Homestretch priorities
Gov. Spitzer met with the four legislative leaders Wednesday to outline their priorities for the final six weeks of the 2007 legislative session. Here’s a look at some of the ideas:
 SPITZER:
 —Campaign-finance reform.
 —Overhaul and shrink public authorities.
 —Streamlined guidelines for siting and building power plants.
 —Wicks Law reform (public construction contracts).
 —Restrictions on violent video games.
  —Money to expand Sematech, the computer-chip manufacturer consortium facility in Albany.
 —A “healthy schools’’ act to improve nutrition.
  —New crackdown and penalties for human trafficking.
 —Wider use of DNA database and DNA evidence by law enforcement and defense attorneys.
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SEN. JOE BRUNO, R-Brunswick.
  —Death penalty for cop killers.
 —Billions of dollars for capital projects around the state.
 —Property-tax rebates for senior citizens.
 —High-speed rail.
  —Broadband Internet access for underserved upstate areas.
  —A new operator for the state’s 3 thoroughbred horse racing tracks.
  —New laws for redeveloping “brownfields.’’
  —Revisit ramifications of hospital closing commission.
  ASSEMBLY SPEAKER SHELDON SILVER, D-Manhattan.
  —Reform of the “Empire Zones’’ tax-break program.
  —Renewal of “Power for Jobs’’ tax-break program.
  —Further gun restrictions.
  —Loft law renewal (for NYC).
 SEN. MALCOLM SMITH, D-Queens.
  —Renewal of “Mitchell-Lama’’ affordable housing program.
  —Crackdown on predatory lending.
  —Strengthen abortion rights.
  ASSEMBLYMAN JIM TEDISCO, R-Schenectady.
  —Streamline guidelines for siting and building power plants.
  —Create “alternative fuel fund’’ to encourage new power sources.
  —Cap school spending.
   —Death penalty for cop killers.
   —Provide planning experts and financial incentives for local government consolidation.
   —A new “chronic criminal’’ act.ÂÂ
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The Governor’s proposed “reform” of the Wick’s Law is pitiful. This law is an outright anachronism. I sit on a school board in Westchester—and merely raising the threshold from $50,000 to $2 million for the Wick’s multiple prime contractor requirement—is not reform—it’s meaningless. This law jacks up our costs by close to 20% through additional oversight requirements and additional time. Get rid of Wicks altogether!