Monday, January 9, 1995

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ALBANY, NEW YORK 9 January 9, 1995 10 3:00 p.m. 11 12 13 REGULAR SESSION 14 15 16 17 LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR BETSY McCAUGHEY, President 18 STEPHEN F. SLOAN, Secretary 19 20 21 22 23 1 P R O C E E D I N G S 2 THE PRESIDENT: The Senate will 3 come to order. 4 I ask everyone present to please 5 rise and repeat with me the Pledge of 6 Allegiance. 7 (The Senate joined in the Pledge 8 of Allegiance to the Flag.) 9 In the absence of clergy, may we 10 bow our heads in a moment of silence. 11 (There was a moment of silence.) 12 The reading of the Journal, 13 please. 14 THE SECRETARY: In Senate, 15 Friday, January 6th. The Senate met pursuant to 16 adjournment, Senator Hoblock in the Chair upon 17 designation of the Temporary President. The 18 Journal of Thursday, January 5th, was read and 19 approved. On motion, Senate adjourned. 20 THE PRESIDENT: The order of 21 business - 22 Hearing no objection, the Journal 23 stands approved as read. 1 The order of business: 2 Presentation of petitions. 3 Messages from the Assembly. 4 Messages from the Governor. 5 Reports of standing committees. 6 Reports of select committees. 7 Communications and reports from 8 state officers. 9 Motions and resolutions. 10 I would like to recognize Senator 11 Bruno. 12 SENATOR BRUNO: Madam President. 13 I offer up the following Finance Committee 14 assignments and ask that they be filed in the 15 Journal. 16 THE PRESIDENT: Secretary will 17 read. 18 THE SECRETARY: By Senator 19 Bruno: The following members of the New York 20 State Senate are hereby appointed as members of 21 the Senate Finance Committee for the purpose of 22 considering the nomination of Alexander F. 23 Treadwell as Secretary of State at a meeting to 1 be held on Monday, January 9th, 1995, in the 2 Majority Conference Room 332. These are 3 temporary assignments by the Majority Leader in 4 consultation with the Minority Leader for the 5 purpose of considering the nomination. 6 Majority members: Senators 7 Stafford (Chairman), Marchi, Goodman, Present, 8 Levy, Johnson, Trunzo, Bruno, Velella, Volker, 9 Tully, Padavan, LaValle, Daly and Skelos. 10 Minority members: Galiber 11 (Ranking), Gold, Leichter, Gonzalez, Mendez, 12 Stachowski, Montgomery, Oppenheimer, Jones, 13 Hoffmann and Nanula. 14 THE PRESIDENT: I would like to 15 recognize Senator Stafford. 16 SENATOR STAFFORD: Thank you, 17 Madam President. We will please have a meeting 18 of the Committee on Finance in Room 332. 19 THE PRESIDENT: There will be an 20 immediate meeting of the Senate Finance 21 Committee in Room 332. 22 I'd like to recognize Senator 23 Bruno. 1 SENATOR BRUNO: Madam President. 2 May I suggest that the Senate stand at ease 3 awaiting the report of the Finance Committee, 4 and I have an estimation it will be about ten 5 minutes. 6 THE PRESIDENT: The Senate shall 7 stand at ease. 8 (Whereupon, at 3:04 p.m., the 9 Senate was at ease.) 10 (Whereupon, at 3:14 p.m., Senate 11 reconvened.) 12 SENATOR BRUNO: Madam President. 13 Can we return to reports of standing committees? 14 THE PRESIDENT: Yes. 15 SENATOR BRUNO: I believe there 16 is a report there at the desk. 17 THE PRESIDENT: Secretary will 18 read the report of the Finance Committee, 19 please. 20 THE SECRETARY: Senator Stafford, 21 from the Committee on Finance, reports the 22 nomination of Alexander F. Treadwell of Westport 23 to serve as Secretary of State. 1 THE PRESIDENT: I would like to 2 recognize Senator Stafford to move the 3 nomination. 4 SENATOR STAFFORD: Thank you, 5 Madam President. 6 Madam President. Our first 7 nomination to appear before the Finance 8 Committee and to be acted upon here in the 9 Senate in this new administration is one that 10 certainly pleases me, and I'm so proud to rise 11 and move the confirmation. 12 Now, I have to make it very clear 13 from the outset Westport is in the 45th Senator 14 ial District, and our nominee, Sandy Treadwell, 15 is from Westport, New York. 16 Sandy Treadwell will make the 17 kind of Secretary of State that he has been in 18 anything that he has done. This is a very 19 important position. We can think of various 20 industries concerned, real estate, regulating 21 cemeteries, we can go on and on, corporations. 