New York’s 56th governor declared the state down, but not out.
Andrew M. Cuomo laid out his plan to fundamentally transform New York’s government and economy during his first State of the State address to the legislature from Albany’s Empire State Convention Center on Wednesday, January 5.
To see Cuomo’s plan at a glance, CLICK HERE.
The Queens native and graduate of Archbishop Molloy High School in Briarwood charged that the state must get its fiscal house in order, radically redesign governmental structures and restore integrity and performance to the government.
“We must turn this crisis into an opportunity to fundamentally remake our state into the progressive capital of the nation,” said Cuomo. “We must seize this moment to build a new New York for future generations.”
Holding the first State of the State open to the public since 1923 – and breaking the tradition of holding it in the Assembly – Cuomo said that he would open up government to the public and work in partnership with all stakeholders to address the serious fiscal challenges facing the state and its local governments.
Also breaking tradition, the governor invited the leaders of the two houses of the legislature – Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos and Speaker of the Assembly Sheldon Silver – to speak before him. The governor said that he knows one of his first orders of business will be restoring the people’s faith in the state and involving all sides of the issues is the first step.
“We must transform the State of New York from a government of dysfunction, gridlock and corruption to a government of performance, integrity and pride,” he said. “This is not about budget trimming or cutting, it’s about looking at how we can fix government and make it work for the people.”
The governor said he aims to curb state spending, shrink government and limit all taxes in general. He believes that young people will leave and business will stay away if they cannot afford to live or do business here.
He pointed out that Westchester County has the nation’s highest property taxes, while Nassau County has the second highest – and he believes that New York will not prosper if this trend continues.
“We need to confront the tax situation in our state – the property tax is killing New Yorkers,” he said. “New York has no future as the tax capital of the nation. Our young people will not stay and businesses will not come. This has to change.”
Aimed at remedying this problem, the governor is creating a new commission that will reduced the number of state agencies, authorities and commissions by 20 percent – this, he believes, will help to cut spending and reduce the need for tax increases.
The governor also said he plans to overhaul the state’s juvenile justice system, education aid, Medicaid and work to close the budget deficit.
“Together we must take the significant steps needed to reinvent, reorganize and redesign government to restore credibility and to rebuild our economy by creating jobs across this state,” he said. “We must begin by confronting honestly the challenges we face. Change is not easy, but we must change to return to prosperity.”
