04/21/2022
In the NY Daily News today, my Letter to the Editor responding to an opinion piece by New York's recent former governor:
"New York is Moving Forward Because Cuomo’s Gone"
Andrew Cuomo’s recent diatribe in the Daily News (“There’s a better way forward for New York State,” op-ed, April 18) needs a response. The disgraced former governor is right that these are challenging times for our state. The difficulties are being met with compassion and meaningful collaboration — qualities that were absent from the Cuomo administration.
Gov. Hochul’s budget includes historic investments that improved every facet of New Yorkers’ lives, including a $10 billion investment in healthcare, along with investments in childcare, public safety, infrastructure, education, housing and the environment. Hochul and Mayor Adams are working hand-in-hand to address public safety at its source by getting resources to New Yorkers who need them most. Adams and Hochul collaborated on mental health solutions for New York’s homeless. Joint initiatives like this never happened during the Cuomo era thanks to constant feuding.
Cuomo blames everyone but himself. What he calls the “old sins” of Albany flourished during his years as governor. On redistricting, he is directly responsible because his administration created the “independent” commission that repeatedly failed to produce an agreed-on set of maps for congressional and legislative district lines. Cuomo blames the “Albany establishment” for driving him out of office, but millions of New Yorkers wanted him out. His political ads say prosecutors didn’t press criminal charges. His conduct was a civil violation, not criminal.
For the first time in more than a decade, we have a governor who values working with legislators and the mayor of New York City. We’re working together on the public’s priorities and leaving behind the failed ways of a man who is trying to stay relevant.
Dick Gottfried, Member, State Assembly
https://www.nydailynews.com/nydn-voice-of-the-people-20180611-staff.html