Now it's near the end, with Cuomo speaking loud over applause. "This has been an aberration, the recent past" of dysfunction, corruption, Cuomo says. Historically, NYS Legislature is "the best in the nation." Let people see "how beautiful the government can be when it's performing." "We're New Yorkers first," not party members. I think the last line is "We're going to build back bigger and stronger," after which the standing ovation quickly stops and the event ends.
Even bigger applause is coming from Cuomo rant about how juvenile justice system should not be viewed as an upstate jobs program. More whooping it up for "Let's pass marriage equality this year."
Cuomo has a throwaway line about more women-owned businesses which gets big applause from this liberal crowd.
Wall Street reform? This is a state priority? Cuomo apparently thinks so. To better protect consumers, although he also says there is money to be saved through consolidation of state agencies.
Now Cuomo is on to ethics reform: The pols applaud dutifully, though they somehow haven't gotten around to doing anything meaningful all these years. He endorses Ed Koch's redistricting reform agenda, plus public financing of campaigns. Cuomo quickly moves on, though.
OK here's education: Set up "two compeptitive funds that reward performance." Emulate successful /efficient districts. Introduces some successful school administrator in NYC. Plus consolidation bonus. (Sounds like feeble stuff if you're looking to save money.)
Unions (including SEIU's Dennis Rivera) and industry will be part of the Medicaid review commission, Cuomo says -- which may be a sign of realism or impotence.
The taxes are too damn high (no Cuomo doesn't actually echo that party line about rents from an independent gubernatorial candidate) but he's for a property tax cap, and introduces an old woman to buttress his case. And he's for setting up a government efficiency/reorganization commission (with a teke-it-or-leave-it report to Legislature.) Plus he wants a state wage freeze, and to close $10 billion budget gap without any borrowing. He has a cute graphic (on three screen around podium) of thee ships passing in the night, with himself, Skelos and Silver in command on the bridges, and special interests launching air attacks. This does get laughter and applause, in which even Shelly Silver joins. Cuomo stresses Medicaid cuts and "redesign," which seems to put him on same page as Skelos. What about education, though?
"We need radical reform .. and we need it now," Cuomo says, and pols in front row, most of them longtime legislators who voted for everything Albany has done for decades, join in the applause. They also applaud the line about restoring integrity -- although the line before, about having government serve the people and not special interests, gets weaker applause from all and none from Silver.
"Change is possible in Albany." First time since Al Smith SOS not in Capitol, Cuomo says, and first time legislative leaders participated, and the people invited (2,200 here, he says, but they don't exactly look like a cross-section of New Yorkers -- too many suits and ties). "Our spending has far exceeded the rate of inflation," which is true enough. State spending"actually outpaced income growth," he said. Structural deficits loom in future going up from this year's. "Unsustainable rate of growth, and it has been for a long time." Plus spending not getting results, compared to other states.
State is at crossroads, Cuomo says. "People have lost trust in our government." But "we can turn this crisis into an opportunity" because of inherent strengths. Can once again become "the progressive capital of the nation."
Cuomo to podium, starts saying "thank you" immediately to stop applause building. But then milks it repeating "Good afternoon, New York" line, and boosting Lt. Gov. Duffy, DiNapoli, AG Eric Schneiderman, Skelos, Silver, John Sampson, Brian Kolb, judges, and high school students sitting behind pols on podium.
New Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos is next. (Having the legislative leaders give speeches preceding governor's is an innovation.) He too is for cutting costs. He too (like Silver) lauds the actions of his party/house. Look first at Medicaid for savings, Skelos says. "New York must stop pouring sand in the engine of our economy" with new taxes and fees. Tax credits for job creation. Expresses confidence in ability to work with new governor and Silver, although "we have not always had a partner" in past (Skelos being the only Republican in leadership mix).
Silver is going on too long, droning about how the Legislature worked with Attorney General Cuomo. Who cares? Ends with some lame metaphor about setting sails for prosperity, hope etc.
First speech is by Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, who is widely seen as the incoming governor's main potential opponent on fiscal issues -- though Silver stresses "difficult choices must be made, but unquestionably we must work together to reduce state spending," and to make the state more affordable. He endorses prperty tax cap (which he has in the past expressed major reservations about). He comes out for protecting NYC renters, and expresses skepticism about "hydraulic fracturing."
Two prayers, by a rabbi and Roman Catholic priest the Rev. Peter Young (the 83-year-old volunteer CEO of facilities across the state devoted to drug treatment, housing and employment programs, often for ex-offenders).
New Lt. Gov. Duffy is doing the introductions, and not setting the place on fire. He recognizes Assembly Majority Leader Ron Canestrari, whose mike is not working. Then Sen. Tom Libous, who can barely be heard. The place this year is the Empire State Convention Center, as opposed to the normal Assembly chamber, but there were still a lot of Assembly aides from both parties hovering around the entrance.And Comptroller Tom DiNapoii, a former assemblyman (who just hired another one, Pete Grannis, as his deputy), still gets a big hand. Now Cuomo is introduced, and the applause is pretty long but not fierce.
Trudging up Albany's Madison Avenue just south of the Empire State Plaza at 12:55, who do I see walking the other way, away from the pending first State of the State address by new Gov. Andre Cuomo, but Morgan Hook, former top spokesman for former Gov. David Paterson. Morgan was in a pin-stripe suit and, I hear, is now flacking for SUNY. "Is that symbolic or what?" I asked him, and got a smile and handshake in return, but he didn't put sown the cell phone.
His ‘rant’ concluded: “An incarceration program is not an employment program.”
Try telling that to people in northern NY, the self-described anti-big government types who oppose with every last breath any and all prison closures.
Posted by: Brian | January 05, 2011 at 05:04 PM