Bunnell is "torn," Kelly doesn't care

After about 10 months reporting on the Dutchess Legislature, there's one thing I've learned to expect: Legislator Fred Bunnell's regular requests to abstain from votes.

I haven't crunched the numbers, but I'd say he has abstained from more votes than any other legislator in my short time on the beat. It's a pretty safe bet that he'll do so at least once during each monthly cycle of meetings.

Years ago, when I was reporting on municipal government in Wausau, Wis., I grew accustomed to the rule that lawmakers couldn't abstain unless they had a good reason, usually a conflict of interest that prohibited them from voting. I think the idea was that lawmakers should be compelled to go on the record on issues by voting, and that we should expect them to make tough choices. That is what they are elected to do, after all.

So I was surprised to learn that Dutchess legislators don't have the same burden in justifying an abstention. All they need is permission from a committee chairman or the Legislature chairman.

Usually, when Bunnell asks to abstain, he cites some variation on the "lack of adequate information" explanation. Usually, the chairman grants his abstention.

Today was different.

When it came time for the Budget, Finance and Personnel Committee to vote on a measure increasing the county mortgage tax from 1 percent to 1.25 percent, Bunnell, a Poughkeepsie Democrat, said he would be abstaining. Committee Chairman David Kelly, a Pawling Republican, asked him why.

"I'm torn," Bunnell replied.

Kelly said that wasn't a good reason and told him to vote.

Bunnell protested Kelly's ruling before saying simply, "I choose not to vote."

"I take that as a 'no' vote," Kelly said, and moved on to the next legislator. The measure passed with unanimous Republican support and near unanimous Democratic opposition.

Near unanimous because one Democratic vote was missing. Legislator Fred Knapp had left the meeting early and was marked "absent."