Chair of the Schenectady County Legislature Susan E. Savage, D-Niskayuna met with state Sen. Hugh Farley, R-Niskayuna today in an attempt to reach an agreement over a bill that would extend Metroplex's bond cap to $75 million.
Last week, Republican state legislators amended the county's home rule bill to bar county legislators from the board, along with party chairmen and county government managers.
The Republican legislation exempts the county economic development chief, who is currently Ray Gillen, who also serves as chairman of the Metroplex board.
Last Wednesday, the the county Legislature passed a resolution supporting the original bill, without the amendment.
Minority Leader Bob Farley, R-Scotia, said the vote by the Democratic majority to support the bill without the amendment was imprudent because the original bill was "dead."
He said the move could cost Metroplex its funding.
Democrats don't think so and neither does Sen. Farley who in a phone call this afternoon said he wants to get the ball rolling as soon as possible on a Senate bill that would get Metroplex its funds.
But today, Savage brought forward her own amendments in what is quickly turning into a game of political ping-pong.
Savage said she made two proposition, which were readily rejected by Sen. Farley, Assembly Minority Leader Jim Tedisco, R-Schenectady and Assemblyman George Amedore, R-Amsterdam.
In what Savage called an attmept to completely "remove politics from Metroplex," the chair offered an amendment which would prohibit all elected government officials serving on the Metroplex board unless they are currently a member.
Farley called the amendment "too sweeping." They countered with an amendment that would bar state legislators from sitting on the board.
"The state legilslators and the County Legislature are really the overseeing bodies of Metroplex," said Farley.
Savage also suggested that the state pass two seperate bills, one that provide Metroplex with its $25 million bond cap extension and one that detailed who could or could not sit on the Metroplex board.
Savage said this suggestion was also rejected by Republican leaders.
Now, Savage said she will return to her county Democratic caucus with the hopes of speaking with Sen. Farley again this evening.
She would not say if she feels she has gotten any closer to a sponsorship of the bill in the Assembly by Tedisco or Amedore.
She said the County Legislature could pass a new home rule message at its meeting on Tuesday, June 10 and still have plenty of time to get the bill through the Assembly before the end of session on Monday, June 23.
In a phone call yesterday, Amedore was clear that he would not support a bill without the Republican amendment.
He said it would be unwise in light of a state audit that is currently being conducted on Metroplex. Results of the audit will not be made public for three or four months.
