Friday, March 09, 2007
AM Roundup
The Gothamist thinks Spitzer Wants to Steamroll a Fare Hike! "After his appointed MTA executive director Elliot Sander suggested that a subway and bus fare hike may be possible in 2008, Governor Eliot Spitzer takes up the topic. And the Steamroller says he will do “everything possible” to avoid a hike. Spitzer is not suggesting black magic to help ease an $800 million deficit but - wait, it's a novel idea - to have the state put in more money! " meanwhile the Albany Times Union reveals Rangel tangles with Spitzer on Medicaid "Rep. Charles Rangel, D-Harlem, the influential chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, on Thursday lambasted New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer for his aggressive approach to trimming state spending on Medicaid, and called for a truce between the governor and health care unions opposed to the cuts."...Rangel is feeling his oats since the dems took over congress....you got to wonder how deep are the pockets of these medical worker unions and hospital lobbyists are.....they have just about everybody in their hip pocket....Spitzer has his work cut out for him...........and Newsday gives us a little local flavor of this battle with Pols take shots in NY debate "The animosity of last month's State Senate contest in Nassau is flaring again here, with Deputy Majority Leader Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre) taking aim at new Sen. Craig Johnson (D-Port Washington) in the wider war over Gov. Eliot Spitzer's proposals to curb health-care costs.On the Senate floor Wednesday, lawmakers voted unanimously for a nonbinding resolution opposing federal health-care cuts put forward by the Bush administration. Skelos warned that the governor's budget would be much worse for hospitals - especially those on Long Island." pure "sour" grapes over the special election loss.......and will Nassau Comptroller Howard Weitzman be our next State Tax Commissioner??? Weitzman on short list Newsday thinks so......."ALBANY - Gov. Eliot Spitzer is strongly considering Nassau Comptroller Howard Weitzman for appointment as the next state tax commissioner."He's held in high regard, based on his work in the county and on the extraordinary way he handled himself during the hearings for state comptroller," said a person close to the governor." and the Saratogian lets us know Racing panelist charges new process unfair ..........already the fun and games begin "I don't think it's fair to the original bidders," said Gary Pretlow, D-Yonkers, an ad hoc panel member and chairman of the state Assembly's Racing and Wagering Committee. "Where were they a year ago? The bidders, all of them including NYRA, did a lot of work."They also spent a great deal of money. Excelsior Racing Associates, which won the ad hoc committee's recommendation, spent $2 million preparing its proposal, spokesperson Katie Burke said. .......oh well..Elmer is no longer Governor.....it's Spitzer's ball and bat now.........and Pete Grannis...keeps getting pounded GOP Chair Plots Grannis’ Demise that doesn't sound too good...ya think Liz Benjamin is being a bit too dramatic here???? "Erie County GOP Chairman James Domagalski today released a letter he has sent to sportsmen, calling Grannis, a Manhattan Democrat, “not the right person to head the DEC,” and slamming Gov. Eliot Spitzer as “out of touch with upstate New York” for nominating the assemblyman in the first place." yeah...what does a guy from Manhattan know about the environment and it's protection??? Archie Bunker would be damm proud of James.......and the medicaid wars take a page from Spitzer's Battle Strategy ......1199 Going After Legislators The groups opposing Eliot Spitzer's health care plan are now using the governor's approach to negotiating: publicly shame your local lawmaker. (Remember Spitzer's trip to Syracuse?)
1199 and the Greater New York Hospital Association sent this personalized mailing to Queens residents, asking them to "Call State Senator George Onorato and ask him to oppose $2.6 million in Gov. Spitzer's healthcare cuts to our district."
It's a shift -- or at least a distinct course of action -- from their television campaign, which is designed to affect public opinion by featuring nurses calling out Spitzer by name.
UPDATE: That was the stick mailing. Here's the carrot.......thanks Azi Paybarah for the update........and finally...make sure you put on your tall rubber boots...industrial strength gloves and mask......before reading The Albany Project's SPRING CLEANING!! "Clean Sweep" at ESDC is Some Dirty Job "When Governor Spitzer said that "Day One, everything changes", some people expected minor miracles. Readers of the CapCon blog are familiar with the persistent lament of "nytransition," trapped working in that cesspool of corruption, Empire State Development Corporation, who seemed completely beside himself with impatience with Sptizer's time-table for economic development reform. " wade thru this article at your own risk..........andy
1199 and the Greater New York Hospital Association sent this personalized mailing to Queens residents, asking them to "Call State Senator George Onorato and ask him to oppose $2.6 million in Gov. Spitzer's healthcare cuts to our district."
It's a shift -- or at least a distinct course of action -- from their television campaign, which is designed to affect public opinion by featuring nurses calling out Spitzer by name.
UPDATE: That was the stick mailing. Here's the carrot.......thanks Azi Paybarah for the update........and finally...make sure you put on your tall rubber boots...industrial strength gloves and mask......before reading The Albany Project's SPRING CLEANING!! "Clean Sweep" at ESDC is Some Dirty Job "When Governor Spitzer said that "Day One, everything changes", some people expected minor miracles. Readers of the CapCon blog are familiar with the persistent lament of "nytransition," trapped working in that cesspool of corruption, Empire State Development Corporation, who seemed completely beside himself with impatience with Sptizer's time-table for economic development reform. " wade thru this article at your own risk..........andy
