Know Your Capitols

Patrice LaHair, Tom Qualtere, & Gideon Grande

Staff

539

935

1265

3428

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

CT MA NJ NY

Salary (Dollars)

28,000

55,569

49,000

79,500

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

70,000

80,000

90,000

CT MA NJ NY

Session Length (Months)

0

6

12

CT MA NJ NY

Time Spent

75%

90%

65%

90%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

CT MA NJ NY

% of Women

29%

25%

18%

23%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

CT MA NJ NY

% African-American

7%

3%

13%

14%

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

16%

CT MA NJ NY

Turnover Rate

17%

11% 11%

5%

10%

15%

20%

CT MA NJ NY

Data Not Available

Legislature Health

• NY is the most professional state government

• Except Budget Time Runs Smoothly

• Partisanship Doesn’t Interfere with the Day to Day Operation of the State

Assembly v. Senate

Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan) Majority Leader Joe Bruno (R-Rensslear)

•Majority so large Silver can pass anything he wants – No Partisan Bickering•Silver hated by Republicans, they tryto oppose him but futile

•Small majority, needs to work with DemsMore than Silver

Assembly v. Senate

• NY isn’t “sick”– Things get done (Budget?) – Shady behind closed doors power politics

between Silver, Bruno, & Pataki

• Two Parties, Two Houses– They have to work together– Each Party needs the other

Institutions• Large Staff

– 3500 people must have a purpose

• Large Compensation– Salary, Per Diem, Old Lobbying Laws

• Commitment– 4000 people spending 90% of their time on

NYS affairs better be getting things done

• Low Turnover– Professional Life-time politicians

Composition • Women

– National Average– Legislatures are Life-time professionals so

fewer women b/c there isn’t enough time for a political career and a family

– Hard to raise children if one is in Albany 3 or 4 days a week

• African-Americans– Substantially Higher than National Average– NYC, Liberal, Large Population

Conclusions

• Professionalism Helps

• Balancing act done well by Bruno & Silver

• Throwing large amounts of money and manpower is an effective method to administer policies and services in a large and diverse state like NY

Future Governor Donald & First Lady Melania Trump?