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David Paterson
Comptroller’s Office: 2010-11 Budget Hole Nears $1 Billion
Nov 15th - 1:56 pm
Welcome to Albany, Andrew Cuomo!
According to state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli’s office, the current-year budget deficit is a lot bigger than the $350 million estimated by Gov. David Paterson’s Budget Division, and is likely closer to $1 billion. NY1′s Erin Billups reports.
Deputy Comptroller for the Office of Budget and Policy Analysis Tom Nitido also revealed at a “quick start” budget hearing this morning that DiNapoli’s office believes next year’s budget hole is closer to $9.5 billion dollars, which is about $500 million (fixed) more than the administration’s number.
“We’re not convinced revenue will increase at the rate they believe revenue is going to increase,” Nitido said.
“For the rest of the year revenue has to grow in excess of 10 percent in order to meet plan and we just think that’s an aggressive assumption.”
Nitido would not go as far as to say the Legislature needs to come back before the end of the year to address the problem. Paterson had called a special session for today, but then backed off that plan when it became clear the Senate would be embroiled in a recount battle for at least the immediate future.
Paterson is now expected to call the lame duck session on Nov. 29.
Even if the Legislature does return, it’s not expected to get much done. (To be honest, it’s hard to see what the incentive would be for some of the state lawmakers who won’t be returning in January to drag themselves up to Albany for a special session – unless it’s to clean out their offices).
The DOB and DiNapoli’s office are currently at odds over the exact size of this year’s budget chasm, but state Budget Director Robert Megna said the discrepancy could be the result of something as simple as looking at business tax receipts on different days.
There is, however, on the fact the state’s spending is projected to jump significantly next year when federal stimulus funds for Medicaid and education run out. School aid and Medicaid increases are expected to exceed revenue growth.
Two Governors, One Radio Show
Nov 11th - 9:01 am
Throughout most of his tenure at the top of state government, Gov. David Paterson has been a weekly guest on the John Gambling Show on WOR. He continued the tradition today, discussing the transition and the state’s financial woes.
Paterson described the hour-long meeting he had with his soon-to-be successor on Tuesday, saying Andrew Cuomo’s on the right track with the tradition and “raring to go.” He also reiterated his praise of the manner in which Cuomo campaigned, which he described as reflecting “the reality of this time.”
Paterson went to great lengths to point out that the economic message Cuomo campaigned on mirrors what he was saying two years ago. He also predicted greater success for Cuomo in gaining support for that message because he had the luxury delivering it in the context of a campaign.
“When I tried to point out where the economy was in 2008… if you read the remarks that legislators and others had made, it was like I had taken leave of my senses,” Paterson said.
Andrew Cuomo called into the radio show later in the hour for his own one-on-one interview.
Cuomo agreed with the notion that he has an advantage over Paterson to set a foundation for dealing with the economy because he was elected with a mandate to, as he put it, “make the numbers balance.”
Cuomo repeated the message he delivered in a three-minute web video released yesterday about the importance of New Yorkers getting involved in their government and holding their legislators accountable.
Gambling ask whether a Democratic or Republican-controlled Senate presents a better scenario for advancing his agenda. Cuomo responded by saying that he is a Democrat and supported a Democratic Senate, but insisted that more important than that is having a “functioning State Senate.”
Cuomo also touched briefly on some specific topics, saying he does not support the KSM trial being held in NYC and would do all he can to prevent it.
He said that he needs to review the facts before determining whether he supports drilling in the Marcellus Shale, but added that if it were safe and created jobs he would be supportive.
Schumer On The Clout Question
Nov 10th - 4:33 pm
Sen. Chuck Schumer today insisted the New York delegation will “fight very hard” for the interests of their constituents, but did not deny the fact that Democrat-dominated state has lost clout now that most of its House members have been relegated to the minority.
“We still have a Senate that has the same majority,” the senior senator said. “The other end of Pennsylvania Avenue has pushed many programs that are good for New York. So, I think we have a good fighting chance.”
Nick Confessore has an interesting story on the NYT site today about the loss of clout specifically among African American Democrats now that Rep. Charlie Rangel is no longer Ways & Means chairman, Rep. Ed Towns is poised to lose the top slot on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, and Gov. David Paterson is about to leave office.
If the Senate Democrats lose the majority, they will also see their highest-ranking remaining black leader – Conference Leader John Sampson – diminished significantly (and it’s also not clear whether he would be able to land the minority leader post).
Recall that it was Paterson who broke the color barrier and became New York’s first black legislative leader when he ousted ex-Senate Minority Leader Marty Connor in 2003.
In light of all that, not a few New York Democrats were privately pulling for Tea Partier Sharron Angle last Tuesday. But Sen. Harry Reid managed to eke out a victory, and Schumer’s ascendance to the majority leader’s post appears not to be.
