Regular Session - December 6, 2004
6179
NEW YORK STATE SENATE
THE
STENOGRAPHIC RECORD
ALBANY, NEW YORK
December 6, 2004
3:24 p.m.
REGULAR SESSION
LT. GOVERNOR MARY O. DONOHUE, President
STEVEN M. BOGGESS, Secretary
6180
P R O C E E D I N G S
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The
Senate will come to order.
I ask everyone present to please
rise and repeat with me the Pledge of
Allegiance.
(Whereupon, the assemblage recited
the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.)
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The
invocation today will be given by the Reverend
Peter G. Young.
Father Young.
REVEREND YOUNG: As the snow
falls today, we can remember instances when we
needed a little mercy. Maybe we needed an
extension on a project; maybe we needed a loan
or, as is often the case, we needed
forgiveness from someone who we had hurt.
Remember the sigh of relief when mercy was
granted and the grief and disappointment when
mercy was denied.
O, merciful God, You give the
New York State Senators what we need and
constantly guide them in their mission. Grant
them and grant us that we will be generous in
6181
our mercy toward all of the New York State
citizens. May we be known as senators of
mercy and forgiveness during this holiday
season.
May we communicate with all of our
constituents plainly and clearly, realizing
that they want to understand the legislative
process. Guide our efforts to be honest and
noble with all of our citizens of the state,
with patience and persistence in our attempts
to understand one another.
We ask You this through God. Amen.
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Reading
of the Journal.
THE SECRETARY: In Senate,
Sunday, December 5, the Senate met pursuant to
adjournment. The Journal of Saturday,
December 4, was read and approved. On motion,
Senate adjourned.
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Without
objection, the Journal stands approved as
read.
Presentation of petitions.
Messages from the Assembly.
Messages from the Governor.
6182
Reports of standing committees.
Reports of select committees.
Communications and reports from
state officers.
Motions and resolutions.
Senator Skelos.
SENATOR SKELOS: Mr. President,
at this time I'd like to move to adopt the
Resolution Calendar in its entirety.
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: All
those in favor of adopting the Resolution
Calendar in its entirety signify by saying
aye.
(Response of "Aye.")
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Those
opposed, nay.
(No response.)
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The
Resolution Calendar is adopted.
Senator Skelos.
SENATOR SKELOS: I think there's
a privileged resolution at the desk by Senator
Skelos. I ask that the title be read and move
for its immediate adoption.
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The
6183
Secretary will read the privileged resolution.
THE SECRETARY: By Senator
Skelos, Legislative Resolution commending
Father Joakim D. Valasiadis upon the occasion
of his retirement after many years of
distinguished service to the Cathedral of
St. Paul.
THE PRESIDENT: All in favor of
the resolution please signify by saying aye.
(Response of "Aye.")
THE PRESIDENT: Those opposed,
nay.
(No response.)
THE PRESIDENT: The resolution is
adopted.
Senator Skelos.
SENATOR SKELOS: Madam President,
at this time if we could have Resolution 6221,
by Senator Hoffmann, that was previously
adopted, read in its entirety.
THE PRESIDENT: The Secretary
will read.
THE SECRETARY: By Senator
Hoffmann, Legislative Resolution honoring
Beezie Madden, in recognition of capturing a
6184
silver medal in the Team Jumping competition
at the 2004 Athens Summer Olympic Games.
"WHEREAS, It is the sense of this
Legislative Body to extend its full
recognition in grateful tribute to the
athletes of New York State who have dedicated
their purpose to athletic achievement and
proudly represented their great state and
nation in Olympic competition; and
"WHEREAS, Attendant to such
concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative
Body is justly proud to honor Beezie Madden in
recognition of capturing a silver medal in the
Team Jumping competition at the 2004 Athens
Summer Olympic Games; and
"WHEREAS, A resident of Cazenovia,
New York, Beezie Madden rode Authentic to a
flawless finish in the Team Jumping
competition, earning the American team the
honor of the silver medal at the 2004 Summer
Olympic Games. In addition, as the top rider
in the Team Jumping competition, she earned a
prestigious spot in the individual jumping
finals; and
6185
"WHEREAS, With her throughout has
been her husband, John, who feels privileged
to be a part of her life and rejoices in her
achievements; and
"WHEREAS, Many will only dream of
competing in the Summer Olympic Games, Beezie
Madden, through her hard work and tenacious
spirit, has made that vision a reality and has
proudly represented her country in competition
among the world's finest athletes; and
"WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is
proudly moved to honor Beezie Madden, a woman
of great skill, personal courage, and
unparalleled dedication, whose character and
athletic achievements are world renowned and
personify the highest ideals of the American
spirit and Olympic competition; now,
therefore, be it
"RESOLVED, That this Legislative
Body pause in its deliberations to honor
Beezie Madden in recognition of capturing a
silver medal in the Team Jumping competition
at the 2004 Athens Summer Olympic games,
extending its heartfelt congratulations on her
achievements in the Equestrian events, and
6186
wishing her continued success in all of her
future endeavors; and be it further
"RESOLVED, That a copy of this
resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted
to Beezie Madden."
