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From Albany, this is the legislative gazette, a weekly half-hour review of New York State
government and politics.
Post is political scientist and syndicated columnist Dr. Alan Charter of the State University.
Hello and welcome to the legislative gazette.
This week we'll look at the Semitech and Super Collider projects.
What's happening to these proposals and more?
We'll talk about the investigation into the director of the State through A authority,
Alexander Lavigne.
And we'll take a look at why Governor Cuomo is campaigning across the country, but not
running for president.
A new statewide bill may put restrictions on vicious dogs.
We'll hear about that and much, much more.
It's all coming up on this week's legislative gazette.
Lieutenant Governor Stan Lundin is running to some problems with his pet project, the Super
Collider.
Bruce Robertson has this report.
New York now has only two proposed sites for the Federal Super Collider Research Project.
The third site in the Lower Hudson Valley was withdrawn from consideration after residents
of the area turned out to oppose it.
But that was not the reason cited by the state when Lieutenant Governor Stan Lee Lundin
made the announcement Thursday morning at the State Capitol.
We're withdrawing the Hudson Valley proposal because there's a region wide consensus that
the area cannot accommodate the economic growth that would accompany the Super Collider.
We have always recognized that the Hudson Valley is an area of the state experiencing strong
economic growth.
Along with low unemployment, the area is also striving to deal with some problems of
over development.
Nevertheless, from the time we first proposed the project and submitted our proposals to
the Federal Government, we've been told by elected representatives and others in the
Hudson Valley that the net effect of the Super Collider on the region would be positive.
Yet, in the last month, many of these same individuals have previously supported the
project in the spring and summer have reversed their assessment.
After consulting with a broad range of business, governmental, and other leaders in the Hudson
Valley, it's clear to me that this area of the state is not willing, nor is it able
to accommodate the changes and the economic development that the project would bring.
Because of this carefully considered assessment and not because of protests or threats, we're
convinced that the Hudson Valley proposal no longer has a reasonable chance of being selected
as the site for this federal project.
The tenant governor Stanley Lundeen, speaking Thursday morning at the state capital, he
went on to say that all factors at a proposed site must be considered in order for the
location to be viewed as ideal.
He said he understands how the citizens of the Mid Hudson area are concerned about rapid
over development of the area from the more congested urban areas to the south.
He says of the other two sites, Williamson East of Rochester is considered the best because
the business community is quite eager there.
Even though the town board of Williamson has voted unanimously to send a message to the
urban development corporation not to bring the Super Collider to Williamson.
A footnote.
One of the sites from the 25 states competing for the location will be selected by the
federal government in January and in the end, New York may not even be chosen.
Reporting for the Legislative Gazette, this is Bruce Robertson in Albany.
New York officials have been busy wooing representatives on a billion dollar research facility
that might be located in the capital region.
Maurice Small has this report.
New York mounted an impressive reception on Wednesday to try to attract Semitech.
It's a planned one and a half billion dollar research facility now looking for a home.
The Rensler Technology Park in North Green Bush is apparently in the final running for
the project by a consortium of semiconductor companies.
It will be the first federally funded facility to research computer chips as the U.S. government
tries to better compete with Japan on the world market.
Semitech, which stands for Semicon-Ductor Manufacturing Technology, will inject $250 million
into the local economy and bring in about 800 employees.
So it has sparked intense competition among New York, Massachusetts, Texas, Wisconsin,
Arizona, and North Carolina, where sites are under consideration.
When the Semitech team visited the capital region this week, they heard personal pitches
from Governor Cuomo and economic development director Vincent Teesey touting the benefits
of locating in the capital region.
The various potential home states for Semitech are offering economic incentives to try to
attract it.
Harold Holzer, an aide to Teesey, says New York's package is worth $100 million.
A $40 million interest free loan on the basis of 30 years of no interest payments is a savings
of $80 million.
So we're calling that an $80 million package right there.
Plus, we're talking about money for training, $12 million in power savings, forgiveness
of sales taxes on construction, $100 million altogether, which we think makes us among
the most generous proposals in the state.
And the message to the Governor and Vincent Teesey left the Semitech Committee with was
the following.
Once you've looked around the country, if you have a proposal that you think is more generous
than ours, give us the chance to match them because we want New York.
We want Semitech in New York.
The Teesey's officials say they're offering Semitech an economic incentive package worth
$260 million.
But Holzer says that total sounds like more than it is.
For our interpretation of early interpretation of their incentive package, it's a very soft
package and they compute their money in a way that, you know, sort of on the barter system
and the value of services that are not really cash services.
We think we're in there and very competitive right now.
