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Revision as of 03:38, 16 June 2006 by Mr-ed (talk | contribs)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)| George Pataki | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 57 Governor of New York | |
| In office 1995–present | |
| Lieutenant | Betsy McCaughey Ross, 1995-99 Mary Donohue, 1999- present |
| Preceded by | Mario Cuomo |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 24, 1945 Peekskill, New York |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Libby Pataki |
| Profession | Politician |
George Elmer Pataki (born June 24, 1945) is the current Governor of New York State, USA and has held that office since January 1995, and as of June 2006 is the longest-serving of the current 50 U.S. governors. He is a member of the Republican Party. He is of Hungarian, Italian and Irish descent, and is a Roman Catholic. Pataki has never lost a competitive political race to date, and is frequently mentioned as a contender for the 2008 Republican Presidential Nomination.
Education
Pataki entered Yale University in 1964 on an academic scholarship, and graduated in 1967. While there he served as chairman of the Conservative Party of the Yale Political Union. He received his J.D. from Columbia University in 1970.
History and campaigns
- 1981-1984 Mayor of Peekskill, New York
- 1985-1992 New York Assembly
- 1993-1994 New York State Senate
- 1995-1999 New York Governor (First Term)
- 1999-2003 New York Governor (Second Term)
- 2003-2007 New York Governor (Third Term)
Governorship
First Term 1995-1998
1994 Campaign
Pataki was a first term state senator from Westchester County when he launched his bid for the Republican nomination for governor in 1994. He said he launched the campaign because of his frustration in the Senate regarding how Albany worked and on tax issues. He was little known statewide and his campaign received a boost when he was endorsed by U.S. Sen. Al D'Amato. He received the party's endorsement at the spring state convention and easily defeated former State Republican Chairman Richard Rosenbaum in the September primary. Pataki was considered an underdog from the start since he was running against three term Gov. Mario Cuomo and that Pataki had little name recognition statewide. D'Amato reportedly backed Pataki because of a poll which showed a pro-choice, fiscal conservative from the New York City suburbs could win statewide for governor. The poll also showed a female running mate for lieutenant governor would help the ticket, thus leading to the selection of academic Betsy McCaughey as Pataki's running mate.
Pataki remained neck and neck with Cuomo during the race, focusing solely on the issues of tax cuts and the death penalty during the campaign. In addition he made an issue of Cuomo seeking a fourth term as governor and pledged to serve only two terms in office. Cuomo was helped late in the race by the endorsement of New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. In the end, Pataki narrowly defeated Cuomo in the general election. (It has been said that Pataki was elected by voters choosing the "ABC" candidate: Anybody But Cuomo.)
Environment
Pataki has long been regarding as an environmentalist and he has made the environment and open space preservation a top priority of his as governor. He has long cited that Theodore Roosevelt is his political hero for his work as a conservationist. Pataki has conserved more land statewide and has pushed bond issues in referendums which provided more money to preserve land and clean up the state's rivers and lakes. He has been a long standing adovocate for cleaning up the Hudson River and in pushing stricter environmental regulations and penalties.
Death Penalty
Polls showed that the majority of New Yorkers wanted the state's death penalty laws restored. A bill to restore the death penalty passed the Legislature several years in a row, only to be vetoed by Cuomo. Pataki made the issue a top priority of his and when the bill reached his desk he signed it into law in 1995. The state's Court of Appeals later ruled the death penalty unconstitutional in the form in which it was written and the State Legislature has not passed a bill to restore it in a new form.
Higher Education
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Tax Cuts and Spending Cuts
Pataki has been a long time advocate of tax cuts during his administration and his time in the state legislature. He signed and sponsored several tax cuts during his first term in office and in addition made spending cuts to the budgets he proposed. This has included a push for privitization of state entities.
During the first years of Pataki's administration, he began to institute the major spending cuts which he has advocated for most of his career. Among the cost cutting initiatives was a push to privatize of the World Trade Center from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The New York City governor's office for more than 20 years had been in the center. The privatization effort took effect a few weeks before the September 11 attack when Larry Silverstein assumed a 99-year lease for $3.2 billion. The events and initiatives (or lack thereof) regarding the Center have defined the Pataki governorship.