THE PRESIDENT: Senator Hoffmann.
SENATOR HOFFMANN: Thank you,
Madam President.
It is a thrill and a great personal
privilege for me to be able to join my
colleagues in honoring Beezie Madden and her
husband, John Madden, today in the Senate
chamber. This is, for me, certainly one of
the great triumphs of my previous legislative
resolutions, to be able to honor a true
Olympian, especially at a time when the medal
that we are talking about may not be silver
but it may in fact be gold.
For those of you who have not been
following the news on recent Olympic
activities, let me just bring you up-to-date,
because there is a very important new
development. Germany, the team which finished
first, has had its primary horse in the
competition tested positive for a banned
6187
substance. And the Olympic Committee is now
in the process of determining whether the gold
that was previously awarded to the German team
should come to the United States team, which
was anchored by our own Beezie Madden.
The first hurdle, if you will, of
that process has been reached; they've already
withdrawn the gold from Germany and now they
are deliberating on what we expect very
shortly to be the determination to award the
highest award, the gold Olympic medal, to
Beezie Madden and the U.S. team.
Beezie's role in the sport horse
jumping event was the most significant of all
of the other riders. She was the anchor of
the team. For any of you who remember the
second-grade potato races, when you had to be
the person who would make up the time for
everybody else, understand the kind of
pressure that was on Beezie to do the very
best to bring the United States to the top of
the pile.
The other thing that I would just
like to share with you, having seen the
activity of sport horse jumping, you should be
6188
aware of the fact that the horses are leaping
over obstacles called faults. They go through
water faults, they go through other barriers.
And they are leaping in the air at a distance
that is slightly higher than I am standing, in
some cases: a 6-foot bar.
Imagine yourself on top of a horse
riding and leaping into the air some distance
above the height that I or perhaps Senator
Maltese would be standing. It takes, as we
like to say about all Olympians, a lot of
guts, a lot of incredible talent, and a very
remarkable horse.
And in the state of New York, where
the equestrian sports are growing by leaps and
bounds, we're privileged to have John and
Beezie living right in the heart of the state,
in Madison County.
And they are not only outstanding
examples of the equestrian success in
individual and team sport horse jumping, but
they also train other people. And they
inspire others by breeding horses and by
training them and by welcoming other people to
this wonderful, wonderful activity.
6189
So we are thrilled today to have
John and Beezie with us. I know that they
will be happy to meet everybody in the Senate.
And I thank them for their perseverance in all
that they have done to train and to reach this
great triumph, and congratulate them on the
silver and I am confident soon to be a gold
Olympic medal.
Bravo. Well done, Beezie.
(Applause.)
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The
resolution was previously adopted on
November 18th.
Senator Skelos.
SENATOR SKELOS: Mr. President,
there will be an immediate meeting of the
Finance Committee in the Majority -- the room
is not ready yet.
There won't be an immediate meeting
of the Finance Committee, but shortly there
will be a meeting of the Finance Committee in
the Majority Conference Room, if we can just
stand at ease.
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: I won't
even try to repeat that.
6190
(Whereupon, the Senate stood at
ease at 3:38 p.m.)
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Senator
Morahan.
SENATOR MORAHAN: Thank you, Mr.
President.
There will be an immediate meeting
of the Finance Committee in the Majority
Conference Room, Room 332.
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER:
Immediate meeting of the Finance Committee in
the Majority Conference Room.
