This is sickening.

Silver tops leaders with $7 million in `pork’
ALBANY, N.Y. State records show Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver directed almost 7-point-5 (m) million dollars in pork-barrel spending this year to programs back home.
That makes the Manhattan Democrat tops in the Assembly and Senate in dolling out 170 (m) million dollars in the so-called member item grants.

The money is handed out at the discretion of legislators without public debate.

In addition to the spending in his name alone, Silver was among several Democrats named as sponsors of grants totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars more.

The system heavily favors the majority parties, which control the cash. For example, Silver alone gets more than is provided to all 27 Democrats combined in the Senate where Republicans hold an eight-seat majority.

Rachel Leon of Common Cause-New York says “That’s not equal representation.”

She said the items should be paid for in the budget process that requires public discussion and agreement by the Senate and Assembly with the governor.