ALBANY –State Senate Democrats have reaped $85,000 in election-year campaign contributions from the state teachers union since they skipped last month’s vote to cut pension benefits for new teachers and other public employees.
The New York State United Teachers union sent a $25,000 check to the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee March 22 – eight days after the vote – and another $60,000 earlier this month, records show.
Teachers unions staunchly opposed the so-called Tier 6 pension bill backed by Gov. Cuomo, who has said it will save taxpayers across New York $80 billion over the next 30 years.
“Now we know the Senate Democrats’ price for taking a walk,” said one Republican insider.
DSCC spokesman Josh Cherwin said contributions “have no bearing on the positions of the conference” – which last year supported a successful property tax cap bill the teachers unions also opposed.
Senate Democrats had walked out to protest the GOP ending debate on a legislative redistricting bill before the pension measure came up and didn’t return during the hurried, late-night March 14 session.
But Senate Minority Leader John Sampson (D-Brooklyn) bashed the pension bill during a rally organized by labor unions the next week.
The bill requires new employees to contribute more to their pensions and work an extra year before retiring. It passed in a hurried, late-night, March 14 session with a bare 32-vote majority in the 62-seat Senate.
The Senate Republican Campaign Committee’s latest report hadn’t been filed by yesterday, but NYSUT gives plenty to both parties and both legislative houses.
NYSUT sent majority Assembly Democrats $35,000 the day before their house approved the pension bill – which needed Republican votes to pass the Assembly.