End-of-Session Logjam

The New York Sun reminds us this morning that NYC Mayor Bloomberg has just 37 days left in this year’s legislative session to push through his congestion pricing proposal.

We wish him good luck breaking through the clutter in Albany. Our research shows that the vast majority of bills passed by the Senate and Assembly are approved during the waning days of the session: for example, of the major bills passed in 2005, 84% were voted on after May 15th in the Assembly and 85% were voted on after that day in the Senate. In fact, more than one third of the major bills passed during 2005 were approved during the last three days of the session or during a special session!

We’re skeptical that the Mayor’s initiative, and the hundreds of other pieces of legislation being rammed through at the last minute, are truly getting the deliberation and thought they deserve.