State of the State script

In case you're interested, here is the script Gov. Andrew Cuomo used (but didn't exactly stick to) during his State of the State Wednesday.


SOS Book-1

Bronx leaders react to NYSOS (Update)

The New York State of the State was held Wednesday, Jan. 6. Here are some reactions from local leaders:

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.:

“I applaud Governor Cuomo for putting forward a strong vision for the future of New York State in today’s speech, and I look forward to working with him and his administration on the critical issues of job creation, education, infrastructure, tourism, public safety and other themes that have been high priorities for my administration.

“What is good for the Bronx is, of course, good for the state. Moreover, the agenda he has outlined reflects the action plan we have set forth for the Bronx, whether it is our recent education summit, our East 153rd Street hotel development proposal, and the expansion of Metro North service to the East Bronx. My office will continue to work with the Cuomo administration on these and other major projects we have planned for the Bronx in 2012, including the redevelopment of the Hunts Point Produce Market—an area where Governor Cuomo has already shown his commitment to our borough through his allocation of almost $30 million in funding through his Regional Economic Development Council." 

Senate leaders remarks today

Here are the remarks made today by Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos at Gov. Andrew Cuomo's State of the State, and Senate Minority Leader John Sampson during the first Senate session of the 2012.

Let's see how they do this year, in terms of fulfilling promises and running an efficient government this year.

Skelos:



Sampson:

AQE responds to Cuomo's State of the State

Well that didn't take long. Gov. Andrew Cuomo's annual State of the State address is still going on, and the Alliance for Quality Education is already out with two statements firing back at the governor for his words about education and his 2011 budget:

“If Governor Cuomo intends to be an effective lobbyist for every school child across the state his budget will incorporate the New York State Board of Regents call for fairness and equity in our schools by prioritizing funding to high needs schools. In his first year, it was Governor Cuomo’s budget that failed to represent students’ educational needs by slashing 11,000 teaching positions and cutting arts, music, after school and college prep courses,” said Nikki Jones, Communications Director for the Alliance for Quality Education.

“Governor Cuomo said that he is going to be the lobbyist for our children, as a mother of eight children I ‘lobbied’ for my children along with thousands of other parents from across the state against the devastating classroom cuts that Governor Cuomo implemented last year. What our children need Governor Cuomo to do is to listen to what parents and students are saying by restoring funding for lost after school programs, art, music and college prep courses especially for our neediest schools and students,” said Zakiyah Ansari, Advocacy Director for the Alliance for Quality Education.

We'll post more reactions as they come in, and will probably have some sort of story about it in next week's newspaper.

Bronx pols rejoice after new livery bill is signed

The illegal, yet mostly ignored, practice of hailing livery cabs on the street has finally been legalized, after Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a bill that will increase outer borough service and also bring more handicapped-accessible taxis to the city.

It also calls for the city to sell 2,000 yellow cab medallions, which is expected to generate more $1 billion in new revenue, the New York Daily News reports:

The deal requires that the first 20% of 6,000 new street-hail livery licenses be made available in the first year to drivers with wheelchair-accessible vehicles.

Another 6,000 licenses will be made available in each of the next two years, with determinations to be made about the percentages that will be assigned to drivers with wheelchair-accessible rides.

In addition, all 2,000 new yellow cab medallions must be for wheelchair-accessible vehicles.

Cuomo has ready to veto the bill if he did not get promises from the state Legislature that they would amend it to increase service to the physically disabled.

The Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) will be authorized to issue up to 18,000 of these new licenses (livery street hails) and will be required to provide grants of up to $15,000 to retrofit vehicles to accommodate the disabled or to purchase accessible vehicles.

"By working together and finding common ground, I am pleased that we have been able to reach a deal that will extend taxi and livery service to the outer boroughs and upper Manhattan, while ensuring full access for the disabled," Cuomo said. "The bill as originally passed failed to address the needs of individuals with disabilities and did not provide any incentive for the livery industry to ensure disabled New Yorkers had full access to the taxicab system."

