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Andrew Cuomo
Bloomberg, Local Leaders Form Bipatisan Coalition To Back Cuomo’s Pension Reform
Feb 22nd - 12:38 pm
Mayor Bloomberg’s press office just blasted out an announcement about the creation of New York Leaders for Pension Reform, a bipartisan coalition of mayors and county executives around the state who will advocate in favor of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s pension reform plan.
The organization, whose members collectively represent some 15 million New Yorkers, plans a “vigorous” statewide campaign to pressure state lawmakers to approve Cuomo’s proposed creation of a sixth pension tier that includes a 401(k)-style option – something unions vehemently oppose. They’ll also be traveling to Albany for some in-person lobbying.
“Taken together, annual pension costs to local governments across the State have gone from $1.7 billion in 2002 to $12.5 billion today – an increase of more than 630 percent,” the release reads.
“Despite opposition to reform by Comptroller DiNapoli and others, members of the coalition know first-hand how runaway local pension payments have already significantly reduced localities’ ability to fund education, public safety, social services, economic development and other services – and how skyrocketing costs threaten to force severe budget cuts or tax increases in the years ahead. That is why local government leaders are demanding action from the Legislature now.”
“Governor Cuomo’s plan will create a new tier of pension benefits for yet-to-be-hired employees who are participating in the New York State and New York City retirement systems. Existing employees and retirees will be unaffected. The new plan would reasonably raise the retirement age for newly hired employees, and exclude overtime from the formula used to calculate the final average salary for pension payments.”
“Further, the proposal would provide employees with the option of participating in a defined contribution plan – similar to plans common in the private sector – that some employees may decide is a better choice for their individual career path.”
The first quote in the release goes to Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, a Republican who has been mentioned as a potential 2014 opponent to Cuomo. (It appears that the quotes are alphabetical, as Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, a Democrat who won last fall with Cuomo’s support, appears next, so perhaps I shouldn’t read too much into this).
Said Bloomberg (quote #3):
Cuomo 2014 Mails On Teacher Evals
Feb 21st - 4:23 pm
In a sign of just how big a political and public relations victory the teacher evaluation deal was, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s campaign committee sent a letter to supporters trumpeting ther news.
From the letter:
As a result of his efforts, the leadership of the teachers’ unions and State Education Commissioner John King joined Governor Cuomo last Thursday to announce the creation of a groundbreaking teacher evaluation system that makes New York a national leader in education reform.
The letter includes links to editorials from The New York Times and Rochester Democrat and Chronicle offering kind words on the deal, which was announced last Thursday right up to the 30-day amendment deadline.
Using the teacher evaluation agreement as a campaign tool highlights how much the governor and his team consider the deal to be a fundamental victory, even if the so-called reforms are tweaks to an already established product: good headlines, tough talk with unions and a framing of the debate over education standards that focuses on quantifiable results.
The full letter is after the jump. More >
Brynien: ‘Even Popular People Can Be Wrong’
Feb 20th - 3:31 pm
At first glance, the state’s labor unions face an uphill battle in halting the march to a new, less generous pension tier for future state workers as prescribed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
The Tier VI proposal is staunchly opposed by the state’s labor organizations, but Cuomo’s insertion of the plan into his budget proposal practically guarantees its passage. It helps that the governor has a sky-high approval rating and that most voters seem to support Tier VI, which includes an optional defined-contribution component.
But Public Employees Federation President Ken Brynien sees it differently.
“Even popular people can be wrong sometimes and in this case, the governor is wrong,” Brynien told me Sunday night.
But the fact that Cuomo’s popularity helps him the budget and pension battle was highlighted after the Civil Service Employees Association released a television ad in opposition that didn’t mention or show the governor with the 70 percent approval rating.
Of course, Cuomo’s plan has a flip side. Putting the proposal into the budget does risk the possibility of a government shutdown should state lawmakers balk at the idea. Brynien went further with Jimmy Vielkind, telling him it should a “line in the sand” for pro-union legislators.
The pension plan has roughly zero effect on this year’s $132.5 billion budget, but does save $83 billion over the course of 30 years. Cuomo has said the state pension fund is in dire need of transformation given the amount of money it costs local and state governments.
Given the timetable for this year’s budget — lawmakers want to get it done by March 22 — gives unions even less time to muster resistance. The budget is due April 1, the start of the 2012-13 fiscal year. Labor plans to make its stand in March through coordination with affiliated unions and a mix of direct lobbying, ads and rallies.