(Whereupon, the Senate reconvened
at 3:57 p.m.)
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Senator
Skelos.
SENATOR SKELOS: Mr. President,
if we can return to reports of standing
committees, I believe there's a report of the
Finance Committee at the desk. I ask that it
be read.
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Reports
of standing committees.
The Secretary will read.
THE SECRETARY: Senator Johnson,
6191
from the Committee on Finance, reports the
following nominations:
As a member of the Adirondack Park
Agency, Leilani Crafts Ulrich, of Old Forge.
As a member of the New York State
Energy Research and Development Authority,
Parker D. Mathusa, of Delmar.
As members of the Niagara Frontier
Transportation Authority, Carmen A. Granto, of
Niagara Falls; William N. Hudson, Jr., of
Williamsville; and Luiz F. Kahl, of
Williamsville.
As a member of the
Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation
Authority, John G. Doyle, Jr., of Rochester.
As members of the Small Business
Advisory Board, Frank P. Naudus, of Lido
Beach, and Steven J. Sunshine, of
Williamsville.
As public members of the State
Banking Board, Wesley Chen, of Briarcliff
Manor, and David A. Javdan, Esquire, of
Goshen.
As a member of the State Board of
Historic Preservation, John G. Waite, of Troy.
6192
As a member of the Long Island
State Park, Recreation and Historic
Preservation Commission, Desmond M. Ryan, of
St. James.
As a member of the Republic Airport
Commission, Frank A. Nocerino, of North
Massapequa.
As a member of the Seward Airport
Commission, Thomas R. Rowe, of Tilson.
As members of the Medical Advisory
Committee, Tamton Mustapha, of Valatie, and
Dennis P. Norfleet, M.D., of Oswego.
As a member of the Board of
Directors of the Roosevelt Island Operating
Corporation, Alberteen Anderson, of New York
City, and Michael Shinozaki, of Roosevelt
Island.
As a member of the Advisory Council
on Agriculture, Suzanne G. West, of Varysburg.
As a member of the Advisory Council
on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services,
Karl J. Kabza, of Saranac Lake.
As a member of the Public Health
Council, Jose A. Goris, M.D., of New York
City.
6193
As a member of the State Council on
the Arts, Donald A. Capoccia, of New York
City.
As a member of the Board of
Visitors of the Metro New York Developmental
Disabilities Services Office, Adam D. Burgoon,
of New York City.
As a member of the Board of
Visitors of the New York State Home for
Veterans and Their Dependents at Montrose,
Daniel Griffin, of White Plains.
As a member of the Board of
Visitors of the Rockland Psychiatric Center,
Ruth A. Vezzetti, of Tappan.
As a member of the Board of
Visitors of the Sagamore Children's
Psychiatric Center, Grace E. Clench, of
Brentwood.
As a member of the Board of
Visitors of the Staten Island Developmental
Disabilities Services Office, Polly Panzella,
of Staten Island.
And as a member of the Board of
Visitors of the Sunmount Developmental
Disabilities Services Office, Wayne P. Rogers,
6194
of Malone.
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Senator
Johnson.
SENATOR JOHNSON: Move the
nominations.
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The
question is on the confirmation of the
nominees. All those in favor signify by
saying aye.
(Response of "Aye.")
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Those
opposed, nay.
(No response.)
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The
nominees are confirmed.
The Secretary will continue to
read.
THE SECRETARY: As a member of
the Board of Trustees of the State University
of New York, Christopher Parker Conners, of
Niskayuna.
SENATOR SKELOS: Lay that aside
temporarily.
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Lay the
nomination aside temporarily.
6195
The Secretary will continue to
read.
THE SECRETARY: As a member of
the Medical Advisory Committee, Augustus G.
Mantia, M.D., of Smithtown.
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Senator
Flanagan.
SENATOR FLANAGAN: Thank you, Mr.
President. Briefly on the nomination.
I know it's unusual -- we have a
lot of nonappearances today, but we do have an
appearance from Dr. Mantia, who's seated in
the balcony with my good friend and colleague
from Suffolk County, Assemblyman Mike
Fitzpatrick.
Dr. Mantia, Gus Mantia is a very
well recognized physician in the Smithtown
community, extremely well respected. And as I
just mentioned to Mr. Casey, he's probably
best known for being the doctor of Assemblyman
Bob Wertz, another good friend of ours.
