Several New York state legislators decided to leave Albany on Monday to witness the solar eclipse, even as negotiations for the late budget continued. Members of the Assembly took most of the day off to return to their districts to view the celestial event, while about a dozen senators skipped a vote on temporary spending measures, which keeps the government running. The Assembly held a session on Sunday to pass the funding extension so that they wouldn’t have to be in the capital for the eclipse. Meanwhile, legislative leaders and Gov. Kathy Hochul are still working on finalizing the state budget, which was originally due on April 1st.
State Senator Tom O’Mara joked about working in the dark on the Senate floor while debating a stopgap legislation on Monday morning. Approximately 12 out of the Senate’s 63 members missed the vote due to the eclipse, as many represented districts within the path of totality where the moon completely obscured the sun for around four minutes. State Senator Jeremey Cooney and two other Democrats also skipped the vote, with Cooney sharing pictures of his dog wearing eclipse glasses with his campaign branding. The Assembly held a remote conference to discuss the budget on Monday morning and planned to return to Albany on Tuesday before taking a recess to recognize the Eid al-Fitr Muslim holiday.
Despite the state funding expiring on Thursday, the Assembly decided to wait until Friday to pass another extension. Many lawmakers, along with staff and politicos, gathered outside the Empire State Plaza to witness the eclipse. Some lawmakers broke into song, performing Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart.” Former Gov. David Paterson, who had dealt with lengthy budget negotiations in 2010, was forgiving of the lawmakers taking an extra day off to view the eclipse. Paterson emphasized the importance of getting the budget passed by the 15th or 22nd to avoid a repeat of last year’s delays.
Merchants criticized lawmakers for focusing on the eclipse instead of addressing crime issues, especially Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie’s reluctance to tackle increased penalties for those who attack retail workers in the budget. Francisco Marte from the NYC Bodega and Small Business Association urged lawmakers to address the darkness of crime instead of taking time off to view the eclipse. Nelson Eusebio from the National Supermarket Association also highlighted the need for lawmakers to prioritize dealing with crime rather than enjoying leisure activities. Former Gov. Paterson, who is legally blind, reminisced about past eclipses and emphasized the urgency of passing the budget in a timely manner.