In addition to financial lures, the Semitech consortium is looking for extensive cooperation
from universities wherever it locates.
The Rensler Polytechnic Institute in Troy heads a group of universities pledging to work
with Semitech if it lands in the capital region.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Yale, Cornell, Columbia, and SUNY also back
the capital region offer.
Congress is expected to vote soon on the federal appropriation that will provide half the
funding for Semitech.
For the legislative gazette, this is more e-small.
Recently state inspector general Joseph Spinelli, after looking into the affair of Alexander
Levine, recommended to the governor that his four-month investigation be turned over to
a prosecutor.
Brenda McMahon has more.
The investigation will be handed over to the Albany County District Attorney Saul Greenberg,
state attorney general Robert Abrams, and the state investigation commission.
Greenberg, the Albany District Attorney, says when he receives Spinelli's report, he'll
use it as the basis for his own investigation.
Well, we will look at the inspector general's report.
Take a look at it first.
And make a determination as to whether or not his findings are such as to indicate there
might be some criminality or at least to the point where we should present to a grand jury.
That is why further understanding that the copy of the same report will be sent to the
attorney general also.
So they do have some criminal prosecution jurisdiction.
Once we've had an opportunity to read it and go over it, we'll probably compare notes
with the attorney general's also make the determination as to who's going to handle
one.
Greenberg also praises Inspector Spinelli, saying he has great respect for his investigative
abilities.
I have, I have complete confidence in his integrity.
I worked with him in the past.
He's a professional with high integrity and conscript.
We will look at it and then make determination as to whether we will or won't do anything.
Levin has been accused of setting up a computer software firm called BetaSoft.
He allegedly steered engineering companies wanting to do business with the three way
authority to do business with the software firm.
BetaSoft was dissolved earlier this year.
Levin's daughter was one of the firm's owners and another three way authority employee
was reported to have been a BetaSoft stockholder since the abloom resigned from her job in July.
The initial investigation began from an anonymous letter which accused Levin of conflict of interest.
Levin is still the director of the state three way authority but he has filed his retirement
papers and he's planning to leave his $83,000 a year post by the end of October.
After the legislative gazette this is Brenda McMahon.
As I do most every week I recently spoke with Fred Dicker, capital bureau chief for the
New York Post.
We talked about the state of the assembly and the new speaker Mel Miller about Governor
Cuomo's apparent non-political trips throughout the country and what's happening with another
investigation right here in Albany.
It seems to me that Mario Cuomo has been behaving in a very strange way.
As you know I have tremendous admiration for him.
At the same time he's yelling he will not be a candidate for president of the United
States.
He is really burning rubber as we say going around giving speeches all over the country.
Now it's announced he's actually going to be playing a role with Governor Thompson on
the other side in the primary and the essential primaries questioning candidates of the other
party.
What is going on here is that he's just driving people crazy and teasing them or is there
something more to it?
I think he's having a great deal of fun and I think he frankly is surprised that he
is where he is after always only been governor for four and three quarters years and he's a national
figure, an international figure.
He's touted as a guy who could have a democratic nomination for the asking.
What has he done to achieve all that except give a few speeches which were of great eloquence
but didn't contain any major new ideas as far as I could tell.
I think the answer is he really hasn't done anything and finds himself in this position.
He's startled by it.
He's heard the critics over the month say he doesn't know this country, he doesn't know
foreign affairs.
So we've seen him go to Russia last month.
We hear now he's going to Mexico.
He's traveling this country more and more, being treated as a celebrity and look as we both
know politicians don't get into the business that they're in because they have no need
for ego gratification.
It's very heady when you travel the country and you get greeted wherever you go with front
page stories as possible nominee for president.
I think he's enjoying himself.
I think he's having a good time.
I think he feels he can make some contributions to the national debate but I don't think he
will ruin all this.
Ruined is good times.
Ruined the attention is getting by announcing for president and then being subjected to the
kind of scrutiny that we all know can that they have to undergo and we all know the governor
does not enjoy.
That's a sort of he locked into this.
What else do you think it is?
Well, you know, you're a student to this guy.
I am.
So what has he done to justify the attention he's getting?
Well, let me go here in New York.
Can you think of a couple of really important initiatives here?
I know guys who say to me that every night Mario Gomo goes to sleep, turns to Matilda and
says Matilda, it's working.
I can't believe it.
It's working.
But you're describing this to almost happenstance.
There are plenty of people who think he knows exactly what he's doing.
I think they're wrong.
Now, I mean, what is the governor done in this state to make the problem of the homeless
in New York City any better?
What has he done to reduce crime in the subway system?
