Reactions To State Of The State
Earlier this month Governor Andrew Cuomo presented his State of the State message to the Legislature outlining his priorities for the coming year. Much of that speech focused on attempting to eradicate hate crimes from New York society. Even the most ardent critics of the governor offered praise for those remarks.
That wasn’t so true when asked about his other proposals and what was left out of the hour-long speech, such as modifying the cashless bail reforms passed last year. Here are some of the reactions:
Nick Langworthy, Chairman, New York Republican State Committee:
“Largely, we heard a lot of self-aggrandizement. He (Cuomo) should have started out the speech by saying what a sorry state of the state we have. Nothing was said about the out-migration of our citizens, the loss of clout on the federal level because one million people have left on his watch. New York State is really collapsing in on itself.
“He’s avoiding the crisis that’s been created by bail and discovery reforms. Everybody is talking about this. It’s on the tops of minds of people across the state. People are infuriated by the anecdotes we’re hearing on a daily basis coming out of sheriff’s departments and district attorney’s offices, yet he’s going to bury his head in the sand like an ostrich and pretend it’s not going on.”
Marcus Molinaro, (R – Red Hook), Dutchess County Executive, 2018 Republican gubernatorial candidate:
“We need to recognize the bail reform legislation that has been adopted is creating an unsafe situation in communities across New York. Not to have recognized that or at least among a very progressive agenda to acknowledge that this was a step too far that needs to be corrected – is a glaring avoidance of what is going to become even a greater risk to public safety across the state. On one hand, you might be strengthening law with anti-hate crime legislation; on the other hand, you weakened it with bail reform and it needs to be addressed.”
Jumaane Williams, NYC Public Advocate (D – Brooklyn):
“I’m disappointed that he’s once again going to be pushing down the Medicaid costs to the municipalities. He kind of snuck it in there. He’s been doing that for a number of years. That’s how he pretends that he has two percent…, but it’s just because he’s pushing a lot of the costs onto the municipalities. We simply can’t afford it.
“I often hear a lot of talk from this governor. His actions are a little less and oftentimes he has to be forced to do something. I found that there was a lot of smoke and mirrors. We’re in a very tough time. It’s always interesting when I hear him trying to describe himself as the progressive. It’s amusing to hear. A lot of those things he fought, like celebrating minimum wage. He fought us on it tooth and nail. We have to try our best to hold him accountable.”
Leon Goldenberg, CEO, Goldmont Realty, Brooklyn:
“Overall, he (Cuomo) didn’t speak much about the deficit. On issues important to our community he was so strong on anti-Semitism that I have to give him credit. New York would not be New York without the Jews. I have to give him credit. He was really strong about it. You always want to hear that he’s giving more money to yeshivas but for security he’s giving more money, a lot more money for security which is very critical for us.”
Michael Miller, CEO & Executive Vice President, Jewish Community Relations Council:
“You’re talking about justice for all and that also fits into the same mode so that really struck a chord with me. He drilled down on that with a high degree of emphasis. We in the Jewish community are also seeking justice and ensuring there isn’t a revolving door of attackers. I think those who are committing hate crimes, whether they are hate crimes that incur injury as opposed to hate crimes that don’t incur injury, they should still be treated with a degree of seriousness.”
Josh Mehlman, Chairman, Flatbush Jewish Community Coalition:
“The Flatbush community, as is Boro Park, Crown Heights, Williamsburg and Jewish people across the city, are really on edge because no one feels a comfort of safety which they deserve in New York City. It’s happened in Flatbush and it’s unacceptable.”
Senator David Carlucci (D – Clarkstown, Rockland County):
“He did mention justice for all. He did mention that there can’t be a justice system for the rich and one for the poor. That’s the intent for the bail reforms that we saw. We know in listening to law enforcement that there are major concerns and that’s where I think we will be focusing. At the end of the day what I would like to see is more discretion from the judges. We elect our judges for a reason, but we have to back them up with the right training and resources. We (should) give them the discretion that if someone could be a threat, could pose a risk to society, they have the ability to detain them and those are the types of reforms that I’m looking for with cash bail.”
