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Rent Control Rules Hold Gay Marriage Hostage In Albany
By
Garth Johnston
Published Jun 21, 2011
Modified Jun 21, 2011
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By
Garth Johnston
Published Jun 21, 2011
Modified Jun 21, 2011
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There are lots of things that come to mind when thinking of marriage equality, but until recently rent laws were not even close to the top of the list. And yet the two issues (along with a property tax cap) are now inexorably linked in Albany, where no vote on gay marriage will come to the State Senate until the rent mess—which has clearly been coming since March—gets sorted out. But with vacation beckoning our lawmakers, and two short-term extensions of existing rent regulations already passed, maybe the Dems will just cave and let the rules remain static, or maybe Governor Cuomo will declare the debacle a state of emergency?
The current status of the rent dispute is gridlock. In one corner is Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, who recently pushed for a raise to $300,000 a year and $3,000 a month as the income and rent thresholds at which landlords can strip price controls from a unit. In the other corner is Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, who isn't interested in seeing any bumps, instead wanting to keep the numbers at $175,000 and $2,000, respectively. "We're looking to protect lower- and moderate-income families," Skelos said. "But we're not looking to protect the wealthy in New York City."
The amount of time this "Big Ugly" (as such end of session pileups in Albany are called) is eating up has led at least some to suspect that the Republican's might win this. Assemblyman Sam Hoyt told Capital Tonight last night "My instinct is that ultimately what we’ll see happen is the current law extended, because obviously those landlords are a powerful lobby. They have the ear of the Senate, no doubt. I think the Senate understands, in the end, an extension is going to happen. It’s just, in what form?”
But if Cuomo and Silver want to play rough (and run the risk of never getting marriage equality up for a vote) there is another option besides capitulating. Cuomo could declare a state of emergency. In that case Cuomo would "declare the emergency and suspend a law for 30 days that prohibits the City Council from passing stronger rent laws than those imposed by the state." But Skelos is doubtful that Cuomo would go so far, telling the News that "Personally I think it would be illegal to do it. All it would do is you would immediately get a stay, you'd get lawsuits through the Court of Appeals and I don't think it would accomplish anything."
And so those looking to bring marriage equality to New York (or keep it out) will wait, wait, wait until hopefully a vote comes. It now looks like if a vote happens, it will happen on Wednesday. Or maybe even later.
Tagged
Albany
andrew cuomo
dean skelos
gay marraige
marriage equality
rent control
rent regulations
rent rules
sheldon silver
Garth Johnston
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