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City Dems Send Cuomo Letter of Their Discontent

Tuesday, March 01, 2011

Here's a copy of the letter sent by a small group of state Democrats, including 15 City Council Members, critical of Governor Andrew Cuomo and his budget policies. The letter was also signed by 27 other lawmakers, all Democrats, from lower level offices statewide.

PPM170_dearfellowdemocrats2282011(2)

City Council Member Robert Jackson from Harlem, co-chair of the Council's Black Latino and Asian Caucus and Education Committee, was the lead signer of the letter, which criticized the governor's plans to cut education, health care and allowing the expiration of a so-called "Millionaire's Tax."

But top Democrats dismissed the letter, particularly since no state lawmakers signed on. Here's the rebuttal from State Democratic Chairman Charlie King:

"I looked at the list and recognize only some of the names and I am the Executive Director of the Democratic Party.  The lack of state legislators on the list would have been the more fair and important story to report.  On any  issue, given the nature of the Democratic Party you should be able to find hundreds of differing opinions given the thousands of Democratic elected officials in the state.   The New York State Democratic Committee recognizes the State’s fiscal crisis and stands strongly in support of Governor Cuomo's budget.”

-Brigid Bergin

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Cuomo: I want to sign a same-sex marriage law

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Speaking at a cocktail reception for the state's largest gay lobby, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Cuomo said he wants to sign same-sex marriage into law.

I don't want to be the governor who just proposed marriage equality. I don't want to be the governor who lobbies for marriage equality. I don't want to be the governor who just fights for marriage equality. I want to be the governor who signs the law that makes equality a reality in the state of New York.

Cuomo left before the dinner began, saying he had a previously scheduled private event.

-Azi Paybarah

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Cuomo Wants Income Disclosure, Koch Denounces Paladino

Tuesday, October 05, 2010

Andrew Cuomo said he wants all state lawmakers to disclose their outside sources of income, something that fellow Democrat Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver has opposed.

Cuomo, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate, included this in his package of propsoals to reform Albany. He unveiled the proposals at John Jay College in Manhattan, where he was endorsed by former Mayor Ed Koch, who is championing his own set of ideas to clean up the state capital.

I asked if Cuomo has gotten a committment from Silver on disclosing outside income. (Silver is a lawyer and "of counsel" to a personal injury lawfirm, Weitz and Luxenberg.)

Cuomo said there has been "receptivity" to his plan among lawmakers, but he has no "committment" from anyone in particular.

Koch turned combative when told that Republican gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino referred to Silver as "a criminal" for profiting from Weitz and Luxenberg and blocking disclosure of that income.

Koch called the comment "an outrage" and called on Paladino supporters to "denounce" the remark. Koch said he disagrees with Silver on a number of issues, but wrinkled his face and said he was no criminal.

-Azi Paybarah

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Paladino Viewed as "Loose Canon"

Tuesday, October 05, 2010

Three out of 5 likely voters said they agree that Carl Paladino is a "loose canon" who "doesn't have the temperament to be governor" in a new Siena pollout this morning. That's a big jump from two weeks ago, when just 41 percent of registered voters agreed with the statement.

Overall, Cuomo leads Paladino 56-32. Cuomo's margin is huge in New York City - 70-17 - and he leads by 19 points in the downstate suburbs. Paladino doesn't even have an edge upstate, as voters are narrowly divided there - 45 for Cuomo and 43 for Paladino.

The polled likely voters prefer Cuomo on all issues except property taxes and state taxes. For those pocketbook issues, voters split down the middle between the two.

-Anna Sale

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Paladino: Silver 'a criminal,' Cuomo took 'a bribe'

Tuesday, October 05, 2010

Republican gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino said the Democratic leader of the State Assembly is "a criminal" and his Democratic rival took "a bribe."

Paladino made the comments to reporters after speaking at a Crain's business breakfast in East Midtown.

Paladino also said he's trying to be a "kinder, gentler" version of himself, which is coming days after he had a now-famous blow-up with a New York Post reporter captured on video.

Paladino said Cuomo's "bribe" came when he went to work for real estate developer Andrew Farkas after Farkas was fined by federal authorities. Cuomo joined Farkas' company after working as HUD secretary.

