was narrowing and narrowing the gap.
NYSUT, the state teacher union, turned out the troops. phone banks, door-knocking, all the Get Out the Vote activities, and, Hochul won by a narrow 5.5%, in the previous cycle Cuomo won by 24%.
Hochul’s closest advisor lives in Colorado, has no footprints in New York State and almost lost her the race.
Hochul had goals; she won a few and failed in most.
* She built her anti-crime creds by forcing the legislature to toughen the cash bail law, the public perceives the law as increasing crime, the data may not support and the changes may not have any impact on the actual process. Read “Cash Bail Reform is not a Threat to Public Safety” here. She’s now the anti-crime governor.
* Change local zoning restrictions in suburban communities and build 800,000 houses in ten years – suburban legislators strongly opposed, not in the budget
* Stabilize MTA funding, shared by the state and the city Read here.
* Hochul’s proposed increase in CUNY/SUNY tuition was killed by Assembly Speaker Heastie and a coalition of advocacy organizations lead by CUNYRising.
* Failed to eliminate the Regional Charter School cap and did restore 12 “Zombie” Charters, a limited Hochul win
Hochul used the budget process to begin to fill her 2026 election coffers, and may have lost the support of teacher unions and public school advocates. She chose charter dollars over teacher/parent votes (See Diane Ravitch here)
Will she become the dominant state leader, imposing her will on the legislature?
Mayor Adams did well in the budget process, the MTA settlement was far better than the preliminary budget hit, the budget includes migrant support, and the “zombie” charter rent will be paid by the state.
Over the next six weeks, the legislature adjourns June 8th, an angry legislature can pass non-budgetary bills, and the UFT supports number of bills,
Limit charter school grade level expansions (S2974/A6561)
Make the Board of Regents the sole authorizer in the state (S1395/A4502)
Stop using public funds to pay for private facility space rented by NYC charters (S2137/A5672)
Pass the Charter School Transparency and Accountability Act (S4466/A4458)
The city budget process is heating up, budget gurus see dark clouds over the city and Adams continues to reduce dollars in the proposed city budget, including a hefty hit in the Department of Education budget, although Adams claims schools will not be impacted.
Will the budget settlement hasten the UFT Contract negotiations?
Maybe, the agreement clarifies a number of budgetary issues that were hanging over the city; the city budget is now in the headlights. The entire Council is up for reelection (primaries on June 28th), with Ranked Choice Voting and the city budget approval due by June 30th. The Council will fight hard for education funding; in 2021 over 300 candidates ran for the 51 Council seats.
Stay tuned.