Once again Silver will be a roadblock to raises for judges, if he does take any action we know he will be demanding raises for his inept colleagues and band of thieves.

Silver the last holdout in judicial pay flap

As 2007 quickly draws to a close, there remains an item of unfinished legislative business that for the first time requires only one person to act. That is Sheldon Silver, speaker of the Assembly.

The Senate has now passed two versions of a judicial salary bill for judges, S5313 and S6550. The first is a pay raise for judges that establishes a commission for the purpose of determining the salaries of judicial, legislative and certain executive branch members. The second is a pay raise for judges that only affects judges and the determination of judicial salaries in the future. Both bills have been forwarded to the Assembly, where the speaker has refused to take action on either.

The speaker now has an opportunity to do something. The Senate has fulfilled its obligation. The governor has committed to support a bill for judicial raises and had previously forwarded a proposed bill of his own. Sheldon Silver to this point has done nothing to advance the cause of judges. The Assembly majority is now the only impediment to achieving a judicial salary bill this year.

The most amazing aspect of the issue is that for the past three legislative sessions all parties involved have claimed to be in favor of a judicial salary bill. The Senate and the governor have backed up their words with actions, Mr. Silver has not. All eyes are on the speaker.

What say ye, Mr. Speaker?

JOSEPH FARNETI

Riverhead

The writer is an acting Supreme C ffolk County.

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