“We’ve already started some ads as you know,” Brynien said. “We’re working with some other unions in the AFL-CIO to produce them. Probably throughout the month of March there’ll be direct lobbying of legislators both in Albany and in their districts. There’ll be more ads, there might be a rally or two, there will be a lot of letter writing. Everybody pretty much assumes that the budget will be done by the end of March, so March is the month that we’re going to put on all our efforts to get this changed.”
DiNapoli Says He’s Not Necessarily Against Cuomo’s Gambling Plan
Feb 20th - 12:28 pm
Comptroller Tom DiNapoli told me last night that he isn’t opposed to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s plan to expand casino gambling, but adds more information is needed before the state should proceed.
DiNapoli was clarifying his stance after the eagle-eyed (or in this case eagle-eared) Liz B. listened to DiNapoli’s interview on WAMC Friday, in which the Democratic comptroller sounded some skeptical notes on the proposal.
This is all in the context of the ongoing contretemps between Cuomo and DiNapoli, who are at odds over a new, less-generous pension tier and the oversight of issuing contracts, both of which are in the state budget proposal.
But on Sunday night at the black-tie gala for the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus, DiNapoli said the governor should go forward the idea.
“The governor should certainly proceed with his proposal and we’ll have a chance to look at it when the details are more clear,” DiNapoli said.
DiNapoli said the state should be “more conservative” on what the possible revenues might be on an expansion of gambling laws, especially since any serious change would require a constitutional amendment, which the governor has introduced.
“There’s more details we need to see in the plan,” DiNapoli said. “My point really was at this point we don’t really have any hard numbers in terms of projections of what revenues will be.”
As for the relationship between him and Cuomo (the coverage of which the latter has derided as a “soap opera”), DiNapoi insisted everything was A-OK.
“We all have the same interests,” he said. “The comptroller’s office is to me the independent voice to look out for taxpayers’ interests and the issues we raised about oversight, proper checks and balances, transparency, it all speaks to the accountability agenda which I know the public expects the comptroller’s office to be a forefront of.”
Caucus Weekend: Defending Liu, Treading Lightly With Cuomo
Feb 19th - 10:48 am
The Hotel Albany (formerly the Crowne Plaza) was crowded last night as caucus weekend participants schmoozed, sipped and munched their way through the numerous receptions that are the hallmark of this annual event.
The evening kicked off with a cheese, fruit and hors d’oeuvres event hosted by NYC Comptroller John Liu in honor of organized labor.
The room was packed with union members – including UFT President Michael Mulgrew – and sundry supporters of Liu, who has had a rocky several months thanks to multiple investigations into his fundraising practices that so far have resulted in one indictment.
(Xing Wu Pan, a major Liu bundler, pleaded not guilty to conspiracy and wire fraud charges during his arraignment in Downtown Manhattan on Saturday).
No mention was made of Liu’s troubles, which he has insisted will not deter him from running for NYC mayor in 2013, until Sen. Eric Adams took to the podium.
Adams likened Liu’s election in 2009 as NYC’s first citywide Asian-American official to the election of President Obama in 2008, telling the largely black crowd that the comptroller’s elevation meant the same thing to the Asian community as the former Illinois senator’s breaking of racial barriers did to their own.
The Brooklyn Democrat, never one to be shy about speaking his mind, directly addressed what he called the “pink elephant in the room,” seeming to suggest that Liu’s troubles and the harsh media coverage has a racial component. (Adams isn’t alone in expressing this sentiment).
Adams, who’s planning a run for Brooklyn borough president in 2013, called Liu a “great comptroller” and urged the crowd to sing his praises because “other folks are off key.”
He lamented the fact that Liu’s children have to see negative coverage of their father, and the comptroller later admitted he has had to explain some stories to his 6-year-old son, Joey, who has taken to reading the editorial pages.
That was the only passing reference Liu made about the cloud hanging over his head.
He preferred to stick to happier topics, like the hot streak of Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin. Liu said Lin’s success has made him particularly proud because it proves something he has been saying “my whole life,” that Asian-Americans aren’t “just math nerds.”
Taking Credit For Restoring Linsanity
Feb 17th - 4:26 pm
Today brings yet another chapter in the never-ending saga of the rivalry between Gov. Andrew Cuomo and AG Eric Schneiderman.
Cuomo and Schneiderman issued competing statements this afternoon taking credit for brokering a deal between CapTon’s parent company, Time Warner Cable, and MSG Network that will enable TWC viewers to finally view all the Jeremy Lin(sanity) they’ve been missing – starting tonight with the Knicks vs. New Orleans Hornets game.
Cuomo got a head start with the NYT’s breaking news story that he would soon be announcing an end to the 48-day impasse along with executives from both companies.
