NYSHEI

As part of his ongoing effort to fully explain the magnitude of the budget situation challenging the state, Governor Paterson today unveiled a new website.

At the heart of the website’s goal is a state budget calculator that lets you try to balance the budget.

Critics will quickly note that the calculator does not allow you the option of raising taxes. This is keeping with the Governor’s pledge to focus only on cuts by ruling out tax increases. Paterson, in a stark reversal of his liberal Democrat years in the Legislature, has embraced the Laffer Curve in his opposition to tax increases.

There is a place on the new website to share your comments with the Governor and his staff.

In New York, as in much of the nation, November 4, 2008 was a very good night for the Democrat Party.

For the first time since 1965 Democrats are the majority party in the State Senate. With decisive victories against two long serving incumbents, Caesar Trunzo of Long Island and Serphin Maltese of Queens, Democrats gained a 32-30 majority. Congratulations to Brian Foley and Joseph Addabbo in their respective wins.

Republican challengers were unable to unseat their top two targets, upstate Democrats Bill Stachowski of Buffalo and Darryl Aubertine of Watertown. Republicans also failed to put a dent in Westchester Democrat Suzi Oppenheimer despite the presence of a talented and aggressive challenger campaign.

The Democrat majority may grow by one additional seat as election officials count and re-count the returns in the Queens race pitting Democrat challenger James Gennaro against longtime Republican incumbent Frank Padavan. At this writing Padavan maintained an 800 vote lead.

Many observers, myself included, predict that there will soon be a spate of Republican retirements in the State Senate as many aging and long-serving Republican Senators opt for an exit rather than minority-party status - which in Albany is more accurately described as second-class citizen status. Democrats would seem well positioned to make additional gains in open-seat elections should this come to pass.

With a governing majority the Democrats are poised to dominate all levels of state politics for the foreseeable future as their victories will enable them to administer the 2010 reapportionment with virtually no input from the Republicans - assuming they can use the enormous advantages of incumbency and the dramatically improved fundraising prospects of the majority to maintain control in the 2010 election.

The one glitch in the Democrat takeover of the Senate is the creation of a four member “Independent Caucus” of Democrats (Pedro Espada Jr. and Rubén Díaz Sr. of the Bronx, Carl Kruger of Brooklyn and Hiram Monserrate of Queens) who may cast their dice with the Republican minority. However, this possibility seems unlikely.

The Democrats, who already enjoy a more than 2-1 edge in the State Assembly, also picked up three Congressional seats held by Republicans. Along the Southern Tier, challenger Eric Massa beat incumbent John “Randy” Kuhl. On Staten Island, Michael McMahon gained the open seat of Vito Fossella and in central New York, Dan Maffai became the replacement of Jim Walsh.

BOARD OF REGENTS APPOINT BERNARD A. MARGOLIS NEW YORK STATE LIBRARIAN

The Board of Regents today announced the appointment of Bernard A.
Margolis as the New York State Librarian. He will assume his new responsibilities in January 2009.

State Education Commissioner Richard Mills said, “We live in an age of information, and libraries play a critical role in providing us with access to that information. They are vital to our economy and our communities. They promote literacy and lifelong learning. And in these trying economic times, they are vital to people seeking information about jobs. I am thrilled that the Regents have appointed a dynamic and innovative person like Mr. Margolis to serve in the critically important position of State Librarian.”

The New York State Library provides information and library services through its Research Library and the Division of Library Development.
Mr. Margolis will have oversight responsibility for a $13.4 million operating budget, 180 employees, over 20 million collection items and nearly $100 million in State and federal aid to libraries.

One of the largest research libraries in North America, the New York State Research Library is the only state library which is a member of the Association of Research Libraries. The Library’s holdings include a significant manuscript and rare book collection, as well as holdings in a wide variety of formats, including paper, microform, digital and electronic records. It is also a Federal Depository and Patent Library; has the responsibility for the acquisition, distribution and maintenance of New York State documents; and is a regional library for the blind and visually impaired in New York’s 55 upstate counties.

The Division of Library Development provides leadership and technical assistance to New York’s 73 library systems through a comprehensive program of State aid for public, school, academic and special library services. Staff experts work with librarians, trustees, school administrators, public officials and local leaders to solve problems and find new ways of making library services and resources available to their community. Library Development administers more than $100 million in State and federal aid to New York’s libraries and helps them to take full advantage of federal and private funding programs like E-rate telecommunications discounts and Gates Library Foundation grants.

Mr. Margolis served as the President of Boston Public Library (BPL), Boston, Massachusetts, from 1997 to 2008. BPL is the oldest municipal public library in the country, with 27 neighborhood branches. The Library’s collections of over 34 million items include the library of President John Adams, Shakespeare’s first folio, Gutenberg’s Catholicon, and many other unique and rare materials. BPL is a member of the Association of Research Libraries.

Mr. Margolis’s achievements as BPL president include expansion of branch library hours; appointment of a children’s librarian in every branch; creation of a nationally recognized Homework Assistance Program and online tutoring program; implementation of Reading Readiness to prepare preschoolers for school success; creation of local history centers in eight branch libraries; creation of the award-winning Norman B. Leventhal Map Center; development of a collection conservation program; and growth of the BPL’s trust funds from $37 million to $55 million. Under Mr. Margolis’s leadership, BPL secured $7 million of direct grants and $18 million in federal funds for technology improvements and many foundation grants, designated gift funds, and major bequests.

Mr. Margolis led the effort to restore and renovate the historic central library building, securing funding from a number of sources. He worked with the City of Boston to establish a critical repair fund, allowing BPL to address building and equipment repairs in a timely manner. BPL collaborated with other cultural institutions and more than 4,500 different community groups and organizations.

Mr. Margolis holds a BA in Political Science and an MA in Librarianship, both from the University of Denver. His library experience includes management and executive positions in libraries and library systems in Colorado and Michigan. Prior to moving to Boston, he served as Director/CEO of the Pikes Peak Library District in Colorado Springs (from 1988 to 1997).

Mr. Margolis’s service includes a number of elected positions within the American Library Association, leadership in the Association of Research Libraries, service as a professional delegate to the White House Conference on Libraries, and service on the boards of library organizations in Massachusetts, Colorado, and Michigan. He has served on the editorial boards of the Journal of Library Administration and Bottom
Line: The Magazine of Library Financial Management. He has contributed to several books and has published articles in American Libraries, Pub¬lic Libraries, and Library Journal.

New York magazine takes a long look at Governor David Paterson. Though I wonder how long the Governor will be able to keep his “good guy” image while the state budget continues its downward spiral.