Leaning to keep tax on rich, sez incoming Senate boss

ALBANY – Poised to become the state’s first female Senate majority leader, Democrat Andrea Stewart-Cousins indicated Monday she will continue a tax on the wealthy.

After being unanimously selected by her Democratic conference to continue as leader, Stewart-Cousins was vague when discussing specific issues with reporters, but did drop some hints.

With a new Democratic majority set to take over the Senate in January, the Yonkers Democrat has previously downplayed the likelihood of raising taxes in the coming year.

But on Monday, when asked about calls to extend and even expand taxes on the wealthy, she said the conference as a whole has not had a conversation on the issue. But she added that “the general sense is that the taxes in place will certainly remain.”

The so-called millionaire’s tax is set to expire in 2019.

Stewart-Cousins said the conference wants to hit the ground running when the legislative session begins in January by quickly passing many progressive bills that had previously been blocked by the Republicans.

Stewart-Cousins will also become the first woman to crack the “three-men-in-aroom” triumvirate made up of the governor, Senate majority leader and Assembly speaker that negotiates the budget and key pieces of legislation.