Crains New York - November 26, 2012 - (Page 10)

OPINION S The price of Senate chaos ouster of their majority leader, their botched attempt to award a Queens racino project to a favored developer and their rejection of nonpartisan redistricting. Three of their wayward members were convicted of unrelated crimes and expelled from the Legislature. Meanwhile, four other Senate Democrats, led by Jeff Klein of the Bronx, broke from their conference and formed their own. They said they could no longer tolerate the leadership of Brooklyn’s John Sampson, who had replaced the beleaguered Malcolm Smith of Queens. They have not committed to caucusing with their fellow Democrats next year. Anyone could be forgiven for suspecting that Mr. Klein’s group is offering its four votes to the highest bidder. It’s unhealthy for state government to be viewed so cynically by the public. Voters should expect the candidates they elect to represent the principles of their parties, not become free agents looking for a better deal. We’re not saying legislators should reflexively vote the party line. But for state government to function, a certain degree of order must be kept in the Legislature. We can’t have 63 undisciplined senators dangling their allegiance on eBay whenever the mood strikes. With the chamber so closely divided, we can’t afford even one. CRAIN’S NEW YORK BUSINESS editor in chief Rance Crain publisher, vp Jill R. Kaplan EDITORIAL editor Glenn Coleman managing editor Jeremy Smerd deputy managing editors Valerie Block, Erik Ipsen assistant managing editor Erik Engquist senior producer, news Elisabeth Butler Cordova news producer Amanda Fung contributing editor Elaine Pofeldt columnists Greg David, Alair Townsend crain’s health pulse editor Barbara Benson senior reporters Theresa Agovino, Aaron Elstein, Lisa Fickenscher, Matthew Flamm reporters Chris Bragg, Daniel Geiger, Andrew J. Hawkins, Annie Karni, Adrianne Pasquarelli web reporter, producer Nazish Dholakia art director Steven Krupinski deputy art director Carolyn McClain staff photographer Buck Ennis copy desk chief Steve Noveck copy editor Thaddeus Rutkowski data editor Suzanne Panara assistant data editor Emily Laermer researchers Eva Saviano, Amy Stern intern Ali Elkin ONLINE AND INTERACTIVE SERVICES senior web developer, interactive Chris O’Donnell ADVERTISING, MARKETING AND PRODUCTION advertising director Trish Henry senior account managers Irene Bar-Am, Courtney McCombs, Suzanne Wilson account executive Jill Bottomley Kunkes sales coordinator Danielle Wiener newsletter product manager Alexis Sinclair credit Todd J. Masura (313-446-6097) director, audience development Michael O’Connor senior marketing manager Catherine Schutten event producer Courtney Williams reprint sales manager Lauren Melesio production and pre-press director Michael Corsi advertising production manager Suzanne Fleischman Wies TO SUBSCRIBE: tate Senate Democrats appear to be blowing their chance to control the upper chamber of the Legislature. While that may be viewed as good news by many in the business community, chaos in the Senate threatens to disrupt the government and erode the public’s fragile confidence in Albany. Votes are still being counted in the 63 Senate races, but it appeared on election night that Democrats had won at least 32 of them, enough to recapture the majority they lost two years ago. Uniting Senate Democrats, however, is like herding cats. Within days of his victory in Brooklyn, Democrat Simcha Felder announced he would caucus with the Republicans when the new Legislature convenes in January. Previously, he had indicated he would join whichever conference held the majority (reaping the goodies that entails, including nicer offices and a fourfigure annual stipend). Mr. Felder’s spin was that he’s doing what is best for his district, but it looks more like he’s putting perks over principle. New Yorkers have seen this movie before. When Democrats emerged from decades in the legislative wilderness to win the Senate majority in 2008, four members held their own conference hostage and grabbed committee chairmanships and leadership posts they did not deserve. Two of them later defected to the Republicans, throwing the chamber into disarray and bringing the legislative process to a halt. The Democrats’ tenure was further stained by the A degree of order is needed for Albany to work CRAIN’S ONLINE POLL COMMENTS ‘Bedpan Alley’ TOO MANY EAST SIDE HOSPITALS No patients, family members or advocacy groups were consulted for the Nov. 5 article “Storm shows hospital excess.” What Superstorm Sandy really shows so clearly is that there is an excess of hospital beds