Bruno is OUT, Skelos is IN

New York State can take a breather now that Joseph L. Bruno, the most powerful Republican in New York State, has stepped down as NY Senate Majority Leader, a post he has held since 1995, though it seems like forever. Bruno, 79, has been in office for 32 years representing Rensselaer County and the southeastern part of Saratoga County that includes Saratoga Springs. Bruno and Sheldon Silver, the Democrat from New York City who became Speaker of the NY State Assembly in 1994, have run the state together over the past 12 years or so with virtually no opposition from previous Republican Governor George Pataki until Eliot Spitzer, the muckraking Democratic Attorney General turned Governor, came along at the beginning of 2007.

Eliot Spitzer was elected with the mandate to change politics as usual in New York State and immediately went head-to-head with Bruno. Unfortunately, megalomaniac Spitzer brought himself down a year later without accomplishing his goal and suddenly Lieutenant Governor David Paterson was thrust into the Governorship a mere 3 months ago. I, for one, thought that Bruno and Silver would stomp all over him and that he would not have a fighting chance. So, lo and behold, Bruno suddenly decides to step down. Could it have anything to do with the FBI’s yearlong investigation into his business dealings? Bruno states that he plans to “move on with my life and give my constituents an opportunity for new representation and my colleagues in the Senate who have supported me, an opportunity for new leadership.” Joe, sorry you didn’t see fit for us to have benefited from this years ago.

Anyhow, the Republicans have elected Dean Skelos to become their new Leader to take the helm of the NY Senate which has been dominated by the Republican Party for the last 40 years. Likewise the NY State Assembly has long been dominated by the Democratic Party. The most important part about Dean Skelos is that he is from Long Island and has represented Rockville Center, Nassau County for the last 22 years. He is basically a career politician so I’m not sure how much change that will bring to NY State government. Many are suggesting that with Bruno gone, the Republicans may lose their majority in the Senate come November.

Skelos, 60, claims that his top priorities are property tax relief and job creation. Long Islander’s have been screaming for property tax relief for years. Where has Mr. Skelos been all of this time? Anyway, I am glad to hear that he is finally going to do something about it. Whohoo! I did not know this but apparently he was instrumental in helping Bruno attain the Leadership post back in the 90’s so he is no small fry. At the very least, he should be able to put Long Island squarely back on the map in Albany. Maybe something good will come of his reign after all.