22 But I share with you, when Sandy Treadwell 23 decides he is going to do a job, again, there is 1 no one who does it in a more dedicated manner 2 and who does it as well. He really believes in 3 this system of government, the American system, 4 and he has been involved in it for years, 5 voluntarily. He didn't have to do it; and when 6 he has been county chairman of a political 7 organization or has represented the entire state 8 as a vice chairman, he is one, if he is asked to 9 do it, will be anywhere in this state, and this 10 is the way he will be, I know, when he is 11 Secretary of State. 12 I would share with you that I 13 think in this day and age too many of us think 14 that anyone who is kind and considerate and has 15 a true concern, we think that maybe that is 16 somebody that isn't real, but with Sandy 17 Treadwell it is real. He has been an author - 18 or he is an author. He has written one of the 19 foremost books on marathon running and, as I 20 say, he has been successful in anything that 21 he's done. 22 In my opinion -- and it's 23 coincidental that he is a constituent, but in my 1 opinion, the Governor could not appoint a finer 2 individual. He has served his country in the 3 military with one of our fellow Senators who 4 will speak in a moment. He is one who, as I 5 say, is always there if one needs him. 6 Mr. President, I move the 7 confirmation and, at the end of the proceeding 8 would be pleased to introduce Sandy, his family, 9 and his colleagues with him. 10 THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, 11 Senator Stafford. If you would like to speak on 12 the nomination, please raise your hand. 13 Senator Goodman. 14 SENATOR GOODMAN: Mr. President. 15 This is -- Madam President, excuse me. Force of 16 habit. I'm told there's a fine that's been 17 instituted, Madam President, and in honor of you 18 I shall pay it happily. 19 Madam President. It is my 20 special privilege and pleasure to speak today on 21 behalf of this very distinguished nominee for 22 the Secretary of State's position. 23 I have known Sandy Treadwell for 1 a great number of years and have observed him 2 over time in a variety of situations and would 3 like to say to you that, in my judgment, we 4 could not have made a finer or more appropriate 5 choice for the position of Secretary of State. 6 This is, in the language of the vernacular, a 7 class act. 8 My colleagues, this is an 9 individual who comes to us with superb 10 educational credentials and a number of very 11 practical involvements in his career, including 12 even an unpublished book which he says in his 13 resume is entitled Wasp, "a comic novel which is 14 uncomically yet unpublished." There is nothing 15 comical about this man, however. 16 I had the pleasure of seeing him 17 under a variety of circumstances even outside 18 the City of New York. I refer to the fact that 19 from time to time in the summer, when on 20 vacation, he can be found in Jackson Hole, 21 Wyoming, where he's indistinguishable from your 22 average American 6'4" cowboy walking in cowboy 23 boots and Levis. 1 I would particularly like to 2 bring to your attention the fact that under the 3 transition procedures which the Governor 4 adopted, I had the privilege of serving on his 5 transition team. The position of Secretary of 6 State is one which may find under its aegis a 7 consolidated series of new responsibilities of 8 the greatest significance that at the moment 9 remain speculative; but since that possibility 10 exists, this already august post takes on even 11 greater importance than it has in the past. 12 For those of you who have good 13 memories, you will recall that such disting 14 uished Republicans as Carolyn Simon and John 15 Lomenzo have occupied the post of Secretary of 16 State; and I can only say that stemming from 17 that tradition, we have a fine public servant to 18 approve this afternoon. I urge your affirmative 19 vote with the greatest of enthusiasm and wish 20 the nominee the very best and success unlimited 21 in the future. 22 THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, 23 Senator Goodman. 1 I would like to recognize Senator 2 Lack. 3 SENATOR LACK: Thank you, Madam 4 President. 