Very, very active in the community
in Suffolk County, and now a new member of the
Medical Advisory Committee. And frankly I was
asking him some of the detailed work in that
6196
committee -- I know, Mr. President, it's a
subject that's very important to you. They
deal with Medicaid issues as one of their
fundamental issues.
So he's going to be a great member
of that committee, 20 members on that
committee. I look forward to working with him
to get his guidance as someone who's a
practitioner. And I'm proud to stand before
you as his state senator and join Assemblyman
Fitzpatrick in congratulating him on his
appointment.
Thank you.
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The
question then is on the confirmation of
Augustus Mantia, M.D., as a member of the
Medical Advisory Committee. All those in
favor signify by saying aye.
(Response of "Aye.")
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Those
opposed, nay.
(No response.)
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The
nominee is confirmed.
Dr. Mantia is with us today in the
6197
gallery.
And we congratulate you, sir, and
wish you well with your important duties.
(Applause.)
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Senator
Bruno.
SENATOR BRUNO: Mr. President,
can we at this time continue with the report
of the Finance Committee.
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The
Secretary will continue to read the report of
the Finance Committee.
THE SECRETARY: Senator Johnson,
from the Committee on Finance, offers up the
following nomination.
As a member of the Board of
Trustees of the State University of New York,
Christopher Parker Conners, of Niskayuna.
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Senator
Johnson.
SENATOR JOHNSON: Move the
nomination, Mr. President.
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Senator
Bruno.
SENATOR BRUNO: Yes, Mr.
6198
President. We have before us the nomination
for one of the trustees of the New York State
University system, Chris Conners. And Chris
has been a good friend to all the people here
in the Capital Region -- he's here with his
wife, Kendall -- and has been in business for
most of his adult years, with British American
Realty, where they do nothing but great
things. But he is very involved in the
community in so many beneficial, productive
and constructive ways.
And there isn't anything that is
more important that we all appreciate and
recognize than providing the proper higher
education through one of the greatest
university systems in all of the United
States.
So we're appreciative that Chris
would take the time, the energy and spend his
talents being helpful to all of the students,
all of the beneficiaries of this huge and
great educational, higher educational system
that we have here.
And I'm proud to be here moving
this nomination so that Chris, with the
6199
assistance of his family and all of his
colleagues, can help us continue the growth
and the prosperity that we link to this
university system, with consequences to all of
the people here in New York State.
Thank you, Mr. President.
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Senator
Farley.
SENATOR FARLEY: Thank you, Mr.
President.
I rise to support this nomination.
Not only is Chris Conners my constituent, but
he's my neighbor, lives just a short distance
from me. And let me just say what a
remarkable family he comes from and the
success that British American has been in this
community. He comes -- his father was a
renowned author and businessman, a remarkable
person, Bernie Conners.
Chris Conners is -- the thing I'd
like to say most about him is everything he's
done, he's done well. He's been a success in
business. And as somebody that has spent my
entire working life working, or most of it, at
the State University as a law professor, I
6200
have a great interest in this.
And I think it's -- I want to
applaud the Governor for sending forth Chris
Conners' name to have somebody of this caliber
who is willing to serve our state on the State
University Board of Trustees, particularly at
the high salary that they get, which is none.
And to be able to promote education in this
state, we're very, very fortunate to have him.
Chris, I'm very proud of you. And
again, it's nice to see an Irishman making
good.
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The
question is on the confirmation of Christopher
Parker Conners as a member of the Board of
Trustees of the State University of New York.
All those in favor signify by saying aye.
(Response of "Aye.")
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Those
opposed, nay.
(No response.)
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The
nominee is confirmed.
Mr. Conners is with us today in the
gallery. And we congratulate him and wish him
6201
well with his important duties.
(Applause.)
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Senator
Bruno.
SENATOR BRUNO: Mr. President,
can we at this time return to messages from
the Assembly.
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Messages
from the Assembly.
SENATOR BRUNO: Mr. President, is
there a message from the Assembly regarding
A11760A, previously passed by both houses,
vetoed, and overridden by the Assembly?
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Yes,
there is.
The chair hands down a message from
the Assembly. The Secretary will read.
THE SECRETARY: Assembly Bill
Number 1176OA, Veto Number 10, an act to amend
the Labor Law.