Schumer again insisted today that he isn’t disappointed that he won’t be moving up the power ladder, telling NY’1 Grace Rauh:
“I always thought Harry Reid was going to win. Harry Reid’s been one of my closest friends in the Senate. I worked hard to help his reelection. And I’m working very hard now to see that we as Democrats, and I hope Republicans as well, focus on the middle class.”
Paterson Questions Bloomberg’s Chancellor Pick
Nov 10th - 8:32 am
Gov. David Paterson this morning questioned Mayor Bloomberg’s decision to again select a media industry manager to run the New York City public school system, although he declined to criticize incoming Chancellor Cathie Black, saying she should be given a chance to prove herself.
During an interview on AM 1600 WWRL this morning Paterson said he’s “a little skeptical” of the mayor’s habit of picking chancellors from outside the education system who follow in his own pattern of moving from private sector media management to public service.
“Other than that, it would be a little bit unfair for me to criticze someone who hasn’t been given an opportunity to perform,” Paterson said.
Klein’s abrupt departure took many in the education and political spheres by surprise, despite the fact that he had promised to serve through only two mayoral terms when he accepted Bloomberg’s offer of the chancellorship back in 2002.
Governor-elect Meets With ‘Governor-eject’
Nov 9th - 3:11 pm
Exactly one week after election day, outgoing Gov. David Paterson and incoming governor Andrew Cuomo had their first, official get-together to kick off the transition.
Paterson and Cuomo met privately today in the governor’s NYC office and then appeared together for a joint press conference followed, which YNN and NY1 telecast live.
The present and future governors emerged at 2:35 p.m. for the event scheduled for 2:15 p.m. Paterson began his remarks by referencing a “mee
ting” between the two six years ago that involved a water gun fight while rafting in the Adirondacks. Cuomo later said that was a story for another time, but that Paterson won the fight.
Paterson said the two talked at length today about the transition, evaluations and the issues facing the state – namely how to end the recession. He showered his soon-be-successor with praise, saying it is rare to see a candidate who is “so honest or so pragmatic about the future.”
Cuomo was equally effusive in his praise of Paterson, calling him a friend for many, many years.
The governor-elect said a major focus of the transition will deal with personnel. He said he would take recommendations from Paterson as to who to keep on board and will work to attract “the best and the brightest into state government.”
He also said he plans to kick-off a statewide facilities tour tomorrow to familiarize himself with state operations, including visits to Sing Sing Correctional Facility and the Manhattan Psychiatric Facility.
In terms of the state’s economic woes, Cuomo said there will have to be cuts to education, health care and state operations. He did not go into detail about how much would need to be cut, saying those figures will be hashed out during the budget process.
Cuomo also proved it isn’t just Paterson who can get a laugh at a press conference. He joked about Paterson’s plans to improve the state’s fiscal picture in the remainder of his term.
“The governor was extraordinarily gracious, saying that he not only would make sure that the current shortfall is covered, but would also identify another $9 billion and set it aside for the deficit next year. And I really thought that was more than just a friendship, because we’re friends, but that really exceeded the friendship to the tune of $9 billion and I want to thank him very much for that,” Cuomo said.
Today actually the second meeting between the two since election day.
Paterson and Cuomo met face-to-face yesterday in Puerto Rico where they had a conversation over breakfast before Cuomo addressed the room. The two may have also met behind closed doors yesterday, but they kept that information to themselves.
Gov Summit
Nov 8th - 8:01 am
YNN’s Mike Whittemore, who is still in San Juan covering the tail end of the Somos winter conference, sent this photo of Governor-elect Andrew Cuomo having a tete-a-tete (literally) with his predecessor, Gov. David Paterson.
Assemblyman Felix Ortiz, who chairs the Hispanic Task Force that is hosting Somos, is angling to orchestrate a private get-together with the incoming and outgoing governors, who spoke at length after Cuomo’s election last week. No word on whether that’s going to happen.
I believe this is the first time the two have seen each other face-to-face since the election. I’m not sure when the last time they actually sat down together was.
Paterson and Cuomo once appeared to be headed for a major political collision. Paterson, New York’s first black governor, insisted he planned to run this fall for the office he had inherited from disgraced former Gov. Eliot Spitzer, in spite of his historically low poll numbers, faltering fundraising and loss of support from the Obama administration.
There was considerable speculation about whether Cuomo would primary Paterson, particularly in light of his disastrous 2002 primary challenge to the state’s first black major party gubernatorial nominee, then-state Comptroller H. Carl McCall.
Of course, the twin scandals of David Johnson’s domestic violence case and the Yankees World Series tickets ended up forcing Paterson to give up on his campaign less than a week after he launched it. Cuomo initially launched investigations into both scandals, but handed them off to former Chief Judge Judith Kaye after his own poll numbers dipped.
Kaye found the Paterson administration had serious “errors of judgement” in handling the Johnson mess, but nothing rose to the level of criminality. She referred the Yankees tickets case to the Albany County DA, and we’re still waiting to see where that goes.