For Bronx leaders, this bill was long overdue.

“I am pleased that after months of negotiations over the details of this legislation, an agreement has been reached that will improve the quality of life of my constituents in the Northwest Bronx and will provide livery cab drivers, so many of whom live in the 33rd Senate District, with the much-needed ability to pick up legal street hails,” said state Senator Gustavo Rivera. “This plan is a victory for Bronxites and for all New Yorkers in the outer boroughs and upper Manhattan. I would like to congratulate the livery cab drivers for their relentless advocacy that played a critical role in ensuring that this legislation was passed and that it will be signed into law as well as Governor Cuomo for negotiating an agreement that all New Yorkers should consider a victory.”

“I am pleased that, following months of negotiation, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the State Legislature have reached an agreement on a plan that will increase outer borough livery service in our City while also bringing more handicapped-accessible taxis to our City’s streets," Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. said.

“This plan will raise much-needed new revenue for our City through the sale of new yellow taxi medallions while also bringing livery cab drivers out of the shadows, offering them considerable legal protection," Diaz added. "At the same time, Bronxites and residents in all of the outer boroughs will have the ability to hail a legal livery cab, while our disabled community will see their travel options increase significantly.

“This plan is a victory for commuters, and I congratulate both Governor Cuomo and the State Legislature for making it a reality. I also thank Mayor Bloomberg and his administration for their efforts on this important issue."

Bronx comes out on top in State awards

Here's another story that didn't make this week's Bronx Press.

By Brendan McHugh 

For once, the Bronx came out ahead of the other boroughs in something positive. 

In Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Regional Economic Development Council (REDC), 13 Bronx and borough-related projects were tapped as top development priorities and therefore will receive funds nearing $37 million. 

Throughout the entire city, $66.2 million has awarded. This includes $29.5 million that will be used for the redevelopment of the Hunts Point Produce Market, as well as smaller grants for other borough projects. 

“I am extremely gratified that both Governor Cuomo and our State’s economic development leadership understand the importance of the Hunts Point Produce Market not only as a transformative economic engine for the Bronx, but for the entire region,” Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. said in a statement. “Investing in the market and building a new 21st century facility will both preserve and create jobs here in the Bronx while also expanding opportunities for upstate farmers.” 

The New York City Economic Development Corp., which worked with Diaz and other Bronx officials to help keep Hunts Point from moving to New Jersey, said they will continue to fight for the redevelopment of the produce market to take place in the borough.

Jump below for the full story.

Cuomo's proclamation for special session

Here's Gov. Andrew Cuomo's proclamation calling the state Assembly and Senate into extraordinary session at noon today to discuss/vote on legislation about the tax code deal announced yesterday, which also includes job creation and hurricane relief.

If you'd like to watch the special session, head over to their website for a livestream.
Cuomo's proclamation for the extraordinary session

Officials, agencies react to Cuomo's tax plan

City Comptroller John Liu, State Senator Gustavo Rivera, the MTA and the Alliance for Quality Education have all released statements complimenting Governor Andrew Cuomo on his leadership in tax reform. More statements will flow in, so I'll post them all below the jump.

Here's part of Cuomo's press release from today. Read the whole thing here.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver today announced that they have reached a proposed three-way agreement on legislative and executive proposals to create jobs and cut taxes for middle class New Yorkers. The agreement includes support for a comprehensive New York Works Agenda that will create thousands of jobs with new investments in New York's infrastructure, passing a fair tax reform plan that achieves the first major restructuring of the tax code in decades resulting in a tax cut for 4.4 million middle class New Yorkers taxpayers, approving $50 million in additional relief for areas devastated by recent floods, and reducing the MTA payroll tax to provide relief for small businesses. The leaders will now present the agreement to their members for approval.

