Things have to change, business as usual in Albany is not working............andy
By JOSEPH GOLDSTEIN Post Correspondent
Last Updated: 4:05 AM, November 9, 2010
Posted: 2:29 AM, November 9, 2010
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Gov.-elect Andrew Cuomo bluntly warned lawmakers yesterday he won't let them try to tax their way out of the state's $9 billion budget deficit.
In his first speech since his landslide election a week ago, Cuomo said Albany is going to have to "get smart" and find other ways, such as redesigning government programs and services, to solve New York's money mess.
"The economy and deficit is saying you can't keep doing it the way you've been doing it," he said of Albany's notorious tax-and-spend past.
Cuomo pointed out that while New York spends the most per pupil of any state, student performance is ranked just 40th in the nation.
Speaking to a group of Latino legislators at a beach resort in Puerto Rico, Cuomo said he would stick to the policies he campaigned on -- including no personal or corporate tax increases, a cap on state spending and property taxes, and eliminating mandates and initially freezing public worker salaries.
But Cuomo warned that there won't be any quick fixes to get the state out of its mess.
"We have a lot of problems, not problems of one or two or four years in the making," Cuomo said. "Problems building for years and years over a decade of decline and degradation of state government."
Cuomo also signaled he won't support a coup to oust Assembly Speaker Sheldon Speaker -- because the state's second-most-powerful Democrat agrees with him about holding the line on spending and opposes any tax increases.
"He's supporting no new taxes, so I welcome that," the incoming governor said.
He cited The Post's disclosure yesterday that the powerful Assembly leader has ruled out hikes in taxes or fees, a position Silver has failed to take with Cuomo's last three predecessors.
Cuomo also dampened expectations that some disgruntled Democrats would mount the first challenge to Silver's Assembly leadership in a decade.
He told reporters he is "looking forward to working with the leadership of the Assembly."
Although Cuomo didn't mention Silver by name, his comments were taken as a signal that he wouldn't support an attempt to boot Silver from the speaker's post that he's held since 1994.
The Post reported Sunday that a few rank-and-file Assembly members have mused about replacing Silver if he becomes an obstacle to the incoming governor. That would be a long shot because it would require a coalition of about 50 to 52 Democrats.
But Cuomo said he wasn't interested in helping his fellow party members decide who occupies the leadership posts in the Legislature.
"That's not my job," he said
In his first speech since his landslide election a week ago, Cuomo said Albany is going to have to "get smart" and find other ways, such as redesigning government programs and services, to solve New York's money mess.
"The economy and deficit is saying you can't keep doing it the way you've been doing it," he said of Albany's notorious tax-and-spend past.
Cuomo pointed out that while New York spends the most per pupil of any state, student performance is ranked just 40th in the nation.
But Cuomo warned that there won't be any quick fixes to get the state out of its mess.
"We have a lot of problems, not problems of one or two or four years in the making," Cuomo said. "Problems building for years and years over a decade of decline and degradation of state government."
Cuomo also signaled he won't support a coup to oust Assembly Speaker Sheldon Speaker -- because the state's second-most-powerful Democrat agrees with him about holding the line on spending and opposes any tax increases.
"He's supporting no new taxes, so I welcome that," the incoming governor said.
He cited The Post's disclosure yesterday that the powerful Assembly leader has ruled out hikes in taxes or fees, a position Silver has failed to take with Cuomo's last three predecessors.
Cuomo also dampened expectations that some disgruntled Democrats would mount the first challenge to Silver's Assembly leadership in a decade.
He told reporters he is "looking forward to working with the leadership of the Assembly."
Although Cuomo didn't mention Silver by name, his comments were taken as a signal that he wouldn't support an attempt to boot Silver from the speaker's post that he's held since 1994.
The Post reported Sunday that a few rank-and-file Assembly members have mused about replacing Silver if he becomes an obstacle to the incoming governor. That would be a long shot because it would require a coalition of about 50 to 52 Democrats.
But Cuomo said he wasn't interested in helping his fellow party members decide who occupies the leadership posts in the Legislature.
"That's not my job," he said
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