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Senator
Bruno.
SENATOR BRUNO: Mr. President, I
move to override the Governor's veto of
A11760A.
6202
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The
Secretary will read the title of the bill.
THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
1886, by the Assembly Committee on Rules,
Assembly Print Number 11760A, an act to amend
the Labor Law.
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The bill
is before the house.
Senator Bruno.
SENATOR BRUNO: Mr. President and
colleagues, we all know the bill that's before
us here that we're acting on raises the
minimum wage here in New York State. I
believe the last time that it had been raised
was in '97. And it's at $5.15.
We were hoping that the federal
government would take action so that it would
uniformly apply to all the states, so that
we'd keep a competitive balance. But the
federal government has not seen fit to act.
And this bill enacts, January 1,
'05, an increase from $5.15 to $6.00. And
then for the following year it goes up to
$6.75. And then in the third year it goes up
to $7.15.
6203
Now, we're hopeful that during the
next year, while it's still at $6.00, that the
federal government will see fit to create
uniformity throughout the United States. We
think this is appropriate, we think it's fair,
we think it's equitable. We think that the
families that are going to be beneficiaries of
this deserve to have an increase in their
wages.
Thank you, Mr. President.
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Senator
Spano.
SENATOR SPANO: Mr. President,
with the season we just went through, we were
faced with a lot of doomsayers and critics and
even some editorial writers who seem to
sometimes think they know it all. Every time
that they looked at what we did here -- and
what we did was build on making sure that we
treat working men and women in this state with
dignity.
We started this under the
leadership of our leader, Joe Bruno, when we
passed a bill that became law in this state to
put sanitary facilities on farms, when we made
6204
sure that migrant farmworkers were included
under the minimum wage.
And we continued that commitment
not to political parties and we continued that
commitment not to labor leaders, but to
working men and women in this state when we
sent the strong message that we're going to
treat men and women in this state who are
minimum-wage workers with dignity.
We're not going to wait for the
federal government to act. This is not about
overriding a veto of a governor that many of
us in this chamber have great admiration and
respect for. This is for maintaining a
commitment to people who need that commitment
most, to the families of New York who need the
increase in the minimum wage.
So we'll overcome the sarcasm and
the misrepresentation that is sent so often to
our side when people want to question our
motives. Our motives are to protect those
working men and women.
And I'm proud, as a person who's
chaired the Labor Committee and who continues
to serve in this chamber, to say that we
6205
appreciate every worker in this state, and in
particular the minimum-wage workers, and am
glad to vote to override the Governor's veto
to make this the law in this state.
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Senator
Mendez.
SENATOR MENDEZ: Mr. President,
after several years, 26 years too late, this
is the best time for me to put aside my
political career. Because every member
dealing with the veto, taking care of these
families and workers, is proof that here in
this chamber all the Senators do care about
social justice.
So it's not the property of any one
single party, it is the property of all
American citizens who feel that social justice
is a necessary American element of our system
of government.
So I want to congratulate my dear
leader, Joe Bruno, for his patience and his
support on making this a reality for all those
productive workers and families that will have
more money to put more food on the table.
Thank you, Mr. President.
6206
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Senator
Paterson.
SENATOR PATERSON: Mr. President,
I'd like to congratulate everyone who is
involved in this fight to define the culture
in which workers in this state live, who live
in the northeastern part of the United States
where the cost of living is higher and where
it has to be objectionable whenever it is
stated that we have to wait for Washington to
act.
What we're showing today is that we
can act right here in New York for workers
around the state -- migrant workers, workers
who unfortunately spend great amounts of their
dollar just trying to survive. We think that
people who work as hard as they do in this
state can have the quality of life that
workers in other states have.
And this is why we feel that
phasing in a minimum-wage bill at this time
and making it a law can bring to those who
work for a living -- we're not giving any type
of handout, we're just trying to find what is
a commensurate salary for the value of the
6207
work that is performed.
And by phasing it in over a
18-month period, statistics have shown that
this will actually help business to prosper
and will not in any way eradicate the
interests of the economic development of this
state.