"Our state government has come together in a bipartisan manner to create jobs, grow our economy and, at the same time enact a fair tax plan that cuts taxes for the middle class," Governor Cuomo said. "We are investing in projects that will restore our state's infrastructure and put thousands of people to work. We are cutting taxes on middle class New Yorkers and small businesses, which will inject nearly $1 billion into our economy. We are targeting new tax credits to hire inner city youth and reduce unemployment in some of the poorest areas of our state, as well as providing direct aid to communities struggling to recover in the wake of this year's severe storms. This would be lowest tax rate for middle class families in 58 years. This job-creating economic plan defies the political gridlock that has paralyzed Washington and shows that we can make government work for the people of this State once again."

Jump below for the statements.

It's beginning to look a lot like...a special session

Speaking with a handful of various staff members in both the state Senate and Assembly, everyone seems to be preparing for a special legislative session to resolve the state budget. Earlier today on the State of the Politics blog, Liz Benjamin also said she's heard rumblings that a special session could be called as early as next week:

Members of the Assembly are being given a heads up this morning that a tentative three-day special session in Albany next week is possible, a highly placed Democratic source said.

The potential session would be held Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of next week.

One source who was down at an event at City Hall today told us that the legislators are all talking about it with one another but don't have any official word exactly.

Another source, when asked if the special session would turn into a circus, gave me a list of things that will probably get brought up regardless of if Governor Cuomo has a set agenda or not:

• tax code change...no millionaire's tax, but one that's more equitable nonetheless (higher rates for wealthy mixed w/ tax cuts for middle-class)
• taxi medallion issue
• possibly healthcare issue (NY is not in compliance)

Last week, Cuomo said he wouldn't bring the legislators back just for show and games and wanted to have a strict plan in place for them to work on and/or vote on.

Dinowitz speaks out against potential cuts to senior centers

We touched upon this in a budget article in this week's Riverdale Review, so make sure to check that out if you can.

Dinowitz (at podium) speaks out against possible cuts to senior services
with (l-r) NYC Department for the Aging Commissioner Lilliam
Barrios-Paoli, state Senator Diane Savino, and
Assemblywomen Grace Meng and Joan Millman.

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz spoke out against potential cuts to Title XX funding for senior centers at a rally at City Hall yesterday, sponsored by the Council of Senior Centers & Services of NYC. For each of the last two years, the Governor's budget proposed cutting tens of millions of dollars from Title XX funding, which resulted in New York City threatening to close over a hundred senior centers. Dinowitz, the former chair of the Assembly Committee on Aging, led a successful fight this year to prevent this cutback and the closing of senior centers.

With Governor Andrew Cuomo pondering calling a special session that would bring legislators back to Albany to discuss more cuts, in order to balance the budget after the tax revenue did not match expectations, Dinowitz and others are worried that senior services could end up back on the chopping board.

"This time around, we want to convince the Governor to not propose this cut in the first place. I will fight together with Speaker Sheldon Silver, Aging Committee Chair Joan Millman, and my other colleagues to make sure that seniors will not have to live in fear that the senior centers that so many of them depend upon would be closed," Dinowitz said in a statement.

Electric trucks will be manufactured in the Bronx

Here's a story from last week's Bronx Press.

By Brendan McHugh 

The Bronx is getting electric.

Smith Electric Vehicles Corp, a leader in zero-emission, all-electric commercial vehicles, is bringing their business to the Bronx.

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. joined state and city officials, as well as representatives of the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation, to announce that electric truck manufacturer Smith Electric Vehicles will soon open a new state of the art electric truck manufacturing facility at the former Port Morris lamp warehouse at 275 Locust Avenue. Smith Electric Vehicles hopes to create more than 100 local “green” jobs.

Expected to create more than 100 new jobs, the announcement was also about unveiling a new incentive program for electric vehicles in New York State. Purchasing zero-emission trucks will now come with a $20,000 rebate from the Feds for each new truck. The program is designed to improve air quality and the environment.

