It was not that long ago that Michael Bloomberg and George Pataki seemed determined to protect their relationship from the tensions that invariably come between a New York Mayor and a New York Governor. The two Republicans looked extremely comfortable with each other in their many public appearances, and seemed to understand that their futures Read More
There is Fernando Mateo, standing with a crowd of demonstrators in Union City, N.J., protesting the death of a 17-year-old Latino boy killed by local police officers. There he is again, in front of New York City Hall, addressing a group of 2,000 livery cab drivers chanting and blocking the sidewalks, demanding that Mayor Michael Read More
When President George W. Bush arrived in New York on June 23, Governor George Pataki dispatched one of his closest advisers to meet him at the airport: Secretary of State Randy Daniels. These sorts of arrangements are almost invisible and surely meaningless to the public. But on the inside, they carry great weight. They confer Read More
Whatever happened to the George Pataki who made unlikely allies, won over opponents with quiet charm and made the status quo in Albany seem downright reasonable?
The last few weeks have been among the most difficult of the Governor's tenure. He engaged the State Legislature-or rather, the Legislature's all-powerful leaders-in a steel-cage match over the budget, Read MoreAs headlines warned of record tax increases and bitter divisions among state Republicans, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Governor George Pataki-on opposite sides of the tax-hike debate-appeared together at two press conferences on May 5. Both occasions celebrated good news. First, they announced that Pfizer Inc. will create 2,000 jobs here. An hour later, they cut Read More
April is turning out to be cruel indeed for Governor George Pataki.
The first day of the new month-the day on which the budget is due, but never arrives-brought snow and tens of thousands of angry health-care workers to Albany. The Governor's erstwhile best friend in the labor movement, Dennis Rivera, denounced state cuts in health-care Read MoreWhen Governor George Pataki really means something, his cheeks twitch. His mouth, a thin line that naturally droops at the corners, is pulled toward his ears, and a flush of red appears at the upper end of his cheekbones, just under his eyes. When Mr. Pataki speaks about "job-killing taxes," the cheek twitch is unmistakable. Read More
Despite all the bad budget news you've been reading about in recent weeks, the state does have some good news for the equally embattled city. Recently, Albany joyously noted that it will deliver $650 million in new aid to the city.
It may surprise youtoknow, however, that the moneyactually willbecoming notfromAlbany's treasury, but from Uncle Sam's. Read MoreWhen Governor George Pataki is sworn in for a third term on Jan. 1, it will be inside, underground, in the Empire State Plaza convention center-part of the vast warren of subterranean marble hallways that connect state office buildings to a collection of restaurants and other commercial establishments. It's what makes it possible for residents Read More
The meeting of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation on Nov. 14 began in the usual way. By 8 a.m., its members were arrayed around a U-shaped table, speaking in the mumbled tones of men who are not accustomed to speaking loudly, or even clearly, in order to be heard. There were a few jokes and Read More
A year ago, Alan Hevesi's career was over. A year ago, he was the man who came in a distant fourth in the Democratic Mayoral race-after being the early favorite. A year ago, he was supposed to do what losing political candidates do, which is take a lucrative private-sector job that traded on his 30 Read More
Not long after his humiliating defeat on the Independence Party line-the first-ever defeat of his political career-Governor George Pataki stood before a group of school teachers from lower Manhattan and made his strongest remarks to date attacking a June appeals-court ruling that said an eighth-grade education is enough for New York City schoolchildren. "I totally Read More
Former gubernatorial candidate Andrew Cuomo may have dismissed George Pataki as nothing more than a coat-holder for the real heroes on Sept. 11, but New Yorkers-many of whom saw the carnage and destruction firsthand-clearly have kinder things to say about their Governor.
Pollsters and political insiders have found that city residents are more optimistic about the Read MoreOn a late-August morning three weeks before Primary Day, Bill Mulrow, underdog candidate for State Comptroller, surrounded himself with state union leaders in a nondescript conference room at the state A.F.L.-C.I.O. headquarters in Albany. Mr. Mulrow pulled apart his campaign schedule to be at this event, a press conference announcing the endorsement of the 2.3-million-member Read More
Standing before a dozen television cameras, demurely accepting recognition as financial officers from 17 states said they will adopt the anti-conflict-of-interest principles known as the "Spitzer principles," State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer announced nothing less than a "revolution" in the embattled world of high finance.
"Institutional shareholders in the form of state pension funds are coming Read More
