A major factor in this floating crap game is the so-called “Parete faction,” the three legislators who voted for Briggs in the first round of the Democratic caucus. John Parete said he too is “interested.” He said that legislators from both sides of the aisle have expressed interest in his candidacy.
Very interesting. Three votes from the Parete faction could elect a Republican chairman, but not necessarily a Democrat.
John Parete. (Photo: Dan Barton)
Ronk, the youngest member of the legislature at 28, showed mature judgment in musing about the difficulties of “a Republican chairman presiding over a Democratic majority.”
I reminded him about minority Republicans cutting a deal last year with a group of rebel New York Democrats to retain control of the state senate.
For all the legislative maneuvering, the determinant force might come from that patronage mill in the corner office. County Executive Mike Hein, like any chief executive, has a stake in the legislative leadership. In fact, he’ll have to deal with the winner(s), so why not try to deal himself a winning hand?
It’s doubtful Hein, even if he talked to us, would confirm that he’s been wheeling and dealing on behalf of Rodriguez. At best, this kind of participation, which legislators on the make are all too eager to embrace, represents practical politics on the executive’s part. Does he have to control the legislature, too?
It matters which horse the executive is (or was) backing in this three-way derby. So I asked Bartels and Briggs whether they had heard of Hein lobbying for Rodriguez. Bartels said she hadn’t, “but wouldn’t have been surprised.” Briggs said he “took the Fifth.”
Bigger fish to fry?
Rodriguez, professionally speaking, is a good deal closer to Hein than is Briggs, a retired corrections officer, or Bartels, an independent writer and filmmaker. Parete, a Kevin Cahill loyalist, is off the reservation. Forget Ronk.
Last August, Rodriguez took an administrative position with the new owners of the infirmary on Golden Hill in Kingston, a facility the county operated until Hein sold it last June. In late September, Hein announced formation of a new department to phase out Golden Hill, comprised primarily of former Golden Hill executives. Budget consultants told the county this process, involving millions of dollars of state and federal reimbursements, ex-employee compensation and the like, could take two years or more.
Rodriguez sees no conflict in working for “a private organization.” If any conflict arises, he said he would recuse himself — something he did not do when budget consultants discussed the infirmary phase-out with legislators in special session last month.
John Parete, who certainly sounds like a contender, believes there are bigger fish for the legislature regardless of who sits in the chair. “We need to promote economic development in this county in a big way,” he said. “If I get in there, and I’m not campaigning for anything, that will be my absolute priority.”
This state of uncertainty will undoubtedly go down to the wire. Recall, for instance, former legislator Frank Dart coming to the organizational meeting “99.9 percent” sure he would support Jeanette Provenzano for chairman in 2008. He voted for Dave Donaldson.
Footnotes
The election of Don Gregorius of Woodstock as majority leader gives Democrats a well-studied, articulate spokesman. It will be interesting to see how well he presides over this herd of cats.
I asked Ronk why Republicans would reelect leaders — himself and Mary Beth Maio of Lloyd as party whip -— who took them down the tubes in the last election. He said the election wasn’t a referendum on Republican leadership. Really? If not, legislature chairwoman Terry Bernardo paid a heavy price in losing her seat in Rochester.
Some of the wheeling and dealing going on involves positions in the legislative clerk’s office, currently staffed by Republicans. Legislative clerk Vicki Fabella seems safe, what with Democrats expressing undying support. The rest are currently dusting off resumes, which is tough. There are some good people there. And now it’s the Democrats’ turn again. The halls, they say, are alive with candidates.
Ronk says he wonders how much time the executive and his staff spend dreaming up acronyms for various programs. The new group in the finance office is called ACE, standing for “Division of Accountability, Compliance and Efficiency.”
“I’m suggesting one called CRAAP for Citizens Revolting Against Acronym Preoccupation,” Ronk said. ACE but not CRAAP was included in the 2014 budget approved by the legislature this past week.