Senator Kevin Parker (D – Flatlands, Brooklyn):
“Overall it’s a really good message and as always it’s ambitious. The devil’s always in the details when it comes to these broad legislative pronouncements. Now it becomes the hard work of balancing the governor’s agenda with the Assembly’s agenda and the state Senate’s agenda and trying to figure out what we all want to see get done and what might be possible.”
Senator Simcha Felder (D – Boro Park, Brooklyn):
“It was very, very passionate and very compelling. It is clear how dedicated he is to fighting the anti-Semitism that’s prevalent in the state at this time.”
Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein (D – Boro Park, Brooklyn):
“We all need to stand together against hate. We all need to come together to fight hate. An attack on one community is an attack on all of us.”
Assemblyman David Weprin (D – Holliswood, Queens):
“From a religious freedom and Jewish community perspective, the message against hate was very strong. There’s no place in New York State for hate and we’re going to pass a domestic terrorism act where some of these acts should be treated with much more severe penalties and treated at a different level. The Orthodox Jewish community, in particular, seems to be more under siege. Anti-Semites don’t differentiate between Orthodox Jews and non-Orthodox Jews but Orthodox Jews are more identifiably Jewish and that’s the issue really. They’re really on the front lines of the attack because everyone knows that they are Jewish. There are plenty of other Jews that anti-Semites would also be against but they’re not visibly Jewish. There’s no place for hate in our state.”
Assemblyman Daniel Rosenthal (D – Kew Gardens Hills, Queens):
“Not right now. I don’t do moments. Not now.”
Food Fare
There is one more observation to point out. A reception hosted by Assembly Democrats was the only place to find kosher food on the day of the State of the State. While the attempt was admirable, there are at least four problems with the kosher food table set up (see picture). Among the culinary fare were scrambled eggs, home fried potatoes, bagels and a plate of unidentified pastries. The sign reading “kosher” was the only identifiable marking that the food was kosher.
Among the faux pas: no hecksher on display, metal utensils in the tureens, no cream cheese (who serves bagels without cream cheese?), and no plastic forks to eat the eggs and potatoes. There might be other errors. Please let us know if you have more to add. It makes some yearn for the days when an Orthodox Jew led the Assembly.
Leadership Changes
New Assembly Republican Leader Emerges
The day before the State of the State address, Assembly Republicans elected a new leader after Brian Kolb (R – Canandaigua, Ontario County) was forced to step down. Kolb, 67, served as the Assembly GOP leader for more than a decade. He was arrested in late December for drunk driving a week after penning an editorial in a Finger Lakes newspaper about the harm drunk driving can do to your life and family relations. The new leader is 51-year-old Will Barclay, a 17-year incumbent who lives on an 800-acre farm in Pulaski, Oswego County with his wife and two children. Kolb has not been seen at the Capitol since his arrest.
Brooklyn’s New Political Leader Emerges
As of Monday there is a new leader of the Kings County (Brooklyn) Democratic Committee, as long time chairman Frank Seddio stepped down from the post he has held for eight years. Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte, 47, who enjoys tremendous support among Orthodox Jews, unanimously became the next leader of the 1.2 million democrats in the county, the largest number of democrats in a single county in the United States. The daughter of Haitian immigrants, Bichotte, a Midwood resident, has been a district leader for the past decade.
Bichotte’s Assembly campaign coffer has more than $400,000 while the county committee has a paltry $32,000 on hand.
Even though Bichotte rises to the top post after serving as the chair of the county Democrats finance committee, she might not have had a close handle on the county committee finances.
“It’s a matter of looking at our books and seeing how things are being spent,” Bichotte told The Jewish Press. “There have been a lot of activities that’s been going on and we have to fund those activities. We plan to build the treasury back up by doing more functions.
“Change is always good. Things have changed where you can do things online. You don’t necessarily have to have a brick and mortar office. In terms of state positions and city council everybody’s always running and so the funds that are being raised are going to the individual candidates.”
Bichotte likes for people to know that she is the first female black county leader in Brooklyn. I’m not sure why it matters, as long as she is successful.
“It sends a signal that people are ready for change,” Bichotte explains. “I hope to continue to keep the county committee unified.”
Bichotte becomes the third member of the Assembly to lead a county committee in the boroughs. Marcos Crespo is the Bronx County Democratic Committee Chairman, and Michael Cusick is the Richmond (Staten Island) County Democratic Committee Chairman.