OurView
Facing off
Hunting season opened last week in the state.
But no guns or arrows were being used. Instead, the
weapon of choice was invectives. The target was
Gov. Eliot Spitzer. More specifically, his budget.
It’s easy to be cynical of politicians, even when we
are the ones who pull the lever to put them in office.
They are often chewed up and spit out on editorial
pages nationwide.
After offering up his budget plan, we here were critical
of several aspects affecting business and said so.
Nonetheless, Spitzer took an hour off from his barnstorming
tour of the state promoting his budget to enter enemy
territory and sit down with our Editorial Board.
The governor is articulate, as anyone who has ever
listened to him knows.
We knew he had an agenda – promoting his budget. One
can almost be lulled by his disarming approach in discussing
any aspect of the state from economic development to
Indian Point.
He acknowledged the sniping he encountered when he
met with county leaders. “Everyone
wants more.”
With a smile, he acknowledged he wouldn’t be doing
his job if everyone was happy.
He was insistent about capping property taxes, something
that he opposed as attorney general. Other options
to ease the burden, he said, have not worked.
Nothing like California’s Proposition 13 cap, that’s
too rigid, and destroys the opportunity to help education,
he said. Statewide, since 2001, property taxes have
risen 53 percent and income has gone up 27 percent,
the governor said. He said he wants to do it right
and enlisted a former rival, Nassau County Executive
Tom Suozzi, to lead the commission. The governor faulted
the Republicans’ multibillion-dollar property tax relief
plan that would in part double the size of the STAR
rebate for seniors. Spitzer said the state cannot afford
increasing the STAR benefits at present. And they don’t
work.
“STAR benefits we distribute and immediately get taxed
away by counties. So all we’re doing is subsidizing
the unwillingness on the part of counties to make the
tough decisions. And that’s not the business we’re
in.”
He’s looking to reduce the 4,200 taxing entities that
exist statewide. He lauded his
Commission on Local Government Efficiency and Competitiveness
that has so far come up with 150 ideas for consolidation.
He plans on pushing forward those recommendations,
which include everything from consolidating sewer districts
to developing market strength in the purchase of health
care by pooling towns and school districts.
One county, Tioga, is also expected to disappear into
the dustbin of history through consolidation.
The overall measures will save millions and millions
of dollars, he said.
As far as the much hated superstructure known as the
Tappan Zee Bridge, Spitzer said the state was committed
to a timetable for coming up with a proposal to either
rebuild or replace it. The funding factor, however,
remains “the 800-pound gorilla.” The money will have
to be accessed via the private equity market in addition
to the public sector.
One place to also find the money would be from companies
in Empire Zones that have failed to hold up their end
of the bargain by meeting performance objectives such
as creating jobs. Unfortunately, “there are no claw
backs; we can’t get the $5 million back.”
The governor will be having Empire State Development
hold these companies more accountable and track the
commitments that were made. Accountability, what a
concept; one that we certainly get behind.
While the governor remains steadfast in opposing the
relicensing of Indian Point, he did leave open the
door to another nuclear power plant that was better
sited. “Replacement power is the issue,” he said. Hydropower,
liquid natural gas and renewables, would be included.
“Nuclear could be included in that, theoretically.”
On the presidential primaries, Spitzer remains supportive
of U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, despite how that primary
is tearing apart the Democratic Party. As for the Republicans,
he sees Sen. John McCain as the GOP winner.
And by today, we’ll know if his other prediction came
true: Giants 28, Patriots 21.
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