What has he done upstate to address the problem, say, of relative poverty in the Anorondacks?
I argue nothing.
Well, look, there are a lot of people who argue the opposite.
Well, to give you an example of what, you know, tell listeners out there.
Well, I'm not sure on Freddie that he's put twice as many people in prison as we're
there.
Well, we know he didn't do that.
Well, but they are there.
No, that's the stuff of a campaign, but it's not the stuff that convinces a mass as a
people.
Okay.
You know, Freddie, you can say what you want.
The point is, I'm not going to argue that with you right now simply because what I want
to pay attention to.
Now, I'm telling you there's a national phenomenon under foot here.
The Democratic Party is disintegrating.
They're desperate.
The friends and the media of the Democratic Party are looking for a savior to bail them
out against the Republicans next year.
And the governor is the anointed one.
Well, that may be so.
But I'm still saying to you that there are plenty of people who are willing to credit
a philosophy or a theoretical approach to Mario Cuomo.
You're saying it's not so.
Correct.
And I don't think there's any theoretical or philosophical approach.
It's happened, happened, stands, and he has found himself in a spot that I guarantee
you a couple of years ago he never would have imagined would happen.
And nobody else would have imagined it either.
Right.
Switching from that subject to the next interesting one, his long time, close aid, Alexander
Levine, now finds himself in a heap of trouble.
Tell us about it.
And with the most recent development in the Alexander Levine through way authority affair
is this, somebody really bucks the governor badly by leaking to the New York Times a couple
of days ago.
A story that Joseph Spinelli, Cuomo's inspector general for the state, had concluded in a
report that Levine's alleged questionable activities concerning a company that his daughter
had a business interest in, which was doing business with the through way authority that
he heads.
In fact, that report should be given to criminal prosecutors for possible prosecution,
meaning, of course, that Spinelli feels a crime may have occurred.
To report the liquid on to say, however, that the governor's people were blocking the
reports being given over to the prosecutors, i.e. a cover up might be under way.
Now, I wish I had had that story.
Of course, I didn't, but I can tell you this.
The fact that it hit the press meant that Cuomo people were finished.
They had to then hand the report over to the prosecutors because to do anything else would
have made it seem as if what was contained in the Times report, which was based on an
anonymous source or sources, was correct that a cover up was under way.
They handed over the report.
The governor did a dramatic flip-flop at the same time reversing the position he has held
for months that the inspector general's reports could not be made public and said from now
on, they all will be made public.
Except Fred, that you put a hit the governor in a dam if he does dam if he does in situation.
In other words, he did do the right thing as opposed to the wrong thing and you say, well,
he was forced to do that, but how do we know that?
Well, that's just my estimate.
I mean, the governor, I think, deserves a lot of criticism on this whole thing.
I mean, he was telling us over and over again that we were fools.
He was sneering at us for months when we suggested that the reports of the inspector general
to be significant, to have an impact, to deter and proper behavior should be made public.
I mean, I asked him and others asked him.
Wait a second, now, Freddie.
It's damned if he does, damned if he doesn't.
On the one hand, you're telling us he handed over that report, which he was supposed to
do to prosecutors, but you're saying that he was forced to do it?
And, you know, sometimes I think it's important for us in the media to keep in mind what's
gone on in the past, to have some memory.
We've been victimized by the governor for months.
Every time I and others would suggest to him that the reports of his inspector general
should be made public, he, in almost a humiliating fashion, said we were stupid, we couldn't
possibly, he couldn't possibly allow those reports to be made public.
It would have a chilling effect on the investigative ability of the inspector general.
When we all knew, and you knew it, I'm sure, that many investigative bodies, including
grand juries, the state investigations commission, district authorities, make their reports
public.
So now that the governor finally has agreed to do what was obvious from the beginning he
should do, I don't think we should just sort of, you know, praise him to the hilltops.
Was he right to do this?
Yes, Freddie, you've done it three months ago and avoided some of the problems he has now?
Yes, as well.
Okay, now let's go back to where we started from and that's the assembly in the legislature.
You wrote some scathing column saying that Mill Miller is in real trouble.
What's that all about?
Now, and I think it's shocking how badly the new speaker of the assembly, Melvin Miller,
Brooklyn, a one-time reformer, has been acting vis-a-vis this whole legislative scandal.
We've seen a number of signs of not an attempt to deal and ameliorate the problems of the
legislature from Mill Miller, but just the opposite.
Item, for the last four or five months it's become tougher than it ever has been in the
ten years I've been around the legislature to obtain payroll information, expenditure
information from the assembly.
The press operation that Mill Miller put into effect seems more inclined to blockade us,
to stone walls, than to help us.