“The governor’s intervention in the past 24 hours with James L. Dolan, executive chairman of Madison Square Garden, and Glenn Britt, chief executive of Time Warner Cable, accelerated the agreement, which is a long-term deal,” the NYT’s Howard Beck and Richard Sandomir wrote.
The story mentioned that AG Eric Schneiderman had “urged” a settlement, but gave the lion’s share of credit to Cuomo.
The governor also beat the AG to the punch with his statement, which was short and sweet:
“I applaud both Mr. Dolan and Mr. Britt and their companies. I thank them for being responsive to the needs of New Yorkers.”
About eight minutes later, Schneiderman sent out a statement of his own:
“Our office has worked diligently with Time Warner Cable and MSG Networks over the last month to bring about a resolution to their dispute. We are pleased that both parties have reached an agreement that will finally allow Knicks, Rangers, and Sabres fans to enjoy the rest of this season’s games.”
Sen. Chuck Schumer, never to be outdone in the statement department, also weighed in, AND, savvy politico that he is, he managed to work in a Linsanity reference.
“I’m thrilled that Sabres fans will be able to watch their team again, and that New Yorkers across the state will be able to marvel in ‘Linsanity’ from the comfort of their own home. This is great news for sports fans throughout the Empire State, and I’m pleased that MSG and Time Warner have worked to resolve this situation.”
DiNapoli Opposes Cuomo On Gambling, Silver On Member Items (Updated)
Feb 17th - 3:58 pm
State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli has been uncharacteristically combative lately, particularly when it comes to the 401(K)-style option in Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Tier 6 proposal, which the comptroller – and organized labor – vehemently oppose.
DiNapoli and the Cuomo administration have traded verbal barbs over Tier 6 on several occasions now. They’ve also clashed on what DiNapoli views as a power grab by the governor, who wants to curb the comptroller’s auditing power.
Despite these disagreements and a historically rocky relationship, both the governor and the comptroller insisted this week that they get along just fine.
Now comes yet another issue on which DiNapoli disagrees with Cuomo: The expansion of non-Indian casino gambling. In a wide-ranging interview with WAMC’s David Guistina for this week’s “Capitol Connection,” DiNapoli questioned exactly how much revenue the constitutional amendment Cuomo is pushing to allow casino gaming in New York would actually generate in the long run.
“I think it’s hard to come up with a very clear number at this point,” the comptroller said.
“I think one of the issues that you have to really look at is if we expand a casino location or gaming are we just going to be recycling money that’s already out there being spent at other racinos or perhaps some of the Indian gaming sites in the state or will we be bringing in revenue that right now may be going to a location in Connecticut or Atlantic City or what have you.”
“I think that’s where it’s very hard to project with certainty what the numbers are. Based on the initial numbers we’re seeing at Aqueduct certainly it’s on the plus side at a time when we’re looking for new revenue sources. But I would just urge caution if we start to try to build up the budgetary future around gaming revenue it may be a problematic exercise.”
DiNapoli also pointed out that some of New York’s neighboring states are voting to expand gaming, too, so there might be increased competition for a “finite amount of money.”
Minority Groups Push Cuomo On Redistricting
Feb 17th - 2:50 pm
As members of the New York State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus gather here in Albany this weekend, minority representation in the contentious redistricting process will be front and center.
The once-a-decade process is controlled by the majority powers of the Republican-led Senate and Democratic-controlled Assembly, a fact that Gov. Andrew Cuomo has promised to end.
But while the governor has wielded his veto threat, he seems to be softening his language on the issue over the last several weeks and has rarely used the word “veto” when it comes to redistricting and is pushing more of the onus onto the courts (a fact that Reid Pillifant of Capital New York picked up on yesterday).
But pressure is mounting on Cuomo from the minority community through a flyer being distributed by The Fair Redistricting Caucus of Color, which urges the governor to veto the lines.
There’s also a petition form being passed around that’s aimed at getting Cuomo to veto the lines.
Among the bullet-point list of concerns:
• To the extent practicable, the most and least populous senate and assembly districts shall not exceed the mean population of districts for each house by more than one percent;
• Districts shall unite communities of interest;
• To the extent practicable, counties and county subdivisions shall not be divided in the formation of districts; and
• To the extent practicable, villages shall not be divided in the formation of districts.
And I’m told the Rev. Jesse Jackson, in town as a keynote speaker, will be making redistricting a major theme in his speech to conference goers. Jackson won’t just be focusing on New York City, but also on minority-heavy portions of upstate cities like Rochester and Buffalo, which Democrats believe are being disenfranchised through the proposal.
It’s a potentially tricky moment for the governor. He is not scheduled to attend this year’s conference, though he is hosting some members at a reception at the Executive Mansion in Albany.
