Politics on the Hudson

   The New York State Association of Counties is holding a news conference tomorrow to announce a lawsuit that Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy is filing against the Senate. Levy wants the state Supreme Court to decide who the legal presiding officer of the Senate is, and for the Senate to vote on stalled legislation affecting many counties in the state.

   Democratic and GOP Senators have been at odds since June 8, when a coalition of Republicans and two Democrats staged a coup to take leadership away from Democrats. Democrats dispute the validity of the vote. The two sides have been trying to work out an agreement for weeks, but to no avail. Meanwhile, one of the two Democrats has rejoined his own conference, making for a 31-31 split in the Senate.

   The leadership stalemate has brought the business of the Senate to a halt. Senators left a lot of unfinished business June 22, the last day of the annual six-month session. Gov. David Paterson has called them into special session every day since then, but they have achieved little. Thirty-six counties are awaiting approval by the Senate to continue charging an extra 1 percent in sales taxes. Without that permission, they will have to reduce their budgets or raise property taxes.

   “There are 36 counties awaiting Senate action on local sales tax bills held hostage by the Senate leadership question,” Stephen Acquario, head of the Association of Counties, said in a statement. “The Senate’s continued inaction makes it difficult for our elected and appointed officials to manage normal county government operations, and could result in increased property taxes as counties develop their 2010 spending plans.”