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Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, in a powerful signal to Gov.-elect Andrew Cuomo, says he is ready to hold the line on state spending next year — as well as rule out any new taxes or fees.
“I think the national trend, and the New York trend, would indicate that people are not looking to tax increases as the solution to our fiscal problems,” Silver told The Post.
Silver, a liberal Democrat with powerful union ties who has repeatedly stymied efforts by the last three governors to restrain spending, said he was fully behind Cuomo’s pledge to slash the budget to close a projected $8 billion deficit for the fiscal year beginning April 1.
Silver, who has privately told members of his leadership team that he sees no choice but to make major spending cuts next year, also disclosed that he had invited Cuomo to address a closed-door meeting of the Assembly Democratic Conference in the next few weeks to bluntly outline “the realities” faced by the state.
“I have spoken with Gov.-elect Cuomo and asked him to have a session with the conference to talk about the issues and the realities of what we face and put us together on a path of resolving it,” Silver said.
“I think it’s clear that the governor-elect’s message that he’s not interested in increases in taxes and spending should serve as a message that the only way major cuts can be avoided is if money from Washington somehow arrives to make up the shortfalls,” he continued.
Silver, however, said he saw no possibility that the federal government would provide the states with a third round of stimulus spending, especially since Republicans will control the House of Representatives next year.
A spokesman for Cuomo told The Post, “The governor-elect welcomes the speaker’s statements and looks forward to working closely with him and his conference to address the severe financial problems facing New York.”
Cuomo, who won a landslide 28-point victory, campaigned on pledges to reduce state spending, oppose tax increases, and freeze public-employee salaries for at least a year.
He has told associates in recent days that “massive spending cuts” in the areas of Medicaid and education will be needed to balance the budget.
Some associates are urging him to make the toughest cuts in his first year in office, in hope that public unhappiness over the reduction in programs and services will dissipate by the end of his term.
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Lt. Gov.-elect Robert Duffy may play the deciding role in the battle for control of the state Senate once he takes office Jan. 1.
With the winners of three Senate seats still to be decided, there’s a chance Democrats and Republicans will wind up in a 31-31 tie, with neither able to choose a new majority leader.
The lieutenant governor is empowered to cast a vote to break ties on procedural matters like choosing a new leader, and there’s no question he’ll take his lead from Cuomo if he’s required to do so.
Another possibility being discussed for breaking a tie is the defection of one of three Democrats to Republican ranks: Carl Kruger of Brooklyn or Ruben Diaz of The Bronx, both with long-standing ties to the GOP, or David Valesky of Syracuse.
The gov’s loves
New York’s new governor shares his Top 10 list of “things to do” around the state with his soon-to-be “first girlfriend,” Food Network star Sandra Lee. Not surprising for a native of Queens who went to high school and college in the city, half his picks are in the Big Apple.
1.) Battery Park Promenade: “We love looking at the Statute of Liberty, the ships and the beauty of the vistas before us.”
2.) The Shinnecock Canal in the Hamptons: “We go fishing for blues and stripers.”
3.) The Upper East Side, where Cuomo likes to visit his parents on Sutton Place: “We go and visit Grandpa and Grandma with the kids on Sunday.”
4.) The Museum of Natural History: “We especially like the dinosaurs.”
5.) Montauk: “We’ll walk along the beach in the summer, walk to the lighthouse at sunset.”
6.) The Mount Kisco Diner: “It’s an oldfashioned Greek diner. The food is good.”
7.) Fifth Avenue at Christmas: “Just beautiful.”
8.) South Street Seaport: “The boats, the shops, the views.”
9.) Finger Lakes: “Visiting the wineries. Gorgeous.”
10.) Adirondacks: “The scenery is magical, the fishing is good, the shops are interesting, and the people are great.”
— Fredric U. Dicker