Smith will lease a 90,000 square foot building near Hunts Point in the South Bronx and make investments in renovations, equipment, training and other project costs. A package of state and city incentives valued at over $6 million, including $3.4 million in Excelsior tax credit benefits from Empire State Development, and $1.7 million in tax exemptions approved by the New York City Industrial Development Agency, is being provided to augment the company’s private investment.

"Creating over 100 new jobs in the South Bronx is a victory for the local community and a clear sign that New York is rapidly attracting innovative opportunities to grow our economy," Governor Andrew Cuomo said in a statement.

Jump below for the full story.

Clean technology vehicle manufacturer to open facility in Hunts Point

Despite the fact that he wasn't in the Bronx, Gov. Andrew Cuomo today was able to announce that Smith Electric Vehicles, a leader in zero-emission, all-electric commercial vehicles, will establish a clean technology manufacturing facility in the borough, which is expected to create more than 100 new direct jobs. With the company's move to the Bronx, New York is finally showing the leadership in green technology that California has shown for years.

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. (center) joined state and city officials, as well as representatives of the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation, to announce that electric truck manufacturer Smith Electric Vehicles will soon open a new state of the art electric truck manufacturing facility at the former Port Morris lamp warehouse at 275 Locust Avenue. Smith Electric Vehicles hopes to create more than 100 local “green” jobs.

Smith will lease a 90,000 square foot building near Hunts Point in the South Bronx and make investments in renovations, equipment, training and other project costs. A package of state and city incentives valued at over $6 million, including $3.4 million in Excelsior tax credit benefits from Empire State Development, and $1.7 million in tax exemptions approved by the New York City Industrial Development Agency (NYCIDA), is being provided to augment the company’s private investment.

"Creating over 100 new jobs in the South Bronx is a victory for the local community and a clear sign that New York is rapidly attracting innovative opportunities to grow our economy," Cuomo said in a statment.

Jump below for the rest of the statement, including quotes from Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr, Smith CEO Bryan Hansel and NYCEDC chairman Seth Pinsky.

Cuomo hasn't visited the Bronx once

I noticed this a while ago but didn't exactly have proof, but CityHallNews.com found it and wrote the article: Gov. Andrew Cuomo hasn't visited the Bronx once since he took office.

Our good friend Lloyd Ultan, the Bronx Borough Historian, told the news site that he can't recall any governor serving a single term without making a stop in “the most Democratic county in the whole country,” where 70 percent of registered voters are Democrats. To top it off, 90 percent of Bronxites voted for Cuomo in the past election.

From the site:

In fact, the Queens native has hardly visited New York City’s outer boroughs, home to more than one-third of the state’s population.

Travel records posted on Cuomo’s “CitizenConnects” website show him making just one trip each to Brooklyn and Staten Island this year. His only Queens appearance was to walk across the Nassau County border in the Little Neck-Douglaston Memorial Day parade.

Meanwhile the governor has made seven appearances in Nassau County, six in the Buffalo area, and five in and near Syracuse, as well as a dozen in Manhattan. He recorded almost 50 trips upstate, including eight related to Hurricane Irene, about double the number he made to New York City and Long Island combined.

A spokesman for the governor deflected the inquiry into why he doesn't spend more time in the outer boroughs, saying he travels to all corners of the state to push his platforms and engage citizens.

Ultan doesn't buy it, saying that the Bronx is where his attention should be at right now.

“The Bronx is the poorest county in New York,” he told CityHallNews. “Anything that can be done on the state level, and anything the governor could do to alleviate those issues, would be welcome.”

To see all the other places Cuomo has been, click here and roll over the "See Where We've Been" tab.

Just noticed this on Liz Benjamin's State of Politics Blog and wanted to add it (right below the link for the CityHallNews story): The governor’s quick trip to San Juan for the Somos conference was all about shoring up his support among black and Latino voters, who have started to grumble of late about his lack of attention. Hey Drew (Can I call you Drew? Thanks.), if that's your plan, here's an idea: come to the Bronx. We have plenty of Latino and black voters. And if you come during the summer, you can hang out at Orchard Beach and it'll be just like hanging out in San Juan!

