ALBANY (AP) -- Legislators are divvying up $170 million in pork-barrel spending that escaped any cut in this fiscal crisis except for the governor's refusal of his traditional share.
The grants, directed by lawmakers to social services groups and popular civic groups in their districts, should be made public by the end of the month.
Breaking recent tradition dating to the Pataki administration, Gov. David Paterson declined the governor's usual cut of $30 million in grants.
"Given the historic economic crisis we are in, the governor decided to forego any member item spending," said Paterson spokesman Errol Cockfield.
The grants will be detailed by the Senate and Assembly after a 10-day period during which the governor can veto elements of the 2009-10 state budget adopted last week. But Paterson already agreed to the total spending.
On Tuesday, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver again defended his annual appropriation to the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, run by the husband of Silver's chief of staff. The aid group provides services throughout New York City and gets grants from other lawmakers.
Silver, D-Manhattan, said the $685,000 grant serves a critical need for the poor through an organization roundly supported and praised by state and city government as well as other politicians including former President George W. Bush.
"I would suggest that in one of the days you are not here, go down and find out how many poor people are served, how many immigrants are served, how many people depend on it for their meals, their clothing, their furniture and their social services," Silver told reporters. "Take a look before you criticize."
If this year is similar to most recent years, Silver, who is the most senior of leaders in Albany, will issue about $7 million in so-called member items to more than 100 groups.
Good-government advocates have criticized many of the grants as pork used by incumbents to win votes back home and by their leaders, who decide on allocations, to keep the rank-and-file in line. The $170 million is split between the Senate and Assembly, with more senior members of the majority Democratic party getting more than Republicans, who are in the minority of both chambers.
The grants are less than 1 percent of the $131.8 billion overall budget.
(Copyright ©2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
