Posted on 02/18/2007 10:41:39 PM PST by neverdem
ALBANY — Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s $2 billion stem cell initiative is getting a cool reception in the Assembly.
Specifically, Assemblyman Richard L. Brodsky, below, raised a number of red flags about the proposal in an address this month to fellow Assembly Democrats and in a memo he sent to the Spitzer administration.
“Much of this is garden-variety economic development pork that’s hiding behind stem cells,” Mr. Brodsky said. As chairman of the Assembly’s Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions, Mr. Brodsky would have oversight over the new public benefit corporation that would be created under the proposal.
Mr. Brodsky’s teenage daughter, Willie, recently had a liver transplant operation and he said that “no one knows better than me the values of stem cell research as we try to develop things like organ replacement.” But he added that “we need to focus more on stem cell research and less on creating a general economic development pot.”
He was referring to the proposal’s fine print, which states that the money could be used for any number of purposes, from “new agribusiness” to “security technologies” and nanotechnology. Mr. Brodsky said the open-ended nature of the proposal violated a requirement in the New York Constitution that bonds be issued for only one purpose. He also questioned whether it was worth borrowing $1.5 billion for the initiative instead of paying in cash, estimating that interest alone would cost the state $1.8 billion over 30 years.
“You burden future generations with $1.8 billion of interest only when it’s necessary, and those are, I would argue, for major capital projects,” he said.
Mr. Brodsky said he had had constructive discussions with Lt. Gov. David A. Paterson, who is leading the project, and looked “forward to working with them constructively.”
In a statement, the Spitzer administration said...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Well that's great news.
BEFORE the election, Spitzer said it would be $ONE BILLION - I see it's gone up. (not surprising)
Duh!
"Mr. Brodsky’s teenage daughter, Willie, recently had a liver transplant operation and he said that “no one knows better than me the values of stem cell research as we try to develop things like organ replacement.” But he added that “we need to focus more on stem cell research and less on creating a general economic development pot.”'
I wish Mr. Brodsky mentioned that her treatment was from adult stem cells, and embryonic stem cells never helped a single person.
Unusual stem cell pork politics for NY.
FReepmail me if you want on or off my New York ping list.
Part of NY's competition with CA for bio-research capital...
Thanks for the ping!
"I wish Mr. Brodsky mentioned that her treatment was from adult stem cells, and embryonic stem cells never helped a single person"
exactly right.
Time and time again these articles get written without that specification being made.
If they want to spend their money wisely (unusual to ask a bunch of politicians to do) they will specifically designate it to go to adult stem cell research.
Not only is embryonic stem cell research controversial...it is a waste of time.
You can agree with the subject or objects of the research or not -- that's the debate. However, NY is in a big time competition with CA for high tech. Not unrelated, NYC is also in competition with London for financial center of the world.
"..(unusual to ask a bunch of politicians to do).."
lol
Bump
This thread is applicable to this thread:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1787587/posts?page=9#9
Thanks for the link. My NY and stem cell lists got this story as it's just politics. I'll link my health & science list to your link when I do another health & science thread.
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