Delayed Budgets
While Pataki campaigned against the New York State practice of not adopting an ontime budget by the start of the April 1 state fiscal year for over a decade, Pataki's first 10 years in office did not see the adoption of an ontime budget.
Three Men in a Room Decision Making
Pataki campaigned against the practice of having major state policy decisions be made by "three men in a room," the governor, Assembly Speaker, and Senate Majority Leader. The majority of his term saw three men in the room decision making continue.
Second Term 1999-2002
1998 Campaign
Pataki was considered the frontrunner from the start of the 1998 campaign for governor. He was unopposed for the Republican nomination and paired with a new running mate, Judge Mary Donohue. The Democrats faced a primary battle between New York City Council Speaker Peter Vallone, Lt. Gov. Betsy McCaughey Ross, and former Transportation Commissioner James LaRocca. Vallone captured the Democratic nomination, with Thomas Golisano running as the Independance nominee and McCaughey Ross as the Liberal Party nominee. Pataki was easily reelected to a second term in office.
Policy and Political Work
In 1999, Governor Pataki signed into law comprehensive health care legislation that provided health insurance coverage, under Family Health Plus, to lower income adults who do not have health insurance through their employers. Durign 1999, Pataki explored a possible bid for the Presidency and was known as being more conservative on issues in 1999 as he considered a bid fore President. In 2000, Pataki was also mentioned as a possible candidate for the U.S. Senate against First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Vice Presidency
In July 2000, Pataki's name surfaced on the short list to be the running mate for Republican presidential nominee George W. Bush, along with the names of Governor John Engler of Michigan, Governor Tom Ridge of Pennsylvania, former Senator John Danforth of Missouri, and former U.S. Labor Secretary Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina. Bush eventually selected the man who was in charge of scouting vice presidential candidates, former Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney.
September 11 Terrorist Attacks
Pataki's New York City office had moved out of the World Trade Center in the months before the September 11 attack to new offices on Third Avenue. The images of Pataki and Mayor Rudolph Giuliani giving press conferences on the day of the World Trade Center attack are burned into the history and lore of the date.
Pataki and Giuliani appointed the LMDC to distribute nearly $10 billion in federal grants and to oversee the building of a memorial as well as oversee construction. Giuliani had to step down because of term limits and Pataki took the lead on the building process.
Indian Casinos
Pataki has been a long advocate for Indian casinos in upstate New York. He has proposed the creation of several casinos throughout upstate with the revenue being shared by the state, tribe and municipal government. In the 1990s he was able to secure the creation of one casino on an Indian reservation outside Syracuse. His plans to create new casinos were blocked by Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver until after the Sept. 11 attacks, when Silver was persuaded that more money could come into the state government. Pataki soon signed an agreement to create new casinos in the Catskills, Niagara Falls, and in Buffalo. The Seneca Niagara Casino opened in Niagara Falls in January 2003.
Niagara Falls Casino Money Fight
As a part of the creation of the Seneca Niagara Casino in Niagara Falls, an agreement was reached to give a percentage of the slot machine revenue to the City of Niagara Falls each year to spend on local tourism projects and projects relating to hosting the casino. Money was allocated for 2003, but disputes have come up since then. Part of the dispute is a claim by Niagara County to receive a share of the money for county government projects and another part had to do with restructuring the local commission charged with allocating the money. Pataki has called for the money to be given to a state entity he created to spur economic development in Niagara Falls, thus leaving the money under his control, a decision which is opposed by local leaders.
Third Term 2003-2006
2002 Campaign
Pataki was considered a strong contender for a third term. He ran again on a ticket with Lt. Gov. Mary Donohue and the Democrats faced a primary battle between State Comptroller Carl McCall and fomer HUD Secretary Andrew Cuomo. Pataki empashized his previous work and the need to have continuity following Sept. 11.
Pataki sought the nomination of the Independance Party in his bid for a third term as well. He faced Thomas Golisano, the party's founder in his bid for the nomination. Pataki ran an active primary campaign and lost to Golisano. Donohue did win the primary for lieutenant governor and was both the running mate of Pataki and Golisano in the general election.
Pataki faced McCall and Golisano in the general election, during which he continued to empashize his past work for the state. He easily defeated the two, and at times it appeared Golisano would outpoll McCall, which did not happen in the end.
