Albany's Coming Culture War

Cuomo's New York's Nixon Goes to China Moment?

Yesterday True News said It Will Take A Crusade To Clean Up Albany. Today the NYP used former Senator Patrick Moynihan need for politics to change culture to fix New York as their lead editorial.  The NYT wrote about to much trash and dead xmass trees in the city.  Curbside Forest (NYT Ed)

The late Daniel Patrick Moynihan once wrote that he pursued a seemingly eclectic mix of liberal and conservative ideas because he knew that "it is culture, not politics, that determines the success of a society." Yet he also believed that "politics can change a culture and save it from itself." The daunting challenges facing New York's new governor, Andrew Cuomo, are centered in the area where politics and culture intersect. The state needs brilliant political leadership to change a culture of government that delivers the nation's most generous spending with too little heed to costs or results.  Albany culture shift Cuomo's greatest challenge (NYP)* Union leaders seemed to appreciate Cuomo’s symbolic 5 percent pay cut for himself and his top aides.* Despite his voluntary pay cut, Cuomo is still getting a raise by moving from the AG’s office to the governor’s office.* State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli and AG Eric Schneiderman both followed Cuomo’s lead and trimmed their own pay by 5 percent. (That amounts to $7,575 of their $151,500 salaries).

Build the Moynihan's station already Unsnarling Penn Station's Choke Point(WSJ)

Has Christie Crossed the Hudson ?

I wrote this at 9AM the same comparison was made at 4PM by YNN Cuomo, New York’s Chris Christie?

Let 'millionaire' tax die out, Cuomo says (NYP) * Gov forming super watchdog (NYP) * Cuomo Targeting Medicaid Spending(NYP) *  Who Elected the Pity Party? Governors on Tri-State Woes (WSJ)* Cuomo, Before Seeking a Wage Freeze, Says He Will Cut His Salary 5% (NYT) * Instead of cutting spending, like Gov. Cuomo, Atty Gen. Eric Schneiderman is hiring, hiring, hiring (DN Ed) * Andrew Cuomo still leads with his left: Though he's cutting costs, deep down he's his father's son (DN) * Businesses and trade groups outspent unions during the 2010 campaign cycle.* Clyde Haberman digs up an NYT editorial from 1980 which says, "Never, in the closing days of its annual session, is the New York State Legislature a model of decorum, wisdom or judgment. All past absurdity pales, however, beside 1980's version of state government." * Public-sector unions have been measured in their response Cuomo's planned wage freeze, knowing that the governor is almost certainly going to seek bigger concessions with longer-lasting effects, including changes to pension benefits and health care coverage. * Bill Hammond says that even though Cuomo sounds like a Republican, he remains a progressive at heart. * "Gov. Cuomo put his money where his mouth is Monday by cutting his pay - and the salary of his top aides - by 5%... The move was quickly followed by Controller Thomas DiNapoli and Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. Each trimmed their paycheck by 5% after a Daily News query," * Remembering Albany: Clyde Haberman throws cold water on Cuomo’s nostalgic view of the capital. (The New York Times)* Calling Steven Cohen. Not That One.(NYT) * Labor Summits Pre-SoS

 Will the Albany Assembly and Senate  Clowns  Cut  Their Pay Also?

Mr. (John) Haggerty Goes To Albany

Former Gov. David Paterson plays the race card.

