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January 3, 2006
GOVERNOR SPITZER DELIVERS 1ST STATE OF THE STATE SPEECH TO LEGISLATURE: In what was his first formal address to the legislature, newly elected Governor Eliot Spitzer hit the ground running outlining an ambitious agenda in his 1st State of the State speech. The newly elected Governor started by outlining several governmental reforms - above and beyond the 5 executive orders he signed on his first day as Governor - including reforms to the ethics, campaign finance, and lobbying laws. He has called for lowering the contributions special interest groups can make to elected officials and calls for eventual complete public financing of political campaigns. Additionally, the Governor called for the establishment of an independent redistricting commission and threatened to veto any redistricting plan from the legislature he deems gerrymandered. Spitzer also called for consolidation of NY’s court system, reform of State authorities, and reform of the budget process to ensure the state budget is on-time, transparent and fiscally responsible. Moving into other areas, the Governor’s address to the Legislature called for education reform, including more funding to school districts in need and additional charter schools. Spitzer also highlighted property tax relief for middle income residents as a component of his upcoming budget - to the tune of $6 billion. In addition, he called for reform of workers’ compensation and Wick’s law, additional focus on opportunities surrounding stem cell research, as well as minority and women owned businesses. Moving on to healthcare, Spitzer highlighted his proposals to cap the local share of Medicaid, shift more services to community and home-based services, using the state’s bargaining power to secure better prescription drug prices and cracking down on Medicaid fraud. He then outlined a proposal to provide health insurance coverage to the 500,000 children currently without any such coverage in NYS. He also set a goal to enroll the 900,000 adults who currently qualify but are not enrolled in Medicaid. Spitzer explained his methodology by saying, “Expanding access to healthcare will reduce state spending significantly in the long run, because seeing a primary care doctor costs far less than providing charity care for the same patient in an emergency room – and it leads to far better care.” After rattling off a number of different projects he would like to see completed during his tenure as Governor - like replacement of the Tappan Zee and Peace Bridges, establishment of a long-sought 2nd Avenue subway, completion of 1-86 and an expansion of Stewart Airport – Governor Spitzer indicated that he would release his complete budget proposal on January 31st. Before
ending, the Governor also stated, “… we must finally
enact civil commitment legislation.” MHANYS and others opposed
to civil commitment, due largely to the inappropriate use of the
state mental health system, hope to meet with the new administration
shortly to explain our perspective on this issue which could have
drastic consequences for NY’s mental health community and
to advocate on behalf of a number of issues that would benefit New
Yorkers living with psychiatric disabilities. [Read
MHANYS' position on Sex Offender Management] IN THE NEWS: Spitzer
Emphasizes Change in State of State ALBANY -- Gov. Eliot Spitzer revealed Wednesday his first budget will arrive one day earlier than it is due and warned lawmakers that they may not like it. In the new governor's State of the State speech, Spitzer delivered some somber notes that sounded much like the tune Gov. George Pataki sang in his first address 12 years earlier: ``We must end this culture of spending money we do not have.'' ``We will learn to say ``no'' to budget requests we simply cannot afford,'' Spitzer said. ``We will finally learn to say ``no.''' He said the choice is either raising taxes or harnessing expenditures, and he told the 212 members of the Legislature what his preference is: ``The budget I will submit on Jan. 31 will not raise taxes.'' In his 21-page address, the Democrat, who won an overwhelming four-year term to replace Pataki, a Republican who chose not to run for a fourth term, Spitzer constantly talked about the need to change the ``culture'' in Albany. He referred to recent scandals, excessive spending and unseemly politics that have anchored New York while other states and nations have moved forward economically. Spitzer, 47, said he and Lt. Gov. David Paterson will be agents of reform and opponents of the status quo. He referred to their self-imposed ethics and campaign finance pledges and said they will submit legislation calling for a ban on gifts from lobbyists and reduced political donations. He also pledged to veto any bills that gerrymander legislative districts. Instead, he said, an independent commission will be set up to establish political boundaries. He predicted, though, that entrenched interests will likely oppose and work against such efforts to change the way business has been done in Albany. ``Many entrenched interests will try to block this new path in order to maintain the status quo that has worked so well for them,'' Spitzer said. ``They will play on our fears and offer us false choices and easy ways out. . . . They will try to divide us.'' But Spitzer said New Yorkers stand behind the changes he proposes and they are ``more powerful friends.'' |
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