MESSAGE TO GOV. CUOMO: STOP CALLING US A SPECIAL INTEREST; WE ARE STAKEHOLDERS TOO

Governor Andrew Cuomo
photo:  Ove Overmyer

Rochester, N.Y.-- New York Governor Andrew Cuomo struck the first blow in the fight over his budget proposal with an attack on what he calls "the special interests" that will try to persuade the Legislature to block his spending cuts.

In a very public video address sent via e-mail, Cuomo said he won't be intimidated as past governors have been in the face of multimillion dollar TV campaigns used against the executive branch.

"When you pull the curtain in Albany, you find a government working more for the special interests and lobbyists than for the people," Cuomo states in the five-minute video. "It's about lobbyists influencing politicians from both sides of the political aisle ... we have to stop the cycle."

In the video, Cuomo targets public workers who are employed by state and local governments. The author of this post personally takes exception to his remarks.  Cuomo is asking for as many as 9,000 layoffs, maybe more.  He plans on making historic cuts in libraries, education and school aid, health care, hospital aid and deep cuts to Medicaid.  Also, Cuomo prematurely announced a long expected pay freeze for state employees before any formal labor contract negotiations begin. The CSEA state worker contract expires March 31.

"Know this," he says directly into the camera, "I will not be intimidated. This is why you elected me and I will get it done."

This video email message on youtube is just political rhetoric on steroids. If we are talking about simply cutting, slashing and burning and then calling it a "new approach," we aren't really moving the ball forward, are we?

Speaking strictly in first person, this author is disappointed, offended and rejects this coded language calling union workers "special interests."  Your attempt to sway public opinion before we even get to the negotiating table gives me great pause. These are just hurtful, divisive, defaming terms politicians like you use to describe anyone who opposes your agenda or ideology.

And frankly, we expect less politics and more policy from our governor at this stage in the game. You might even find out that you may have more in common with us than you think.  We do have good ideas to make government perform more efficiently. After all, we are the ones who are actually doing the work.

Yesterday, CSEA President Danny Donohue and some of our rank-and-file members called the proposed budget unfair because it threatens to cut the jobs and benefits of state workers while letting an income tax surcharge on the wealthiest New Yorkers expire, and while not increasing taxes on multi-billion dollar corporations (see previous post). Does that sound like everyone is sharing the pain?

"It will mean fewer people on the job maintaining our roads, fewer people keeping our water clean, fewer people making our neighborhoods safer, fewer people providing care to our most vulnerable citizens, fewer people driving our children to school and helping New Yorkers lead healthier lives," Donohue said.

Mr. Cuomo, rather than spend your pro-business donors money to sell their idea of how Albany should work and "who gets what," why not try and talk directly to us when it really matters--at the negotiating table and not on youtube. When the time comes, and when we are legally bound to do so, just like you, we plan to bargain our contracts in good faith and not in the court of public opinion. We too have the best interest of the state in mind.  So, how about it?

Exactly who are the "special interests" you are referring to?

Who are these "special interests" you talk about? Chances are we are life long tax-paying New York State residents, older, female, people of color, middle-class workers who take care of our multi-generational blended families, volunteers in our communities, church goers, veterans and your neighbors next door. So the next time you think "union" or fling the term "special interest" around, try putting that image in your mind.

And Mr. Cuomo, it's also funny that you have often referred to the people and groups who give you money, such as private sector unions and your pro-business interests as "stakeholders" although they, too, lobby Albany just like us-- however, they so far have gotten more amicable labels and a hefty return on their initial investment unlike the average working stiff.

And to be more specific Mr. Cuomo, one would think what we do is in the public's best interest-- not at all a special interest. So please, Governor Cuomo, enough already of the tough talk.  All we are asking for is a little respect here, let's work together and search for some simple truths when it comes to balencing our state budget.

And lastly, I am not intimidated by your message either-- we just want what's fair for the citizens we take care of and what's fair for the hard working people that provide the vital services New Yorkers rely on.  We expect to be full participants in solving the tough challenges ahead. 

The truth is sir, I think the "greater good" of the general public sometimes gets lost in your talking points.  I know this for a fact because I see it everyday working on the front lines of an urban public library.  Ultimately, we all have to ask ourselves who deserves to be the first group marginalized by your budget choices?  Will it be those who are financially insulated from any harm or the jobless who depend on a public library computer to electronically submit an employment application?

-Ove Overmyer
Assistant Reference Librarian, City of Rochester
The opinions expressed here are the views of the author only and does not represent CSEA as an organization.