New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer signs executive orders at the Executive Mansion at the start of his first day of work before his public inauguration on Monday, Jan. 1, 2007 in Albany, N.Y. (AP Photo/Ron Antonelli, Pool) Original Filename: sign05.JPG
Posted on 01/01/2007 5:10:16 PM PST by NormsRevenge
ALBANY, N.Y. - Democrat Eliot Spitzer, who built an international reputation fighting corruption on Wall Street, took office as New York's governor Monday, calling for an end to "the politics of cynicism and division" and signing a series of ethics measures.
Spitzer said frequent deadlocks between Republican Gov. George Pataki and the Legislature thwarted school improvements, ethics reforms, efforts to cut the nation's highest taxes and attempts to revive the state's economy.
"New York has slept through much of the past decade while the rest of the world has passed us by," Spitzer said in his inaugural address. "Today is the day when all of that changes — when we stop standing still and start moving forward once more."
Spitzer, New York's two-term attorney general, was nicknamed "the sheriff of Wall Street" for his high-profile investigations of corporate corruption.
He won the governorship on Nov. 7 with a landslide victory over former state Assembly Republican Minority Leader John Faso. Pataki, who served 12 years, did not seek re-election and is eyeing a run for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination.
He was sworn in at a private ceremony just after midnight Sunday and got to work even before his afternoon inaugural, signing orders setting a standard for the executive branch that he wants lawmakers to adopt for themselves.
Spitzer's measures ban gifts from lobbyists; end personal use of state cars, computers and equipment; prohibit nepotism; and ban his former employees from lobbying the executive branch. Other executive orders ban statewide officials — including Spitzer — from appearing in state-paid commercials, criticized as free campaign ads. Another measure establishes a state commission to make sure that candidates for judicial appointments are qualified.
The use of state cars led to the resignation last month of the state's chief financial officer, Comptroller Alan Hevesi, who pleaded guilty to a felony for using a state employee as his wife's chauffeur. The New York City Democrat had been re-elected in November amid the scandal.
Spitzer faces a projected deficit of $2.4 billion in the fiscal year beginning April 1 and a $4.5 billion deficit for 2008-2009. The state's budget for the current year totals $114 billion.
New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer signs executive orders at the Executive Mansion at the start of his first day of work before his public inauguration on Monday, Jan. 1, 2007 in Albany, N.Y. (AP Photo/Ron Antonelli, Pool) Original Filename: sign05.JPG
New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer takes his oath of office on Monday, Jan. 1, 2007, at the New York State Capitol in Albany, N.Y., as his wife, Silda Wall Spitzer, watches. (AP Photo/Jim McKnight)
Did I hear him say he was going to cut taxes?
Wish I knew how to take this picture and make his right arm extended at a 45 degree angle, palm flat down. Just to demonstrate what the people of New York got when they voted him into office.
Yeah, he's going to cut taxes and then raise taxes on other items. That's what happens when a Democrat promises to cut taxes.
New Yorkers: Run away !! Run away!!
As his first official act, he sued himself.
I will continue to pray for my friends and family that remain living in New York.
New York is toast. The only jobs remaining in the state will be government & tourism jobs.
Yes, but then Kerry said he voted for the body armor.
Well, they've got no one to blame but themselves.
So, will he turn his wrath on crooks who are ripping off the state?
Maybe.....
No, he's a Democrat.
I'd say that he can't be a whole lot worse than Nelson Rockefeller, Mario Cuomo, or George Pataki, but if I did, I'm afraid he'd almost certainly prove me wrong.
They truly deserve each other.
Thanks.
I think I need two showers now.
Putz Schumer
Putz Spitzer
Putz Silver
and with the biggest putz
Clinton
How much you bet NY population drops another million (legal) in the next year?
A skier?
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