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Speeches
The Governor’s statements were long on high-minded platitudes about freedom and idealistic visions for five and ten years in the future but disturbingly short on specific and substantive proposals for addressing New York City ’s current problems. I am certain I am not alone in wondering if he has any intention of rolling up his sleeves and getting to work on tough and pressing challenges. New York needs a leader, not a figurehead.
Governor Pataki devoted only a couple of lines of his speech to New York City’s economic recovery, rattling off familiar ideas like courting the 2012 Olympics but failing put forth a comprehensive plan for creating jobs and stimulating business right now. The Governor spent only four out of seventy-two minutes talking about health care and offered no specific proposals for addressing the state’s Medicaid crisis. He did not mention a new federal law gutting the EPIC program, which provides prescription drugs for low-income seniors. Will the State step in to save prescription drug coverage for New York seniors? The Governor leaves us guessing.
Most bewildering of all is the Governor’s inattention to education. He spent only five minutes talking about our elementary, middle, and high schools and used up a good deal of that time praising his Commission on Education Reform. He failed to mention any progress that the Commission may have made towards a funding formula for the coming school year and mentioned only in passing the July 30 th deadline for completing its work. The complete lack of details in his comments is a sad indication that Governor Pataki is still not taking the education of New York City ’s children seriously. The people of New York City couldn’t be more serious, however, and this year we have a court ruling that will force the Governor to get the job done.
Today, New Yorkers heard quotations from Franklin and Teddy Roosevelt and from Abraham Lincoln, but we want to know if George Pataki has anything to say.
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