And in fact, I've been asking for a week how many people work for the Assembly House Operations
Committee?
Which is a holding tank for all these political operatives?
And they still won't tell me.
You haven't told me how many people work for a public commission.
Last week Mill Miller was asked, are there no show employees at the legislature?
Have you been aware of the use of campaigns in campaigns of legislative employees?
And the answer is, I think I may have indicated earlier, in a way that was sort of like a mafia
leaders legalese to deny any knowledge of something instead of being up front and saying
what went on and what's going on right now.
There have been other examples.
Just a few days ago, Alan, Lisa Bang-Gentson, a reporter for the Inside Albany Television
show, went with a film crew to the offices of the Assembly House Operations Committee.
Those offices in a private building are rented a taxpayer expense, maybe $300,000 a year.
Not only was Bang-Gentson denied access to the head of the committee and to the office
suite to the committee, which he wanted to see, but he was thrown out of the office waiting
room being told that he had a way to add in the hallway by the elevator.
Now this is a public building, Alan.
I can't understand how Mill Miller, who did approve of that treatment of Bang-Gentson,
could allow it to occur and could count himself, could offer himself as an important leader
of this state while tolerating those kinds of practices.
You've been mentioning in your column that Norman Adler is sort of seen as a spengali
influence in this.
Well, maybe Rasputin.
Rasputin.
This is a very interesting character, a hardball player, been around the political scene a long,
long time.
Norman Adler, a Brooklyn former labor activist and labor hardball political operative, who
Mill Miller picked to be, really, as a strategist, his number one non-elected aide being paid
a big salary.
I think he makes about $70,000 a year.
Many people believe he's been giving Mill Miller bad advice.
His advice to Mill Miller has been to Stonewall press on the scandal to be confrontational when confronted
and to just apologize for the old ways.
I mean, it seems incredible to many people, including me, that Mill Miller, Warren Anderson,
I don't expect Fred Horanstein to get involved since he's under indictment, but that these
leaders haven't stepped forward and said, look, we may have done things wrong in the past,
but it's a new era.
We recognize that we're going to change.
Not only has Mill Miller never said that, he seems to be an apologist for the old ways.
Fred Dicker of the New York Post.
In another development in state government this week, Fred Dicker and several other reporters
rated the Assembly House Operations Officers an Albany, only to find that the Assembly
Majority Party has their own sauna.
Dave Galetley has this report.
There is established a policy that will avoid disruption of the ongoing operations of
the departments of the Assembly.
Reporters, photographers, and other media personnel will not be permitted spontaneous access
to the Assembly's operations offices.
Since the public has a right to know how their tax dollars are spent, media personnel
will be admitted if they had made prior arrangements with the Assembly Press Office.
In this manner, the Speaker hopes to strike a balance between the efficient operation of
the legislature and the rights of the press.
That's Norman Adler, top aid to Assembly Speaker, Mill Miller.
He was reading a statement to reporters Thursday morning at the offices of the State Assembly's
House Operations Staff in a downtown Albany office building.
That statement was apprailed to some dramatic developments just minutes later, as New
York Post reporter Fred Dicker and other reporters made another attempt to penetrate the
mystery of the Assembly House Operations Committee.
The reporters asked to speak with Richard Farfailia, Director of House Operations.
After about a 10 minute wait, Millarade Adler came out to read the statement you just heard.
Our microphones captured what happened next.
Listen carefully.
We have a appointment now.
We'll end this policy.
We'll Mr. Farfailia be available to us.
Talk to Jeff.
But you can't tell us now.
Only Jeff can tell us.
Jeff Taylor is handling that.
I'm not the press officer.
And you should call him and make arrangements.
We'll be happy to accommodate you.
If Jeff is handling this, why are you sent out to deliver the message?
I happen to be in here and Jeff was across the street.
We wanted to have you not sit around and cool your heels for more moments than you had
to.
So that's why we did it this way.
And you're speaking for Assembly Speaker Millar.
I'm speaking for the Miller.
Yeah.
We were led to understand it.
We were able to see Mr. Farfailia that he isn't in his office.
Why if he's down the hall, won't he allow us?
We're who led you?
Perceptionist.
She said he isn't in his office.
He isn't in his office.
He's also working.
I'm here.
We're in the middle of a meeting.
I came out because I was here.
And we're not going to disrupt the meeting for you.
But we'd be very happy to give you access.
Just make an arrangement with Jeff Taylor.
So how do you do any of the employees here work in campaigns during campaign season?
Talk to Jeff.
Okay.
Can you tell us that?
So how do I want to go?
I want to down the hall here.
Is there a song of that too?
