Monday, January 29, 2007
Picking a comptroller
Newsday Editorial
Basically Newsday is saying.....The legislature should pick one of the 3 panel finalists...however if Silver decides to pick one of his own..then DiNapoli is fine with us...and you know what...he is fine with me as well.....he is the perfect compromise choice in this ...to say the least......"sticky" situation.....andy
"The process of picking a new state comptroller was marred from the start by the political maneuvering of two Democrats, Gov. Eliot Spitzer and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver of Manhattan. Both powerhouses have reason to be annoyed with each other. But, on balance, Spitzer's position is preferable, and Silver should urge Democrats in the legislature to vote for one of the three candidates approved by a panel of former comptrollers. Wall Street executive William Mulrow, New York City finance director Martha Stark and Nassau Comptroller Howard Weitzman have fine credentials.If Silver decides to stick with his preference for an Assembly member, we remain confident in the credentials of Assemb. Thomas DiNapoli (D-Great Neck).Normally, the comptroller is elected every four years. When there is a vacancy in this influential office, from which Alan Hevesi resigned in disgrace last month, it is filled by a total vote of both legislative houses. The state constitution should be amended to scrap that requirement in favor of a special election.But that would take years. Currently, if they hang together, Assembly Democrats are numerous enough to control the outcome. And members say they want one of their own.But Spitzer, in a push to improve Albany's poor image, insisted on an outsider with big-time financial management experience, and he specifically opposed naming a legislator. Eventually, he and legislative leaders compromised: A panel of former comptrollers would select five, or up to five, finalists - the number is in dispute - from which the legislature could choose. On Thursday, surprisingly, the panel deemed only three qualified, none of them Assembly members.In a perfect political world, Spitzer shouldn't have gotten so involved in picking his own fiscal overseer. Silver shouldn't have said he preferred an Assembly member. Now public confidence will be best served by the legislature choosing one of three candidates vetted by the panel. "
Basically Newsday is saying.....The legislature should pick one of the 3 panel finalists...however if Silver decides to pick one of his own..then DiNapoli is fine with us...and you know what...he is fine with me as well.....he is the perfect compromise choice in this ...to say the least......"sticky" situation.....andy
"The process of picking a new state comptroller was marred from the start by the political maneuvering of two Democrats, Gov. Eliot Spitzer and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver of Manhattan. Both powerhouses have reason to be annoyed with each other. But, on balance, Spitzer's position is preferable, and Silver should urge Democrats in the legislature to vote for one of the three candidates approved by a panel of former comptrollers. Wall Street executive William Mulrow, New York City finance director Martha Stark and Nassau Comptroller Howard Weitzman have fine credentials.If Silver decides to stick with his preference for an Assembly member, we remain confident in the credentials of Assemb. Thomas DiNapoli (D-Great Neck).Normally, the comptroller is elected every four years. When there is a vacancy in this influential office, from which Alan Hevesi resigned in disgrace last month, it is filled by a total vote of both legislative houses. The state constitution should be amended to scrap that requirement in favor of a special election.But that would take years. Currently, if they hang together, Assembly Democrats are numerous enough to control the outcome. And members say they want one of their own.But Spitzer, in a push to improve Albany's poor image, insisted on an outsider with big-time financial management experience, and he specifically opposed naming a legislator. Eventually, he and legislative leaders compromised: A panel of former comptrollers would select five, or up to five, finalists - the number is in dispute - from which the legislature could choose. On Thursday, surprisingly, the panel deemed only three qualified, none of them Assembly members.In a perfect political world, Spitzer shouldn't have gotten so involved in picking his own fiscal overseer. Silver shouldn't have said he preferred an Assembly member. Now public confidence will be best served by the legislature choosing one of three candidates vetted by the panel. "
