Cuomo Too Busy With Politics To Do His Job

Cuomo Too Busy With Politics To Do His Job

Governor Andrew Cuomo’s single-minded pursuit of the presidency is now having real and negative consequences for New Yorkers. That’s because legislative session in Albany adjourned this week with Governor Cuomo noticeably disengaged from the process: “Missing from the normal back-and-forth that crescendoed in the final weeks of the session was Cuomo, a Democrat in his […]

June 23, 2017

Governor Andrew Cuomo’s single-minded pursuit of the presidency is now having real and negative consequences for New Yorkers. That’s because legislative session in Albany adjourned this week with Governor Cuomo noticeably disengaged from the process:

“Missing from the normal back-and-forth that crescendoed in the final weeks of the session was Cuomo, a Democrat in his second term who is devoting more and more attention to laying down markers for a possible presidential run. While the issues died because of interlocking agendas and dislike for Mayor Bill de Blasio, Cuomo’s disengagement was conspicuous, abnormal, and a breach of the narrative of political accomplishment that he holds so dear.”

As Politico outlines, real priorities, like putting in place ethical changes to the procurement process and helping the fiscal situation of local communities was left unfinished:

“Lawmakers adjourned just after midnight on Wednesday without reaching deals to reauthorize mayoral control of New York City schools or extend the ability of counties around the state to levy sales and other local taxes. They failed to agree on a bill that would increase the statute of limitations for victims of child sex abuse, and did nothing to change procurement processes after a bid-rigging scandal that ensnared top Cuomo aides.

The failure to fix issues impacting New Yorkers left one veteran New York politician to ask, “Where’s the governor”:

“’I don’t hand out letter grades but it’s not a good outcome and in this case innocent people are going to suffer. Where’s the governor?’ Asked Richard Brodsky, who served 28 years in the state Assembly before retiring in 2010. ‘It would be useful if the governor would step in and protect New York City.’”

Cuomo’s absence the action in order to focus on his own career is unacceptable. No less an authority than Governor Cuomo’s father, former New York Governor Mario Cuomo, declined to run for president in 1992 because he “sworn to put” New Yorkers first:

“‘It seems to me I cannot turn my attention to New Hampshire while this threat hangs over the head of the New Yorkers that I’ve sworn to put first,’ said the 59-year-old Governor as his aides looked on grimly.”

Like Mario Cuomo understood, New Yorkers desire a full-time governor, and if Andrew Cuomo cannot do his job, he needs to announce today that he will forgo a re-election campaign next year.