Cuomo Emerges, Reluctantly
Nov 8th - 7:47 am
Governor-elect Andrew Cuomo arrived in San Juan, Puerto Rico shortly before midnight yesterday (his flight was delayed by bad weather) and was promptly ambushed by reporters staking him out in the Intercontinental Hotel lobby.
It was the first time Cuomo has appeared on camera – or in public, for that matter – since his big win last Tuesday.
Cuomo, looking a little travel-weary but relaxed in a blue blazer, button-down shirt and no tie, was asked by NY1′s Juan Manuel Benitez if he had any words for attendees at Somos, which, as you’ll recall, the governor-elect initially appeared inclined to skip.
“Well, it’s a pleasure to be here,” Cuomo replied. “(I’m) looking forward to having a good conversation tomorrow morning. A lot that we have to do. A lot that we have to talk about. So, it’s a pleasure to be here.”
Benitez asked if Cuomo had any administration and/or transition appointees to announce, and the govenror-elect replied: “Oh, we will. We will. But I can’t tell you now.” At this point, Cuomo’s spokesman, Josh Vlasto, tried to shut down the gaggle, saying: “Thanks guys, we’ll see you tomorrow morning.”
But the NYT’s Nick Confessore was undeterred, asking Cuomo if he thought the Assembly should have a Latino or African-American speaker (which, of course, would require the removal of Sheldon Silver, who is a white Orthodox Jew).
Said Cuomo: “You want me to opine, Nick, on who’s (running?) for speaker?… I think it’s up to the body to decide….You look good, Nick.”
Cuomo dodged questions on the balance of power in the state Senate and whether he plans to meet with outgoing Gov. David Paterson while in Puerto Rico.
Just as he walked away, Paterson popped up in the lobby, wearing a short-sleeved button-down patterned with bamboo leaves. He told reporters he had no plans to meet with Cuomo, but when told the governor-elect was in the very room Paterson was poised to enter, Paterson quipped:
” Well, maybe I’ll knock on the door and see if he needs anything.”
Paterson Backs Off Nov. 15 Session
Nov 7th - 7:07 am
Gov. David Paterson is formally backing off his plans to bring the Legislature back to Albany on Nov. 15 for a lame duck special session, saying he agrees with Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver that the Senate chaos requires that date to be pushed back at least several weeks.
We caught up with Paterson at the Capitol in San Juan last night, and he didn’t take kindly to the suggestion that the legislation he says must be addressed prior to the end of the calendar year could just as easily be taken up before the end of the fiscal year (in other words, next April).
“We have to come back before Jan. 1. (Silver is) absolutely right about Nov. 15 because some of those races are still being resolved,” Paterson said.
“I’ll probably move that date back a couple of weeks, and I’ll do it as soon as Monday,” the governor continued. “However we do have to come back to implement federal legislation for education, an OTB plan for New York City and a couple of other things that have to be done, and we will be coming back.”
“We’re going to do it before the end of the fiscal year, and it comes down to who you’re going to believe. And I’m telling you, we’ll be back before the end of the year.”
As you’ll recall, this isn’t the first time the governor has capitulated when the speaker balked at bringing his members back to the Capitol.
Ortiz: Cuomo’s Somos Visit ‘A Good Start’
Nov 6th - 3:35 pm
Assemblyman Felix Ortiz is more than pleased that Governor-elect Andrew Cuomo managed to fit a quick trip to San Juan into his busy schedule harbors no ill will for the fact that he didn’t decide to attend until the eleventh hour.
“He called me and told me he had planned to come to Puerto Rico from the beginning, but he wanted to first make sure he had at least appointed some folks to his transition team,” Ortiz, who is charing the task force that hosts Somos, told me this afternoon.
“He was looking to ensure that he has his people in place before he leaves, which I think is very valuable.”
“Now he has put the foundation in place and he feels comfortable that he can come now. He will be with us to thank our folks and also to participate a little bit…I think that’s a good beginning.”
“Everybody is waiting very anxiously to hear what he has to say, and once we get back to New York we get back to business and follow up on hopefully appointing some Hispanic members of the transition team, some minoroty members of the transition team.”
Cuomo is coming at the very tail end of the conference (he’s expected to fly in Sunday night and speak at a breakfast Monday morning).
Cuomo Has A Change Of Heart On Somos
Nov 5th - 6:34 pm
In the wake of criticism from Hispanic leaders who were disappointed with his radio silence in response to their invitation to their annual Somos conference, Governor-elect Andrew Cuomo has decided to attend after all.
Cuomo is expected to arrive in San Juan Sunday night – weather permitting – and speak at a breakfast early Monday morning, his office confirmed.
It’s unclear whether Cuomo’s time on the island will overlap with the stay of the man he’ll be replacing, Gov. David Paterson, who is scheduled to be in San Juan tonight through tomorrow.
State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli is also on tap to arrive at Somos late tonight. He’s scheduled to address a labor breakfast tomorrow morning to thank all the union members who played a key roll in his first statewide victory in Tuesday’s election.
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