NY Legislature reaches consensus on tax deal

In Washington right now, Republicans and Democrats are having yet another battle over what to do about taxes — this time, on the tax that funds Social Security.

Previous clashes have been so intractable, so internecine, that a rating agency downgraded the nation’s credit, a stunning vote of no confidence in the ability of the federal government to come to a consensus.

For a tax increase in Albany, all it took was two op-eds, three men in a room and 33 minutes.

The contrast between the Washington gridlock and the Albany fast track has rarely been so stark, and has one federal representative looking from one Capitol to the other with envy.

“That’s really where we need to be,” said Rep. William L. Owens, D-Plattsburgh. “I think we had a great example of that in New York state.”

By the numbers, the split of power in Washington and Albany is relatively similar: a Democratic executive and one house of the legislature, and one Republican house of the legislature. While Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has been lauded for his leadership, President Barack Obama has been accused of “leading from behind.” New York’s electorate is more liberal than that of the United States at large, but Republicans here made pledges, too, not to raise taxes.

While Mr. Owens was quick to praise Mr. Cuomo, it wasn’t at the exclusion of Mr. Obama.

“I think he reached out to people,” Mr. Owens said. “I think he’s established himself as a person who’s interested in getting things done. He’s moved a number of issues along extremely well. I think he established that credibility and accomplished the goal.”

For his part, Mr. Cuomo has contrasted the failures in Washington with a plain-sense approach in Albany.

“Gridlock stopped the government in Washington. We can’t let that happen here,” Mr. Cuomo said in a video that he released on his website prior to the vote. “My plan is balanced, my plan is fair and my plan is achievable.”

Mr. Cuomo unveiled two op-eds, one on Sunday and one on Monday. Then he negotiated in private with Republican Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos and Democratic Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, the famed “three men in a room” process. A mere 33 minutes after the details of the bill were released, the Republican-controlled Senate, including sens. Patricia A. Ritchie, R-Heuvelton, and Joseph A. Griffo, R-Rome, voted to approve the tax deal. It cut income taxes slightly for middle- and low-income New Yorkers, while raising them for those who make more than $1 million. The plan will bring $1.9 billion into state coffers, helping close a $3.5 billion projected budget gap next year.

Mr. Owens’s staff highlighted comments from Assemblyman Kenneth D. Blankenbush, R-Black River, about the importance of compromise.

Mr. Owens said this across-the-aisle attitude doesn’t exist in Washington.

“What we don’t have are people on the other side of the aisle who are willing to compromise,” he said. “They are unwilling to take reasonable steps to reach a compromise.”