Cuomo attended last year’s gala reception, but his speech was interrupted by Councilman Charles Barron, the former Black Panther who is now a House candidate. Barron’s interruption was criticized by some black politicians, even those who disagree with Cuomo.
The Democrat has had a rocky relationship with the minority community, particularly African-American voters, in the past. The governor took his first out-of-state trip to Somos el Futuro and has spent a good chunk of time shoring up support in the minority community, especially through small business initiatives.
He does enjoy a high 58 percent favorable rating from black voters in the most recent Quinnipiac University poll, though his numbers among white voters is higher.
It’s no secret that lawmakers and advocates from minority communities are upset with how the proposed redistricting maps for state Assembly and Senate districts have turned out. Assemblyman Karim Camara told Jimmy Vielkind that the proposal is “an assault on the Voting Rights Act.”
Hazel Dukes, the president of the New York chapter of the NAACP, told The New York Times she was “distraught” over the process as well.
NYSUT’S Insurance Policy
Feb 17th - 8:07 am
Gov. Andrew Cuomo, SED Commissioner John King and officials of the teachers unions were all very upbeat – if not a bit bleary-eyed after an all-night negotiation session – during yesterday’s Red Room press conference where they triumphantly announced an end to the long-running battle over a teacher evaluation system.
But the matter is actually far from settled.
The bill language, included in the 30-day budget amendments the governor submitted last night, must be passed by the Legislature, which at this point seems highly likely, given yesterday’s events, but it’s not like we’ve never seen supposedly done deals fall apart before in Albany.
Also, much depends on the local districts’ ability to negotiate their 20 percent portion of the evaluation deal with their respective local bargaining units.
All those districts – somewhere between 100 and 250 – who have either already completed their evaluation agreements or are close to doing so under the existing 2010 law now have to go back to the drawing board to meet these new guidelines.
The districts have until next January to get their collective act together or risk losing the 4 percent increase in state education aid Cuomo has promised.
Everyone has expressed optimism that is indeed within the realm of possibility, save for the UFT and Mayor Bloomberg, who continue to battle over the mayor’s desire to close, reorganize and reopen 33 low-performing schools, axing about half their teachers in the process.
While NYSUT’s Dick Iannuzzi, Cuomo and King all said this agreement will result in the settlement of the statewide union’s lawsuit against SED and the Regents (which the union insists was close to being settled anyway before Cuomo stepped in with his ultimatums), you can’t simply stop a legal proceeding on a dime.
The legal system doesn’t work that way, and, as it turns out, NYSUT isn’t really interested in doing anything rash – just in case yesterday’s big deal somehow falls through.
“What will happen now is attorneys for the state Ed Department and my attorneys will meet and decide the best way to approach the court,” Iannuzzi told me during a CapTon interview last night.
“Remember: While the governor is putting this language into law, until it’s passed and signed by the governor it isn’t law.”
“Hopefully there’s a mechanism to put the case on hold while we see what happens…Certainly if, for some reason, the law was to fail then the 2010 law would remain on the books. And, in fact, the 2010 law will remain on the books until the day the law passes.”
Teacher Evaluation, Appeal Deals Amendments
Feb 16th - 6:57 pm
Get ‘em while they’re hot.
So far, we’ve only seen the education-related 30-day amendments. Cuomo spokesman Josh Vlasto said this afternoon that other amendments would:
- Make technical changes to the solar equipment tax exemption for the leasing of equipment and the Green Jobs/Green NY programs, and add fiscal notes related to the creation of a Tier VI pension benefit for newly hired employees.
- Make modifications to the Excess Medical Malpractice Liability Coverage Pool to conform eligibility requirements to the intent of the program and allow the Pool to operate within the funding level reflected in the Executive Budget.
- Insert language to restore the farm vehicle hours-of-service exemption while maintaining compliance with the Federal motor carrier guidelines.
- Duplicate in the appropriation bill the language already contained within the Executive Budget affecting preschool special education and summer school special education.
Here’s the amendment – released five hours before the midnight deadline – that includes the teacher evaluation system deal struck by SED and NYSUT and announced with great fanfare this afternoon by leaders of the teachers unions, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Education Commissioner John King:
…and here’s the amendment that includes the appeals process for NYC teachers.
This was a major sticking point between the UFT and the Bloomberg administration. Cuomo said this afternoon that with this out of the way, he didn’t see why the two sides wouldn’t be able to come to a deal on other outstanding issues, but the mayor’s decision to continue his push to close, reorganize and reopen 33 NYC schools is likely going to be an obstacle. The UFT says it’s reviewing its legal options.
All the amendments will be posted here “shortly,” according to Vlasto.
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