Lhota, raised in Pelham Bay, named head of MTA by Cuomo

Former Bronxite and current Madison Square Garden Inc. executive vice president Joe Lhota has been named chairman and CEO of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority by Gov. Andrew Cuomo today.

"Joe Lhota brings one-of-a-kind managerial, government, and private sector experience to the job and a lifelong commitment to public service that will benefit all straphangers," Cuomo said. "I look forward to working together as we continue to reform the MTA, reduce costs, and improve service for New Yorkers. I thank the members of the MTA Search Advisory Committee for their diligent work and thorough review."

Current MTA chairman, Jay Walder, announced in July that he was leaving to run an international transportation company based in Hong Kong. Tomorrow is his last day.

"Millions of New Yorkers depend on the MTA every day and they deserve the most efficient and effective service," Lhota said in a statement. "Throughout my career in both the public and private sectors, I have initiated reforms that are performance-based and that cut costs, and I look forward to bringing this same approach to the MTA. I thank Governor Cuomo for this exciting opportunity to serve the people of New York."

Lhota, now a Brooklyn resident, received his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and graduated cum laude from Georgetown. He has New York in his blood; he is the son of a retired NYPD lieutenant and the grandson of a FDNY firefighter.

New York City Council Transportation Chair James Vacca applauded the decision, citing Lhota's experience in city government. 

"The MTA will face a number of challenges in the years ahead, from preserving service for straphangers to completing many of the mega-projects across the city, all under the threat of further budget cuts. This is one of the most difficult jobs in the country,” Vacca said. “Joe Lhota’s successes as a Deputy Mayor for Operations and City Budget Director mean that he has the expertise and leadership needed to weather the storm ahead.

“I heard from Mr. Lhota today and was encouraged by his enthusiasm and also by the fact that he has roots in the outer boroughs. When I learned that he grew up in the Pelham Bay section of the Bronx, in my district, I must confess feeling a sense of relief. This is not an out-of-towner. Mr. Lhota knows New York, he knows the transit system, and he knows the particular needs of folks in the outer reaches of the city. I look forward to working with him to improve service for all residents of this city." 

Former Bronx borough president Fernando Ferrer and current MTA board member said Lhota stood out amongst a number of other qualified candidates.

"Following an extensive search process, where we reviewed many top public transportation professionals, it was clear that Mr. Lhota was the best candidate for the position," Ferrer said. "He is a dedicated public servant with unparalleled expertise in business and government who will bring great energy and vision to the MTA."

There are only 93 millionaires in the Bronx (REPOST)

We had to delete this post because it was doing something strange to the blog. Here it is again. Jump below for the table, which may have had something to do with the problem.

There are less people from the 1% in the Bronx than there were three years ago.

Check out this spreadsheet from the Department of Taxation and Finance, which shows the amount of people in various tax brackets, county by county. The second county on the list is the Bronx, which had only 93 millionaires in 2009 (the latest year the data is available).

It's a sharp decline for the borough, which had 159 millionaires in 2007. The spreadsheet goes back to 2006, but the borough had more seven-figure income earners in 2007.

According to the Times Union blog Capitol Confidential:

The real trick will be to compare these data to the numbers for 2010. Democratic lawmakers approved a temporary income tax surcharge in the 2009 budget that raised the top tax rate to 8.97 percent for New Yorkers earning over $500,000 and to 6.85 percent for single New Yorkers making over $200,000 or joint filers making more than $300,000. Conservatives as well as Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who ran on the Democratic Party’s line, argue that the higher tax rate is prompting wealthy New Yorkers to move to other states. Cuomo as well as most Republicans controlling the state Senate have refused to renew it.

The tax expires at the end of the year. The fight about this, likely to culminate in next year’s budget battle, has just begun anew.

Manhattan had 14,990 millionaires in 2009, a drop of over 3,000 from 2007, when they had 19,247.

