Keeping an Eye on Pataki
July 17th, 2006
As the twelve year run as Governor of the State of New York comes to a close for George E. Pataki, speculation is that he has his sights set on a presidential bid. However, as the governor woos New Hampshire electeds and national political donors, he still has more than five months left in office. Lame duck or not, Pataki still has the power to leverage the office to impact local, regional and statewide issues through allocations, executive orders, appointments and a range of other tools at his disposal. Over the coming months Pataki will also have to sign, or veto, the bills sent to him by the Legislature. What he will do with his final five months may say a lot about his priorities on the campaign trail.
This weekend news media around the state highlighted the following latest Pataki endeavors:
- The Post-Gazette.com reports on Governor George Pataki and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s announcement of the opening of a new $30 million, 35,000-square-foot Natural History Center of the Adirondacks in Tupper Lake, New York. The center was designed to teach the public about the park’s ecosystems, and offers lessons on every aspect of the region’s natural history. The museum also includes an outdoor amphitheater, a movie theater, various exhibits, aquariums, a hiking trail, a cafe, an observation tower and 31 acres of preserve.
- The Daily News reports that Governor Pataki hosted a dozen New Hampshire GOP activists to a taxpayer-funded salmon dinner at the Executive Mansion last month as lawmakers scrambled to wrap up the legislative session.
- The Journal News takes a look at the failure of the Governor and the State Legislature to enact meaningful reform to how the state government operations. The New York Times also reported on the end of the 229th legislative session and the role of the Governor in budget negotiations.
- The Times Herald Record reports that activists gathered this weekend to urge Governor Pataki and federal lawmakers to stop a private company from taking property by eminent domain to build a power line, the New York Regional Interconnect, which would run from Utica to New Windsor. Pataki has yet to act on a bill passed by the Legislature that stops the company from using that power.
- The New York Times reports on Governor Pataki’s pledge to cover the local portion of expenses for infrastructure repairs as part of a package to help upstate communities recover from the devastating floods that hit three weeks ago. Estimates put total recovery costs for New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey at $1 billion. The Mid Hudson News Network also reports that Governor Pataki waived Department of Motor Vehicle fees for replacement motor vehicle documents for victims of the devastating floods that occurred last month.
- The Albany Times Union reports on Pataki’s announcement of $1,056,787 in Environmental Restoration Program grants for the investigation or cleanup of environmental contamination in seven counties across New York State. The funds come from a bond act passed a decade ago by New York State voters.
- According to the Journal News, Governor Pataki announced Thursday that the state would contribute $24.8 million in homeland security funding to the New York City area to help offset an $83 million cut in funding to the metropolitan area from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The $24.8 million is the state’s mandated 20 percent share of the $124 million awarded to the region through the federal Urban Area Security Initiative program.
By Doug Israel on July 17, 2006, 7:07 pm
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