Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is not one to tip his hand here in Albany, but this coming legislative session he’s laying out an agenda for now that is similar to what he pushed for earlier in 2012: a minimum wage hike and his bill to publicly finance campaigns.

Silver told NY1′s Zack Fink that he’s judging the success of the IDC-GOP coalition in the Senate based on whether they pass those measures he’s seeking.

“We only will know they are successful if they pass my minimum wage bill as a result of this partnership, then fine that’s the wonderful,” Silver said. “If they pass my campaign finance reform bill, they will be a success. That’s what’s important, results, not politics.”

Still, it’s murky as to whether the Senate GOP would allow a floor vote on those issues, which Gov. Andrew Cuomo and IDC leader Jeff Klein have both said they support. The Senate GOP blocked both of those measures this year, but the new power sharing agreement could lead to their passage this year or, as some advocates fear, watered down compromise versions.

Senate Republican Majority Leader Dean Skelos told reporters in Albany today there have been no decisions as to which bills will be take up on the floor for a vote.

“It’s another house, there’s not much we can do about it,” Silver said.

Share|