Can we see if there is or not?
At this point, Dicker follows Adler down the hallway.
I'm not afraid.
Use me to take those out of me.
I'm not in here for these to be public often.
No, it's not.
Come on.
You know what?
Who's paying for these fights in these fights?
Sure.
I'm asking you.
Get out of here.
And make arrangements with Jeff Taylor.
Or what if Jeff Taylor?
Arrange this with Jeff Taylor.
Hey, arrange this with Jeff Taylor.
Oh, with Jeff Taylor.
With Jeff Taylor.
Jeff Taylor.
Why?
Because you're Jeff Taylor.
Make arrangements with Jeff Taylor.
Why can't you with Jeff Taylor?
You want to protect your private?
With Jeff Taylor.
Get out of here and make arrangements with Jeff.
Get off my jacket.
Get arranged and move back.
Mr. Adler, why are you physically insulting Mr. Dicker?
Make arrangements with Jeff Taylor.
You're not allowed in here.
Let's hold that.
Get out.
Following the incident, Dicker said he was
considering criminal assault charges against Adler.
Jeff Taylor, the person referred to,
is an assembly press officer.
In Albany, I'm Dave Galettely.
New York State lawmakers are on the attack against dangerous
dogs, and it's not just the infamous pit bull.
Brenda McMahon has this report.
That was the topic of a recent hearing in Albany.
But lawmakers have decided not to isolate the problem
to pit bulls.
Assemblyman Richard Coom, chairman of the Assembly Republican
panel on vicious dog control, says all dogs could be dangerous.
And so the legislation will define dangerous and potentially
dangerous dogs, rather than regulating one breed.
The original drafted legislation requires dangerous dogs
to be enclosed in a six foot high, chained, and locked fence,
and to have a muzzle device on when
away from the premises.
The owner is also required to have $100,000 in liability
insurance and to register the pet.
But Coom says many recommendations
were made at the hearing, and the bill may be amended.
Some of the additional information
was that an emphasis on the fact that it should be statewide
legislation, the preempted local legislation,
and along with that, that it should certainly
be dangerous dog legislation, rather than breed specific,
because the breed specific legislation
is when challenge being defeated in the courts
across the nation.
Also, there were areas where they felt
that we should have some additional changes.
For example, in our definitions, some changes there.
And along with that, the confinement issue,
that should be specialized enlarged upon,
so that dog owners would be aware of the fact
that confinement, as well as destruction of the dogs,
would be options for them.
One participant, Assemblyman Arnold Proskin,
says although he has had no complaints
of dangerous dogs in his district, he's aware
that this is a statewide problem.
But one of Proskin's concerns is the protection
of individual's property rights.
My concern, of course, is property rights of individuals.
There's a balancing effect that has to be brought into play
when a person owns a dog.
He has certain rights because of this right of ownership.
Of course, these rights have to be balanced against the right
of the public to be protected against some animal, perhaps,
that can hurt individuals.
So that's my concern, of course, is not
to jeopardize individuals' rights any more than they actually
have to be.
Assemblyman Proskin hasn't made a decision
about supporting the drafted legislation.
But Kuhm says he has a lot of support
in both the Senate and the Assembly.
So much support that he believes the bill will pass the assembly
during the 1988 legislative session.
We might be surprised at this, but I do
believe dangerous dog legislation will be passed
in the 1988 legislative session.
The reason is the public is clamoring for change.
Certainly, it's been in the media to a great extent,
especially the pit bulldog issue.
And I think the best way to protect the safety of the public
and at the same time to provide some protection
for the dog owners and so forth would be
to go the dangerous dog legislative route in Habits,
State White.
It's my feeling members in both houses
and in both political parties agree with that type concept.
And so now it'll be getting on to get the job done,
getting meaningful legislation passed in the next session.
The current bill defends a dangerous dog
as one that attacks a person without provocation
and a potentially dangerous dog
as one that when unprovoked, chases or approaches
a person in a menacing fashion or apparent attitude of attack.
For the legislative gazette, this is Brenda McMahon.
And that's it for this week's legislative gazette.
The show was produced by Brenda McMahon
and she had helped this week from Morrie Small, Bruce Robertson,
and Lynn Maddie Evans.
We hope you enjoyed our show and you'll tune in again next week
for more on what's happening in and around the New York State
Capitol.
Until then, I'm Alan Chartac.
The legislative gazette is a production of WAMC news.
Dr. Alan Chartac is executive producer.
This program is made possible with funds provided
by the State University College at New Ports.
Statewide satellite distribution of this program
was made possible by the Lawrence group providing residents
throughout New York State with total insurance coverage.
