Rochester Democrat & Chronicle Editorial: State lawmakers need to change their behavior and work harder to fix problems

The calendar shows it’s well into the year 2010, but state lawmakers have failed to hold robust discussions on so many of the things that need fixing.

A visit to the Editorial Board last week by E.J. McMahon of the Empire Center for New York State Policy was a grim reminder that much needs reforming in the way the state operates, from too-generous union contracts to Medicaid payments.

Yet little legislative dialogue has taken place so far. The governor’s budget and program plans need robust vetting and debate. Lawmakers shouldn’t wait till right before the budget deadline of April 1 to start talking. This year, especially, budget hearings need to be held early and in public.

While Democrats control both the Assembly and Senate, they seem incapable of working with the governor to get meaningful legislation passed. Case in point, an ethics bill. It often appears that the governor isn’t even a part of the same Democratic Party, let alone a former leader in the state Senate. Compromise is in order.

Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb of Canandaigua told the Editorial Board last week that he is willing to work with anyone in any party to affect change. He said he has bipartisan support in both the Assembly and Senate for his effort to get a vote on constitutional convention legislation.

Democrats should note that there’s compelling evidence, too, that the Republicans are making headway with voters. Just last week, Republicans picked up two more Assembly seats in special elections.

Don’t forget that last November, two prominent county executives who were Democrats lost their jobs to Republicans. Kolb predicts more wins for Republicans come November.

As for the Legislature’s shortcomings, Kolb blames entrenched leadership as part of the problem; he’s proposed term limits.

While Democrats give lip service to the idea that voters are fed up, their collective inaction says otherwise.