Democrats will take over control of the Onondaga County Legislature next month for the first time in nearly 50 years. But before they do, Republicans used their last session in the majority to approve a dozen appointments to county agencies.
What’s usually a quick item on the legislature's agenda, the appointment of individuals to boards and organizations, turned into political theater Tuesday, after Legislature Chairman Tim Burtis put 12 names up for lawmakers to confirm for positions at various county agencies, many of which oversee economic development.
Democratic floor leader Nodesia Hernandez, who will become chair of the legislature in January, suggested the appointments were rushed onto the agenda.
"The way that you're doing it now is almost doing it in the way that you're rushing them.," Hernandez said. "That you're making sure that you put anybody in any place that can benefit yourself."
Burtis took umbrage to the suggestion that he was playing politics with the appointments.
"This isn’t politics," Burtis said. "I never looked to see what political party these folks were. I looked to see who were the best candidates that were willing to serve the community in a very, very important time."
Burtis said he was upset at what he called "an attack on his integrity or character."
"I'm doing my job, people," he said. "And this has never been politics for me. But clearly, this is partisan politics right here today."
Democrats suggested the appointments should reflect the party that won the majority in the legislature on Election Day. Republicans argued all the appointees were qualified and that’s the important thing.
