Thread: N.Y.: GOP: Spitzer withholds funds

GOP: Spitzer withholds funds
Governor's office denies retaliating for Assembly Republicans' criticism.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
By Delen Goldberg
Staff writer
Assembly Republicans are accusing Gov. Eliot Spitzer of pulling pork-barrel money, meant to fund community projects and non-profit groups, as retaliation for lawmakers' criticism of the governor's plan to issue driver's licenses to illegal aliens.

The cuts amount to $740,000 in 21 districts, according to the Assembly minority leader.

"It's governance by vengeance," said Assembly Minority Leader James Tedisco, R-Schenectady. "(Spitzer) may have been the Sheriff of Wall Street, but he's the Barney Fife of governors."

Assembly minority members claim that Spitzer yanked member-item money from them because they spoke out against his driver's license proposal, which would allow illegal immigrants to apply for driver's licenses without providing Social Security numbers.

According to the Assembly Republican Conference and Spitzer's budget office, the cuts include:

Ö $27,000 for an air compressor for the Skaneateles Fire Department.

Ö $10,000 for safety and communications equipment for the Canandaigua Fire Department.

Ö $2,000 for the Cayuga County Legislature, which wants to televise its meetings.

Ö $1,000 for the Auburn Police Department.

"Obviously, I am going to have a difference of opinion on policy issues with the governor from time to time," said Assemblyman Will Barclay, R-Pulaski, who requested funding for the Skaneateles Fire Department. "But for him to now, as a result of my opposition to his driver's license policy, prevent funding for a critical project in my district is unconscionable."

Spitzer's budget spokesman, Jeffrey Gordon, said the cuts were not retaliatory. Gordon said the Spitzer administration "disapproved" the funding because it was requested after Jan. 1.

Spitzer promised to honor commitments that former Gov. George Pataki made only if projects were submitted before Jan. 1. Requests for the money in question came in after, Gordon said.

Tedisco disputed that, saying he had recent conversations with the governor's office about the funding and found out only this week that his district would not receive the money it had been promised.

So far, Spitzer has redlined $405,583 for member-item projects, Gordon said. Requests for more than $300,000 are still being reviewed.

Assemblyman Gary Finch, R-Springport, said he is hopeful money for his district - which includes parts of Cayuga and Cortland counties - will be freed up.

"If it isn't, I'll work with the agencies to look for an alternative source of funding," Finch said. "They are all non-profits. Everyone that does not receive the funding, or if it's on hold for a while, will probably suffer a hardship."

www.syracuse.com

How much is he witholding from legislators who agree with him? That should go far in proving retaliation.

Sounds like Fraud, Waist and Abuse of State and Federal Funding