Criminal investigation into botched blizzard clean-up effort launched

The Miss Opportunity of the Bloomberg Administration

With all his money he could have been a great mayor that saved the city.  Yet Wednesday he will sit in Albany watching the state's new leader, lead.  Bloomberg sits there with a city steaming about uncollected snow, a comptroller Liu Rejects Contract for 911(WSJ), a major criminal corruption case on the City Time Contract and a major play in his reelection campaign indicted.  He could have used his power to clean up City Government, by going after the council's slush fund.  yet he had a slush fund of his own.  He could have developed young leader for the future of the city, like Lindsay and Rockerfeller did.  We have an unqualified senior citizen running the schools and a staff of deputy mayor's do out of touch that they did even know the city was now plowing the Brooklyn until they saw the video on TV.  Bloomberg could have been a leader in trying to keep manufacturing in the city, instead of encouraging more development.  Liu balks at $286M deal for 911 call center, cites potential for fraud (DN) *Blizzard baby's funeral highlights Bloomberg's failure to effectively manage city during snowstorm (DN) * “The mystique of the mayor as manager has been badly tarnished and it’s hard to see exactly how he can recoup,” said Fred Siegel of St. Francis College of Mayor Bloomberg’s leadership after the storm.* NYC Tech Startups Frustrated With Bloomberg’s Economic Development Agency

MTA chief Jay Walder owes subway, bus, railroad riders a full accounting of blizzard transit foulup (DN Ed) * 'Sanit boozers' vid mysteriously erased (NYP) * Trash Mounts as Snow Melts(NYP) * MTA to Probe Its Blizzard Response (WSJ) * After 10 Days, Trash Pickup Resumes (Even Outside Manhattan) (NYT) * A Record? Twelve Days of Parking Amnesty (NYT) * Bunch of garbage? Sanitation boss gives crew an 'A-plus' (DN) * Surveillance video of Sanitation Department supervisors buying six-packs of beer at a Brooklyn bodega and then heading back to their official car during last week's blizzard chaos have been taped over.*  Snowbatoge: Incriminating video disappears. (New York Post)

"Activity is Not Accompishment"                      

              John Wooden, UCLA Coach

 Black's Nonsense Press Campaign

Touring Schools That Work, Chancellor Says New Approach Is Needed at Those That Don’t (NYT)* Just ask Randi Weingarten -- schools, teachers and their unions could all learn from the NFL(DN Ed)

 

 Has the Tea Party Moves Closer to Taking Over Staten Island GOP?

More Staten Island G.O.P. drama: Admitting it might be a "politically incorrect" move, incoming Rep. Michael Grimm said yesterday he has decided not to invite Sen. Andrew Lanza, Assemblyman Lou Tobacco and GOP chairman John Friscia, all of whom failed to support his candidacy, to his ceremonial swearing-in Sunday.

Real Estate Market Bombs, NYT Spins Rose Color Growth

The NYT has some much of itself connected with Manhattan reality that they regularly write stories that misrepresent the condition of the market, that has been flat with only small growth in very high end luxury. The NYT writes Manhattan Real Estate Market Continues Steady Growth, as Luxury Sales Perk Up (NYT). The WSJ writes Manhattan Housing Prices Dip (WSJ)

New York's Economic Meltdown  Meet New York's overtime king: Psychiatric center employee Robert Henry made $106,253 in extra pay (DN) * Overtime in state government is up overall as the number of public employees shrank.* They're In The (Overtime) Money

 

Where's Bloomberg

If the murder rate when down the mayor would have held a dozen press conferences.  With the 13% increase the information came out in a press release without a quote from the mayor  City murders soar by 13% (NYP) * Murders Rise in New York City, but Remain Near Historic Lows (NYT)

Law and Order Murder Alleged in Death at Hotel(WSJ) * Court: NY man had cocaine not 'cooked rabbit'(WSJ) * NY appeals court overturns rape conviction(WSJ) * 2 Officers Face Sanctions on Tactics in a 2008 Shooting (NYT) * Shop teacher in horrific accusation of sexual abuse of 16-year-old girl (DN) * Accused killer still presses bias suit against former employer (DN) * Charges Against Chess Players Dismissed (NYT) * Thug whose gun was shot out of his hand by cop faces 40-to-life

Man Found on Subway Platform During Storm Froze to Death (NYT)

Census Brings Unpleasant Surprise for State Politicians (Gotham Gazette, Jan 2011)

City’s Graphic Ad on the Dangers of H.I.V. Is Dividing Activists (NYT)

Andrew Beveridge crunches the numbers, and sees two games of musical chairs in congressional redistricting.

WikiLeaks dump: Iran President Ahmadinejad got slapped (DN)