Lawmakers in Albany are still negotiating over the state budget, with a closed-door meeting this morning wrapping up with no definitive agreement. But the atmosphere is optimistic, and Capital Confidential says there is no indication that a tentative deal hammered out yesterday has unraveled. And as part of the deal, Governor Coumo is pushing for the decriminalization of small amounts of pot in NYC, something that Mayor Bloomberg is in favor of.
As you no doubt know, possession of small amounts of marijuana was decriminalized in New York State in 1977 for 25 grams or less, as long as it's not in public view. But the NYPD, especially under Bloomberg and Giuliani administrations, has widely disregarded this law, and the department's stop-and-frisk policy has been instrumental in driving up the numbers of pot possession arrests. Here's how it works: an officer will tell someone during a stop-and-frisk to empty his or her pockets, and once that person obeys, presto—the marijuana is now in public view!
Governor Cuomo has pushed for the change in connection to the NYPD's controversial stop-and-frisk policy. The proposed change would make open-view possession a violation, answerable by a summons, instead of a misdemeanor. At this point, it seems likely that if the change is made, it will only apply to New York City. But this is Albany, and everything is still up in the air.
“Hopefully there’ll be white smoke soon," Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver told reporters after this morning's closed-door meeting. Legislative leaders are now saying a vote on the budget looks likely for Saturday, but an agreement has not been locked in. It's expected that the $136.5 billion budget will feature $700 million in tax breaks and a $9 minimum wage hike, to be phased in over the course of three years. One sticking point, according to Silver, is his attempt to restore the $240 million in school aid NYC lost when it failed to reach a deal with the teachers union on evaluations.
Republicans have balked at raising the minimum wage to $9 an hour all at once, arguing that it could result in job losses. Some Democrats and labor groups say they're willing to agree to the three year timetable if Republicans dropped their demand for a "training wage," for workers under 20. If approved, the minimum wage is currently $7.25 and would increase to $8 on January 1st, 2014. But Senate Democratic Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris now tells Daily Politics it doesn't get to $9 fast enough, arguing today, "It’s half a loaf when the votes are there for the full loaf."