5 It's a pleasure to rise to second 6 the nomination of Sandy Treadwell. I probably 7 can take two honors. I'm probably the last 8 person who ever heard him called Alexander. And 9 I think probably -- certainly the only person 10 here who knew him the last time he was paid by 11 the United States government or any government. 12 We were both buck privates in the United States 13 Army at basic training in Fort Dix. I noticed 14 you're sitting next to a Marine. You could 15 explain to him what we went through. 16 We called him Sandy. The drill 17 sergeant called him Alexander, particularly when 18 he wasn't doing anything right, but that was 19 very, very rarely, of course. It was to our awe 20 that we watched him go through the five-mile 21 runs. I know where the book came from. He 22 always seemed to finish first and the rest of us 23 were last, and I'm certainly glad that he came 1 in first, as it were, for Secretary of State. 2 It's been 25 years since we were 3 both wearing green fatigues. You've survived 4 the experience of the last 25 years much better 5 than I, as I relatively look at each of us. 6 But I certainly welcome you 7 aboard as our Secretary of State. It's even 8 more fitting, I must tell you, from this side of 9 the aisle, my colleagues, since this is our 10 first confirmation that we look up to the east 11 gallery for our confirmations; and so on behalf 12 of the entire Majority, Sandy, welcome. 13 And we look forward to serving 14 with you as Secretary as State; and surely I, 15 and all my colleagues, anything we can do to 16 assist you, we're only too happy to do so. 17 THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, 18 Senator Lack. 19 Senator Leichter. 20 SENATOR LEICHTER: Madam 21 President. May I say, first time I rise and 22 address you, and it's a pleasure. 23 I have the exceedingly good 1 fortune to have a vacation home in Wadhams which 2 is located in the Town of Westport which is 3 located in the 45th Senatorial District; and, of 4 course, the nominee comes from the Town of 5 Westport, as Senator Stafford pointedly reminded 6 us. 7 I don't believe I have had the 8 pleasure of meeting Mr. Treadwell, although we 9 may have bumped into each other at Ernie's or 10 Everybody's, the local grocery store. But 11 coming from Westport, I knew he had to be good 12 people, because everybody from Westport really 13 is. But, nevertheless, I thought I would check 14 with some of my neighbors, what they could tell 15 me about Sandy Treadwell; and I will just pass 16 on to you the comments of one Bob Lopez, who 17 used to be the Democratic chair of Essex County, 18 and he said you couldn't have a better person, a 19 nicer person, an abler person. 20 And as you look at the resume of 21 Sandy Treadwell, you will see how he has served 22 the Westport and the North Country community in 23 a number of important voluntary organizations. 1 He is held in the highest respect. I had the 2 pleasure of hearing him at the meeting of the 3 Finance Committee and certainly had the feeling 4 that I think he is going to be an outstanding 5 Secretary of State. 6 So it's my pleasure, Madam 7 President, to second the nomination. 8 THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. 9 Senator Oppenheimer. 10 SENATOR OPPENHEIMER: Thank you, 11 Madam President. 12 We did meet, earlier, with Sandy 13 Treadwell -- the Finance Committee -- and at 14 that time, I asked a question which I think is 15 of concern to a lot of us who have coastal 16 communities; and that was, how does Sandy 17 Treadwell feel about the Coastal Zone Management 18 Program and the local waterfront revitalization 19 programs that result from that? And in most of 20 my communities it's a very vital and important 21 interest, because the technical assistance that 22 we have received from CZM has been very 23 beneficial to all my communities and absolutely 1 essential in going through the consistency 2 review process. 3 And I was very pleased and happy 4 to report -- and I know that all of those with 5 coastal communities will feel likewise -- that 6 Sandy Treadwell feels that this is an important 7 program and that he will continue to support it, 8 and I am very delighted to hear that, and very 9 delighted to welcome Sandy Treadwell as our 10 Secretary of State, if approved, which I think 11 will happen. 12 THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. 