ALBANY (AP) -- Four Democrats split on Wednesday from the New York Senate's troubled Democratic minority to form what they call an independent coalition supported by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
The senators are former Deputy Majority Leader Jeffrey Klein of the Bronx and Westchester; Diane Savino of Staten Island, David Valesky of Onondaga County and freshman David Carlucci of Orange and Rockland counties.
Republicans won a 32-30 majority in November after two sometimes chaotic and highly partisan years in the minority.
The split weakens the Democrats, who are trying to regain the powerful majority with its greater staff and resources and lucrative stipends for leadership posts such as committee chairmanships.
Creating the coalition also strengthens the Republicans, who may no longer have to always muster all 32 of their members' votes to pass legislation. Coalition Democrats say they will at times vote for policies that could be supported by Republicans, but not by the Democratic conference.
Klein said the decision comes after two years of Democratic rule in the Senate filled with "grumbling, gridlock and downright nonsense."
"Gov. Cuomo is an old friend of mine and is supportive of each and every one of us," Klein said. The split came as a surprise, announced three hours before Cuomo's State of the State address and the first day of the legislative session.
The dissidents say the Democratic leadership failed voters and is more intent on winning back the majority than important policy measures.
"Today should not be about politics," said Senate Minority Leader John Sampson of Brooklyn in a prepared statement. "Our common goal should be progress - working with Governor Cuomo to move our state forward."
There was no immediate comment from Republican Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos of Nassau County.
The senators breaking away from Sampson remain Democrats, but won't sit in Democratic conferences or automatically vote the party line.
They insisted this was not another power grab similar to the last two years, when Sen. Pedro Espada Jr. of the Bronx switched from the Democratic conference to a Republican coalition and then back to the Democratic conference, each time exacting an important title and consideration of his policy aims.
"I'm fed up," Valesky said. "In time, this may be become a model for legislative government. For now, it's the only choice."
"Today, we're declaring our independence," Savino said. "We can't be part of leadership that is more intent on perks than policy."
"This is a time to lead New York in a new direction," Carlucci said.
(Copyright ©2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
