On Board Online • Albany Update • August 4, 2008

Dean Skelos has represented Nassau County communities as a state senator since 1984 and previously was a member of the state Assembly for two years. He served as deputy majority leader from 1995 until this year, when he succeeded Joseph Bruno as majority leader. He spoke with On Board Senior Writer Marc Humbert on July 30. 

Q: -You’ve had a month to settle into the new job as Senate majority leader. How do you feel about it?
A: It’s exciting. The biggest problem is time management. When you represent your own senatorial district you have to deal with the issues that arise there; you have to be accessible to your constituents, which is totally appropriate. But now, you have a statewide responsibility, so it’s really managing your time, which is something I have to learn to do a little bit better.

Q: One of the first things you did as majority leader is set off on an upstate tour. Why did you do that?
A: No. 1, coming from Long Island I had to learn a little bit more about many of the other districts. And, certainly talking to community leaders about the tax cap, what support is out there, and also about economic development and job creation. That is where the state’s economy is lagging. 

Q: How will you be different as majority leader than Joe Bruno?
A: -Joe was a little bit more of a showman than I am. I think I am more reserved than Joe is. But you know, I learned a lot from Joe, too. 

Q: Such as?
A: Respecting members, respecting members’ opinions and respecting the fact that they are elected to represent their constituency (and) making them more involved in the legislative process, as Joe did. The importance of open meetings, transparency – these were all of Joe’s initiatives which I strongly supported and will continue to support. 

Q: How would you describe your relationship with Governor Paterson?
A: -Excellent. As a matter of fact, after he made his address last night, I went down to see him just to show I wasn’t on vacation. (In his speech, Paterson had called a special session of the Legislature for Aug. 19 that he said would “end the legislators’ vacations.”) 

Q: What is your impression of Sheldon Silver (the Manhattan Democrat who is state Assembly speaker)?
A: I’ve known him for years, but really, that relationship has to evolve ... He is very cautious, loves to renegotiate. And, I guess, represents what he feels is the will of his conference. 

Q: What are your priorities, governmentally?
A: -Right now, property taxes and revitalization of the upstate economy – job creation. 

Q: You are bringing back the Senate on Aug. 8 to approve the governor’s tax cap legislation and to, in your words, “reduce the costs for schools and ensure adequate resources for students.” How do you do that?
A: No. 1, the tax cap is the governor’s bill and we’re going to pass that. The other thing is, you have to look at mandate relief. You have to look at incentives for consolidation of services, consolidation of school districts. We have to look at some of the mandated costs. Is there a way the state can step in and assist, understanding that we have a difficult fiscal situation? And, honoring the commitment that’s been made for the next three years to the CFE (agreement on school funding). 

Q: Are you going to do the circuit-breaker bill?
A: I’m looking at the ramifications of it. We are not looking to take any benefit away from anybody and I’m concerned that if you do a swap of the STAR rebate and the STAR program that hundreds of thousands of people are going to lose benefits. 

Q: If you do the circuit breaker, do you think that is the end of STAR?
A: Well, it’s a huge number (the cost to the state of a circuit breaker) and it’s certainly not something that the state can afford to do without eliminating the STAR program and I don’t think our (Republican) conference is willing to just eliminate the STAR program or the STAR rebate program. 

Q: Speaker Silver has talked about the millionaire’s tax (as a way to finance a circuit breaker). Any chance of that?
A: The worst thing we can do is tax individuals who are paying substantial taxes now and have them leave the state. So, if we go in that direction we are actually going to shrink our tax base. It’s very easy – go to Florida and spend six months there and we lose all those revenues. 

Q: Governor Paterson has warned of economic hard times, a $6.4 billion budget gap for next year. What is that going to mean for state aid to schools?
A: In any budget we have to prioritize and I am not looking to cut school aid. If you cut school aid, you drive up property taxes. So, you can’t be calling for a cap and then cut school aid. That’s just unfair. 

Q: Do you think there will be a school aid increase next year, a sizeable one?
A: Yeah, I believe so. 

Q: Where does this nickname “Mean Dean” come from?
A: I have no idea. I can be forceful, but not mean. That’s not me. It’s just not me. But my job as the deputy (majority leader) was to debate in favor of our position and also to point out in a very direct way where the Democrats were wrong. When every single member sponsored the pay commission legislation for judicial pay raises (earlier this year) and then (after then-Gov. Spitzer objected) every single one of them voted against it, I think it was appropriate for me to point out the hypocrisy of it. 

Q: -The reputation you have of being the tough guy, the guy with some sharp elbows and a scrapper in a sense, does that help you in a way?
A: No. I’m a scrapper in the sense that I love the politics, I love the political battle, but I also governmentally know that you stay focused on getting a result. I’m not a mean person. A tough guy? I’m not a tough guy. I have certain goals that I want to achieve, and I’m going to fight for those goals. 

Q: -Before you became majority leader, you said State Education Commissioner Mills should resign. Do you still feel that way?
A: Yes. Just take some local examples. He totally failed in the Roosevelt school district. In terms of the waiver process (for retired superintendents seeking to go back to work), it was totally mismanaged and that’s his responsibility and he failed there. I think a change would be good. 

Q: Do you think a change would also be good in the way the Regents (who select the commissioner)  are selected?
A: Yes. Both houses would need to approve (separately). 

Q: In 1994, you thought about challenging Democrat Mario Cuomo’s re-election bid for governor. You thought about it once – running for governor – what about again?
A: No. I like what I am doing. 

Q: So, you are ruling it out?
A: I enjoy the legislative process. That’s what I am going to do.