13 Does any other member wish to be 14 heard on the nomination? 15 Senator Bruno. 16 Oh, I'm sorry, Senator Mendez. 17 I'm so sorry. 18 SENATOR BRUNO: I defer to 19 Senator Olga Mendez. 20 SENATOR MENDEZ: Thank you, 21 Senator Bruno. 22 Apologies accepted, Madam 23 President. 1 I, too, rise in support of the 2 nomination of Sandy Treadmill for Secretary of 3 State. I didn't meet the gentleman before 4 today's meeting. I was taken aback by his 5 magnificent sense of humor, which I think is a 6 very important element in living as well as most 7 necessary in politics. 8 But I also was impressed because 9 he stated a very clear vision of the vision that 10 Governor Pataki has publicly stated as to what 11 government should do for the residents of the 12 state, and I think that when any first executive 13 appoints a person to be a member of his or her 14 administration, they try to get people who 15 understand very clearly the vision that that 16 first executive do have in governing; and I 17 think that just on that alone, Mr. Treadmill is, 18 in fact, a very wise choice of the Governor. 19 I think also that on the personal 20 level, he is the nicest guy that I have met in a 21 long time and that is refreshing. So that we 22 are all welcoming him and looking forward to 23 work with him in the very, very near future. 1 THE PRESIDENT: That's just 2 wonderful, Senator Mendez. 3 Senator Bruno. 4 SENATOR BRUNO: Thank you, Madam 5 President. 6 And I'm as pleased as I can be to 7 second and add my second to the nomination just 8 so aptly delivered by our Finance Chair, very 9 distinguished Finance Chair, and I don't believe 10 it's just a coincidence that our very first 11 confirmation comes from his district. 12 But let me just say to Sandy and 13 to the rest of you and to his family, Governor 14 George Pataki indicated that government would be 15 of service to the people, and there isn't a 16 better message that we can deliver to the public 17 than to be confirming Sandy Treadwell for 18 Secretary of State in New York State because 19 that office as much and maybe more than any 20 other delivers a public service, and Sandy will 21 personify public service. He will make us all 22 proud that he is there, and I'm proud to stand 23 before you and say these things. 1 And, Sandy, I didn't realize you 2 were a marathon runner. I did know that you 3 were a little bit of a health nut, and that's 4 reflected in your appearance; and, as I 5 conclude, I want to share with my colleagues 6 that he will be a shining example of all of the 7 things that we should do to maintain our bearing 8 in good health in being of service to the 9 public, no smoking, no drinking, no carousing, 10 no nothing. 11 Sandy, we're happy to have you 12 here. 13 THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, 14 Senator Bruno. 15 All those in favor of the 16 nomination, please signify by saying aye. 17 (Response of "Aye.") 18 All those opposed, signify by 19 saying nay. 20 (There was no response.) 21 The ayes have it. 22 Alexander F. Treadwell is hereby 23 confirmed as the Secretary of State. 1 (There was a standing ovation.) 2 It is our pleasure to welcome 3 Secretary Treadwell's family, and to make the 4 introductions, I defer to Senator Stafford. 5 SENATOR STAFFORD: Thank you, 6 Madam President. I'm sure you could have done 7 it much better. 8 Sandy's wife Libby is with us. 9 We're very pleased. His son Zack, the Marine 10 who he has been so loyal to and so loyal to him 11 and worked closely with. 12 And, behind, I should call them 13 all by name because they are constituents. So 14 I'd ask them to stand please, and we are very 15 pleased to have you also. 16 Congratulations, Sandy. 17 (Applause.) 18 Madam President. I shouldn't 19 point this out, but it's the beginning of the 20 year and I'm going to try to help Senator 21 Leichter. Wadhams is a suburb of Westport. 22 (Laughter.) 23 THE PRESIDENT: I would like to 1 recognize Senator Bruno. 2 SENATOR BRUNO: Madam President. 3 There being no further business to come before 4 the Senate, we stand adjourned until tomorrow at 5 3:00 p.m. sharp. 6 THE PRESIDENT: The Senate stands 7 adjourned. 8 (Whereupon, at 3:31 p.m., the 9 Senate adjourned.) 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19