Diaz Sr. urges Espaillat to ignore Skelos (UPDATE)

Outspoken state Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. sent a letter to his fellow Democrat, state Senator Adriano Espaillat, asking him to not attend a Hispanic legislative conference that GOP Majority Leader Dean Skelos is planning.

Diaz asks that Espaillat--who chairs the Senate's Puerto Rican/Latino Caucus--and the rest of the Hispanic community boycott the conference to show Skelos they do not approve of the way he voted on the budget.

Here's a little snippet of the letter. Jump below for the full letter, as well as Espaillat's response.

I believe that many will agree with me that this event has been whipped up by Senator Dean Skelos to win the affection of Hispanic New Yorkers and is insulting  and  disrespectful  to  the  New  York State Puerto Rican/Latino Caucus and to New York’s Hispanic community.

(UPDATE) Also below is a statement from fellow Bronx state Senator Gustavo Rivera, who will not be attending the conference.

Tappan Zee Bridge reconstruction fast-tracked

The Tappan Zee Bridge has been tapped for a speedy review and approval process, which will allow reconstruction of the bridge to begin much sooner than previously thought.

President Barack Obama has green-lighted New York State's request, and with the expedited federal review of the Environmental Impact Statement and the processing of certain permits, the Tappan Zee project could begin as early as next year.

“This is a shot in the arm for the project and a major step forward to restoring this key piece of our infrastructure and putting tens of thousands of New Yorkers back to work,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.

According to the Presidential memorandum, “improved coordination among multiple federal agencies will reduce the time needed to proceed from a Draft Environmental Impact Statement to a Record of Decision, potentially reducing the project timeline by multiple years.”

Rep. Eliot Engel, who applauded the president for his actions, says that serious damage to the bridge would be horrendous for the tri-state area.

Jump below for the full story, including information as to when public meetings will be held to discuss the $5.2 billion project's details.

MTA Chairman Jay Walder resigns [UPDATE]

Jay H. Walder today informed Governor Cuomo of his intention to resign his position as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority effective as of the close of business on October 21st, 2011. Walder will be joining the MTR Corporation in Hong Kong as Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors. The MTR is a publicly-traded company that operates rail services in Asia and Europe, and is involved in a wide range of business activities, including consulting and property development.

“I want to thank Governors Cuomo and former Governor Paterson for the honor of serving the people of New York State,” Walder said.  “The MTA’s transportation system is the foundation of the metropolitan region and we are fortunate to have thousands of dedicated men and women who work so hard to provide these critically important transportation services to millions of people each and every day.  I believe that we have accomplished quite a lot in a short period, with the support of two Governors, the Mayor, a hard-working Board and many others.”

Here's the reaction from City Councilman James Vacca, the chairman of the transportation committee:

“This resignation comes at a crucial time. A year after the worst service cuts in the MTA’s history and yet another fare and toll increase, the most serious challenges for straphangers may still lie ahead. While Chairman Walder deserves credit for taking on many structural issues that previous MTA leaders had delayed for a tomorrow that never came, the MTA continues to face a $250 million operating gap and a capital budget that runs out January 1. It’s getting harder and harder to do more with less, and the MTA needs someone at the helm not only who understands the role mass transit plays in the lives of everyday New Yorkers but who is prepared to get to work on day one.”

And a statement from Kate Slevin, Tri-State Transportation Campaign Executive Director:

"MTA Chairman and CEO Jay Walder has been an effective, innovative leader. He helped restore the agency's credibility and changed the way it does business, finding billions of dollars in savings during his tenure. But his departure comes at an inopportune time. New York's regional transit system faces a capital funding gap that could be as large as $9 billion, and which needs to be addressed in the coming months. Straphangers are at risk. Governor Cuomo must quickly fill this vacancy with an effective leader who has a deep understanding of the transit system."

We'll post more reactions as they come in. [UPDATE] Check below for posts from Gov. Cuomo, Mayor Bloomberg and more.