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Video: Cuomo Warns Of NY State Government Shutdown
By
Garth Johnston
Published Mar 23, 2011
Modified Mar 23, 2011
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By
Garth Johnston
Published Mar 23, 2011
Modified Mar 23, 2011
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Andrew Cuomo is worried about the State budget. Well, he wants you to be worried about a New York State government shutdown if the State Legislature doesn't pass a budget by April 1. So while our mayor is spending $1 million on commercials to bolster his image, our governor is making online videos to worry his constituents.
But not too worried. In the video Cuomo spells out that he's in charge ("I will make sure we are prepared for this contingency.") and that he doesn't want this to happen ("I don't want it to happen. I will do all I can do to get the budget accomplished.") but if it the Ledge is unable to agree on a budget, it so isn't his fault as he's just doing what we elected him to do ("But in the end I will not compromise on the important work that you elected me to do, and I will not back down from my promise to the people of this great state.").
One thing he makes very clear is that if the Legislature can't come to an agreement on a budget on their own he'll force his budget down in emergency bills designed to keep government going. No shut down will be forever. "Even if the Legislature causes a shut down of government, it will only be temporary, and it will only delay, not derail, our budget's final passage," he says in the video.
Republicans were apparently taken by surprise by Cuomo's video warning. "If you have power, I don't think you have to flaunt it," said Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos responded to reporters earlier. "I think we all understand the governor has a tremendous amount of power. But the idea is to use your power to govern and effect a compromise and get a result. That's what leadership is about."
In other State budget related news, the Times got their paws on an interesting memorandum from inside the negotiations. If you can't bother wading through the thousands of pages of bill text, its a good place to get your bearings.
And a quick aside? Anybody else expect a tiny person talking backwards to appear when Cuomo starts off with that bit about the Red Room?
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andrew cuomo
ny government shutdown
state budget
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Garth Johnston
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