And so to those labor leaders and
those political leaders and those who are
workers themselves who led the fight to
increase this minimum wage, I congratulate all
of you for your efforts. It is unfortunate
that we waited a little longer than I thought
would have been seasonable to have passed this
kind of legislation. It seemed to me that
this was really quite understandable that
there would need to be a change in the minimum
salary that individuals make for a week's work
earlier than we did.
However, it is still a great day
for workers and a great day for all of the
legislators, including Senator Mendez, who
just mentioned the issues of social justice
that bring us here every day.
And to the Majority Leader, Senator
6208
Bruno, who put this bill on the floor once and
now has put this bill on the floor twice, he
has my heartiest congratulations.
We have to remember that this is a
great day but also a first day, a first day in
a movement that is part of a statewide desire
to bring the economic and social justice to
workers all around the state -- not just by
providing for minimum wage, but by providing
for apt working conditions, by providing for
compensation for those who were injured on the
job commensurate with what the cost of living
is today, and hopefully an opportunity for
workers to receive overtime and not be part of
the flex time or any of the national schemes
that are causing workers to get less when they
give more.
So it is in that spirit that I'm
proud and will be proud to cast my vote for
the increase in the minimum wage and to
perhaps eventually persuade our Governor that
this is the right way to go. It is in that
spirit that I thank all my colleagues on both
sides of the aisle for their support. And for
those of you who came back to Albany time and
6209
time and time again, and even after we heard
that it was going to pass, to make sure that
the minimum wage be raised in this state and
that the new figures become law.
(Applause from gallery.)
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: I put
the motion of Senator Bruno to override the
veto before you. Senators, ought the same
become law notwithstanding the veto of the
Governor.
The Secretary will read the last
section.
THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
act shall take effect immediately.
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The
Secretary will call the roll.
(The Secretary called the roll.)
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Senator
Bruno, to explain his vote.
SENATOR BRUNO: Mr. President and
colleagues, I want to thank you for the
support that's here.
And I really want to rise and
recognize the leadership of Senator Spano and
all that has brought this bill to the floor.
6210
And as Senator Hoffmann, Senator Mendez, who
chairs our Labor Committee, Senator Robach and
Senator Paterson and all of your colleagues
for their support and your part in being in
the leadership and in getting us to where we
are in something that is as important as we
all recognize.
Thank you, Mr. President.
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Senator
DeFrancisco.
SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: You know,
when this bill was being discussed and has
continued to be discussed to this very day,
there's been a lot of philosophical discussion
as to whether or not it's going to cost more
for business, whether or not it's going to
raise the other levels of wages and whether or
not it's going to hurt the economy of the
state of New York.
And I think all of that is fine
philosophical and theoretical discussion. But
in reality, there's no one that can afford to
live on the minimum wage as it exists today,
especially with the costs, whether it's fuel
or heating oil or whatever, that's been
6211
happening over the recent months.
So there's a main reason to do this
today. It has nothing to do with anybody
trying to send a message to the Governor or
overriding a veto in the procedural sense. It
has to do with one thing, doing the right
thing. And that's what we're doing today.
Secondly, and I think just as
importantly, there's been a criticism that we
should wait for the federal government. I
think what this body has done today, and
hopefully it will continue in the next session
and beyond, is that we've shown leadership.
And hopefully we'll see the rest of the states
of the union follow our leadership so we're
affecting not only the workers of this state
but the workers of other states in this
country.
I vote aye.
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Senator
DeFrancisco will be recorded in the
affirmative.
The Secretary will announce the
results.
THE SECRETARY: Those recorded in
6212
the negative on Calendar Number 1886 are
Senators Kuhl, Maltese, McGee, Meier,
Nozzolio, Rath, Saland, and Seward. Ayes, 50.
Nays, 8.
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The
motion to override the Governor's veto is
carried.
(Applause.)
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Senator
Bruno.
SENATOR BRUNO: Mr. President, is
there any housekeeping left at the desk?
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: No,
Senator, there is none.
SENATOR BRUNO: There being no
business to come before the Senate here this
evening, I would move that we stand adjourned
until 11:00 a.m. tomorrow, with the
expectation that we will have a Majority
Conference at 10:00 in the Majority Conference
Room.
Thank you, Mr. President.
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: On
motion, the Senate stands adjourned until
Tuesday, December 7th, at 11:00 a.m.
6213
(Whereupon, at 4:30 p.m., the
Senate adjourned.)