on the East Side—an area that we and others have called “Bedpan Alley.” If, for example, the storm had closed hospitals in southeast Queens or central Brooklyn, the outcome would have been entirely different. The focus should be on excess—in areas where there is excess. That would serve to highlight the unfair distribution of health care resources, a problem that is only getting worse. —judy wessler Director Commission on the Public’s Health System UNEMPLOYMENT AID: IT’S A TEMPORARY THING Renewing federal jobless benefits will strengthen our economy and help New York’s 200,000 long-term unemployed workers find a foothold in a difficult market. Contrary to Greg David’s claim in his Nov. 19 column (“Extension of jobless benefits is misguided”) that 26 weeks is “sufficient” to find work, the average unemployed American is jobless for 40 weeks, with longer searches for older workers. This emergency unemployment compensation, or EUC, is the bridge that helps long-term unemployed workers cover their family’s basic expenses during their job search. It’s the lifeline that keeps them tied to the labor force, as recipients must actively seek work. Mr. David’s most misleading claim—that efforts to renew EUC are intended to create a “permanent expansion” of SHOULD NEW YORKERS FEAR THE FISCAL CLIFF? Yes. High earners’ taxes would jump the most, and some would compensate by moving to low-tax states. Gross domestic product would fall. No. No one’s going to leave New York over this. Cutting spending and returning to Clinton-era tax rates would lower the federal deficit. Date of poll: Nov. 19 benefits—ignores that EUC gets long-term unemployed workers back to work while allowing for a gradual drawdown of the program as the economy improves. Congress has enacted federal extended unemployment insurance every time we have faced high unemployment, and has never shut down the program with unemployment this high. Our elected leaders should do what’s best for New York’s families and economy by renewing EUC. —christine owens Executive director, National Employment Law Project For print and digital subscriptions or customer service, e-mail customerservice@crainsnewyork.com or call 877-824-9379 (in the U.S. and Canada) or 313-446-0450 (all other locations). $3.00 a copy for the print edition; or $99.95 one year, $179.95 two years, for print subscriptions with digital access. www.crainsnewyork.com/subscribe TO ADVERTISE: Contact Advertising Director Trish Henry at thenry@crainsnewyork.com or call 212-210-0711. www.crainsnewyork.com/advertise FOR INFORMATION ON OUR EVENTS: Contact Event Producer Courtney Williams at cwilliams@crainsnewyork.com or 212-210-0257. www.crainsnewyork.com/events TO CONTACT THE NEWSROOM: 711 Third Ave., New York, NY 10017-4036 editorial phone: 212.210.0277 fax 212.210.0799 Entire contents ©copyright 2012 Crain Communications Inc. All rights reserved. ®CityBusiness is a registered trademark of MCP Inc., used under license agreement. 105 votes LIBERAL MEDIA CONSPIRACY EXPOSED In reading the Nov. 8 Crain’s Morning 10, I was impressed by something simple that made me think Crain’s permits reports with liberal bias. The story was about Obamacare and its being “safe” now from the GOP. Did I read this right? —mark holt PUBLISHED BY CRAIN COMMUNICATIONS INC. chairman Keith E. Crain president Rance Crain secretary Merrilee Crain (1942-2012) treasurer Mary Kay Crain executive vp, operations William Morrow senior vp, group publisher Gloria Scoby group vp, technology, circulation, manufacturing Robert C. Adams vp/production, manufacturing David Kamis chief information officer Paul Dalpiaz founder G.D. Crain Jr. (1885-1973) chairman Mrs. G.D. Crain Jr. (1911-1996) 40% Yes 60% No FOR THIS WEEK’S QUESTIONS: Go to www.crainsnewyork.com/poll to have your say. CRAIN’S WELCOMES SUBMISSIONS to its opinion pages. Send letters to letters@crainsnewyork.com. Send columns of 475 words or fewer to opinion@crainsnewyork.com. Please include the writer’s name, company, address and telephone number. 10 | Crain’s New York Business | November 26, 2012 http://www.crainsnewyork.com/subscribe http://www.crainsnewyork.com/advertise http://www.crainsnewyork.com/events http://www.crainsnewyork.com/poll

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Crains New York - November 26, 2012

Crains New York - November 26, 2012
IN THE BOROUGHS
IN THE MARKETS
THE INSIDER
BUSINESS PEOPLE
OPINION
ALAIR TOWNSEND
GREG DAVID
SMALL BUSINESS
REPORT: REAL ESTATE
THE LIST
REAL ESTATE DEALS
CLASSIFIEDS
FOR THE RECORD
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
SOURCE LUNCH
OUT AND ABOUT
SNAPS

Crains New York - November 26, 2012