The New York Observer » Joe Robach

Radio Ads Press GOP to Pass Millionaire’s Tax

From the Strong Economy for All Coaltion comes this ad, targeting five Republican State Senators, urging them to pass a "millionaire's tax." The ad sounds like two rich guys happy that they can spend boatloads of extra money, thanks to opposition to this tax.

The ad does not make any mention of the governor's opposition Read More

Parties Fight Over How to Be Bi-Partisan, Immediate Inaction Results

ALBANY—Democrats in the State Senate are acknowledging (at least temporary) rejection in their offer of three committee chairmanships to Republicans.

"We will not have a formal announcement this week but we will be making an announcement shortly about one of our proposals to create a more bi-partisan chamber," said Austin Shafran, a Democratic spokesman. Read More

Skelos: Let’s Not Rush Into Anything

ALBANY—Dean Skelos, the Republican leader in the State Senate, is putting the brakes on a Democratic proposal to give members of his conference committee chairmanships.

"Senator [John] Sampson's proposal to appoint new chairs should be considered along with these other recommendations, by the bipartisan committee, before any action is taken," Skelos said in a Read More

Robach: I Might Be Interested in a Chair

ALBANY—State Senator Joe Robach returned my call to say he would be "interested" in becoming a committee chairman, but denied anything substantive had been offered.

"I had a loose discussion with someone on the floor the other week," Robach, a Rochester Republican, told me by phone. "Nothing really formally has been discussed. It's out Read More

Skelos and Sampson Met to Discuss Republican Chairmanships

ALBANY—John Sampson and Dean Skelos, the leaders of their party's respective conferences in the State Senate, met this morning to discuss the prospect of Republicans taking over the chairmanship of several committees, a Democratic spokesman said.

"Because the discussions are still ongoing, I cannot confirm the members of the committees," said Austin Shafran, the spokesman, Read More

On Eve of Same-Sex Marriage Vote, Many Mum

ALBANY—Some pre-same-sex marriage Senate tea leaves:

Christine Quinn, the openly gay speaker of the New York City Council, is here. I snapped this photo of her near the Senate chamber, where she told me "I'm up here hopeful there will be a vote on marriage equality and that it will move the issue forward." Read More

Senate Dems Appoint Judges in a Way That Makes Republicans Angry

ALBANY—Just before 8 p.m. last night, the State Senate finally came into session to confirm several judges to their slots. Like most things the body does, it was not free of interparty rancor.

The first nominee was Richard Dollinger, a former Democratic senator and formerly failed judicial candidate from the Rochester area, who Read More

Espada’s Promise

ALBANY—The four amigos walked out of the office of State Senator Pedro Espada Jr. and onto the floor of the chamber—saying little, if anything—where an extraordinary session by David Paterson has been called for 3 p.m.

Republicans were there, too, and one handed me a letter that Espada, who has apparently flipped Read More

Dollinger Gets Nominated for a Judgeship, Robach Smiles

ALBANY—News came from the governor's office that Rick Dollinger, a Rochester attorney, has been nominated to a $136,700-a-year court of claims judgeship.

Liz reminds us that Rick Dollinger was the man who, last fall, waged a bitter but ultimately unsuccessful campaign against State Senator Joe Robach for his $79,500-a-year seat.

Dollinger's appointment is Read More

Robach Claims Senate Dems Are Stalling a Domestic-Violence Bill

State Senator Joe Robach will try again this week to move a bill he sponsored to explicitly prohibit housing discrimination against domestic-violence victims, despite what he says are efforts by Democrats controlling the chamber's majority to keep the bill off the floor.

"I think you have to ask them why they didn't think this was Read More

The Republicans Who Could Avert Doomsday?

ALBANY—A handful of State Senate Republicans may be preparing to budge on plans to bail out the M.T.A., which are currently stalled in the Democratic-controlled body.

State Senator Betty Little, whose district includes the northern counties of the Adirondacks, said she could go along with something if money is also provided for surface Read More

A Senate Democrat Reaches Back to the Gang of Three

ALBANY—At least one Democratic state senator is still hopeful about reaching a consensus with the wayward Gang of Three, even as a report claims State Senator Malcolm Smith is looking beyond the three to cobble together a 32-vote majority.

Smith announced last week that he was suspending negotiations with the trio after earlier Read More

The Hunt for Senate Defectors

ALBANY—Now that Malcolm Smith has forging a united Democratic majority under his leadership, look for the party to redouble its efforts to recruit defectors from the Republican side.

State Senator Joe Robach - who used to be a Democrat - could be a target, as well as State Senator Jim Alesi, who was Read More

What’s a Paterson Endorsement Worth Upstate?

ALBANY—David Paterson took to the road this weekend, appearing at a double-barreled rally for Joe Mesi—who's vying to fill the State Senate seat being vacated by Republican Mary Lou Rath—and State Senator Bill Stachowski, who, according to Siena, is back to leading challenger Dennis Delano.

The appearances stand in contrast to a Read More

Robach’s Signs

A Rochester-based reader emails this photo of a lawn sign for Republican State Senator Joe Robach's campaign, outside his legislative office.

The reader, a Demomcratic operative, expressed dismay that campaigning was taking place so close to Robach's legislative office, which, since it's a public office, is supposed to be free from that sort of thing. Read More