What a difference real leaders make

New York state government has a well-deserved reputation for ineffectiveness. Ask most New Yorkers what one word best describes Albany, and the most common response would be “dysfunctional.” That’s the term that New York University’s Brennan Center for Justice used in a study in 2004, in its follow-up in 2006 and in its 2008 update, “Still Broken.”

But this legislative session, which ended two weeks ago, showed signs of genuine progress. And it seems to us that Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, a Republican from Rockville Centre, was largely responsible for the good that happened.

Skelos demonstrated courage and a commitment to action. He acted as we would hope real leaders would act in the state Capitol: with conviction and determination to do what’s right, whether politically beneficial or not. He exercised his power to effect positive improvements for all New Yorkers, and for that we applaud him.

Skelos did not act alone. Gov. Andrew Cuomo was clearly the other protagonist in setting the agenda for progress. But thanks to Skelos and Cuomo, this session will be remembered as anything but dysfunctional.

These are the things that got done:

• An early passage of a balanced budget.

• Marriage equality legislation.

• A 2 percent limit on how much a school district or village can increase its tax levy.

• An expansion of rent-control laws.

• Ethics reform.

• Mandate relief.

• The NYSUNY 2020 plan.

• The Power NY Act.

It’s certainly true that these accomplishments are not universally praised. They have their detractors. The on-time budget didn’t have enough spending for some and had too much for others. Many people aren’t in favor of same-sex marriage. School boards and superintendents have real problems with a cap on their tax levies. Landlords aren’t exactly wild about rent control.

Good-government proponents say the ethics reforms didn’t go far enough. Many think the mandate relief isn’t big enough. The SUNY plan, while touted as providing certainty in state-college tuition costs, also provides that, for certain, there will be tuition hikes every year for five years, albeit only $300 a year.