Paladino said Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver was a criminal because the legislative leader is blocking bills on tort reform and other matters, and is not disclosing how much he earns for his work at the lawfirm Weitz and Luxemberg.

At the business breakfast, Paladino reiterated his call not to pass a late state budget, reign in medicaid costs, and dismantle the MTA, which he said was bloated and mismanaged. When asked, Paladino said he would fire the head of the MTA, Jay Walder.

Paladino said he would not sign a bill to legalize same-sex marriage, but if it passed in a voter referendum, he would enforce the law.

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And another poll...

Friday, September 24, 2010

This morning, Marist adds its take on the race for NY governor. Here's the breakdown:

Cuomo - 52

Paladino - 33

Lazio - 9

Undecided - 6

That's a 19-point edge for Cuomo. It surveyed "likely voters," just like that Quinnipiac poll that found Paladino only trailing by six points. (The Q poll, though, left out Lazio.)

One thing everybody can get behind: bashing the current administration in Albany. Gov. David Paterson's abysmal approval rating is unchanged from May. Now, as then, just 19 percent think he's doing a good job.

-Anna Sale

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Former Worker: Vito Lopez Fired Me Over Politics

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Former Ridgewood Bushwick Senior Center employee Cyril Joseph says he was fired from his job as a porter after he endorsed a candidate against Vito Lopez's wishes.

Joseph says he backed Diana Reyna, a City Councilwoman who was opposed by Lopez, last year. Joseph says Lopez had a "spy" at the New Kings Democrats meeting who informed Lopez of Joseph's support. Lopez was supporting Maitza Davila against Reyna.

Joseph told reporters he was terminated from his $10 dollar an hour job after openly supporting Reyna.

Joseph says he did not go public with the accusation until Monday night. Joseph spoke with reporters outside a bi-annual meeting of the Brooklyn Democratic organization where Lopez is expected to win another term as Democratic Party leader for the borough. He has recently come under fire - most recently from city investigators for lax oversite at the senior center founded and funded by Lopez.

Lopez left the meeting before reporters could ask about the accusation.

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The Bumpy, Impolite and Offensive Campaign of Carl Paladino

Thursday, September 09, 2010

He\'s not kissing rings: Republican gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino. (Azi Paybarah / WNYC)

In a new story up at It's A Free Country, Republican gubernatorial Carl Paladino tells me exactly how he'll cut state spending:

“Two hundred and ninety-eight thousand three hundred and forty-one employees, they couldn't fine one employee to lay off in this budget crisis?” he asked. “They raised our taxes last year ten point nine billion dollars. They raised it this year five point one billion dollars."

The key to Mr. Paladino's strategy for cutting state spending is to shrink the size of government. He'll give the legislature a bare-bones budget, and when they try to increase spending, he says he'll just stare them down. And they'll buckle.

He says there's no chance lawmakers will unite and overpower him in a budget fight.

“To override my veto, they got to get…two thirds, plus one,” he said, referring to the 212 legislators in the New York State State Assembly and State Senate. “As long as I have one third plus one in the Senate, and I'll probably also have in the Assembly, it's over. That's it. It's the end of it. That's the budget."

How he can be sure lawmakers in his corner won't bolt during the budget fight, like they did in the waning days of Republican Governor George Pataki’s tenure?

“I have a Republican Senate. They're going to do what I tell them to do,” Mr. Paladino deadpanned. “And let somebody try to stray - and I'll wreck 'em. I'll ruin 'em."

Also, he tells me he did well in his New York Post editorial board interview.

"I think we impressed everybody in the room, except the guy to my right,” Mr. Paladino said. “He did not change his facial expression through the whole meeting."

Mr. Paladino and his campaign manager Mr. Caputo, said things grew difficult when a certain reporter starting asking detailed questions.

“She's one of the toughest political reporters in the state,” Mr. Caputo said.

“The little dark-haired one I gave the thing to?” Mr. Paladino asked.

“Right,” said Mr. Caputo. “Jennifer,” referring to the New York Post's Jennifer Fermino.

Mr. Paladino nodded, and explained to me, “I gave her a sillyband. Because she didn't have any. My daughter said, you're not cool if you don't have one of these."

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