Cuomo-Pataki Rematch
A Pataki-Cuomo rematch nearly occurred in the 2002 election. Mario's son Andrew Cuomo announced plans to run. However, Andrew stumbled on April 17 and ultimately withdrew before the primary at the urging of his mentor Bill Clinton when he was quoted:
- "Pataki stood behind the leader. He held the leader's coat. He was a great assistant to the leader. But he was not a leader. Cream rises to the top, and Rudy Giuliani rose to the top."
World Trade Center Legacy
Pataki's troubles with the World Trade Center development began almost immediately in the third term.
Although the LMDC was not the property owner (the Port Authority was) or lease holder (Larry Silverstein was), it announced a contest to create the master plan for the site to restore all 10 million square feet of lost space and build a memorial. In late 2002, LMDC picked a plan dubbed Project THINK. Pataki intervened to support a plan put forth by Daniel Libeskind entitled Memory Foundations. LMDC backed down and gave the commission to Libeskind who had never designed a tall building.
Although eventually most of Libeskind's plan was to be ignored it established two concepts that will define the Pataki legacy (if they are built) at Ground Zero -- the placement (and name) of the 1,776 foot high Freedom Tower and the concept that the memorial be below street level. A symbolic cornerstone (with Pataki's name) for the Freedom Tower was laid on July 4, 2004, and after numerous design changes, construction commenced in May, 2006.
Other LMDC decisions were to give Pataki WTC headaches. Although the LMDC had no plans to actually own and operate a memorial (it designated the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation to do that), in 2003 LMDC conducted a national contest to build the memorial. The winning memorial design Reflecting Absence by Michael Arad threw out the restriction of LMDC's own master design. The design was remarkably simple as it was devoid of any above ground ruins or monuments. However, the memorial's main feature waterfalls falling into a 30 foot deep pit of the approximately the footprint of the towers have proven to be remarkably expensive to construct with estimates of its cost now approaching $1 billion making it by far the most expensive memorial ever built. Pataki has passed along nearly $200 million in federal grants for it.
The LMDC also saddled the Foundation with fundraising responsibilities for a Performing Arts Center, a Drawing Art Gallery and a think tank dubbed the International Freedom Center. The Freedom Center drew particular heat from WTC family members who said it would not have a proper focus at Ground Zero and that it potentially could criticize American policies. After the Drawing Center voluntarily withdrew (following criticism of its exhibits elsewhere), Pataki intervened and pulled the plug on the Freedom Center in 2005.
While Pataki has been heavily criticized for the snail pace of development at Ground Zero, New York City enjoyed a building boom elsewhere in the city which has dramatically changed the city's skyline.
2004 Republican Convention in New York City
Pataki was instrumental in bringing the 2004 Republican National Convention to Madison Square Garden in Manhattan. He introduced President George W. Bush. A year prior, Pataki had boasted Bush would carry the state in the 2004 elections; Bush lost New York 58-40 to John Kerry. New York City, which normally votes overwhelmingly Democratic (the Democrat Presidential candidates carried 78 percent of the city vote in both 2000 and 2004), had never hosted a Republican Convention
In the 2004 elections, not only did Republicans' hope of Bush carrying the state fail to materialize, but Senator Charles Schumer, a Democrat, won 71% in his reelection bid when he trounced the pro-choice, little-known Republican nominee, Assemblyman Howard Mills. Mills' Senate campaign atracted little statewide attention and little money and it is reported that he agreed to run for the Senate after Pataki was turned down by several other candidates. Mills was defeated in the largest landslide in state history.
In addition, Democrats picked up one Congressional seat, gained seats in the state legislature, and in many local races across the state. Many Republicans, such as Congressman Peter T. King, blamed Pataki and what they viewed as his aimlessness as causing the rout. Pataki replaced some advisors and the state party replaced Chairman Alexander Treadwell. In 2005, Pataki enjoyed some positive publicity when the state passed its first on-time budget in twenty-one years, but he continued to suffer from low approval ratings, as well as Republican losses in local races that November, especially on Long Island, which was key to Pataki's three victories.
Voter Anger With State Government
In 2004, there was a growing voter dissatisfaction with how the state government conducted business. Two decades of late budgets and decision making by three men in a room on key issues led to voter anger and the defeat of several legislative incumbants. Pataki started to hold open sessions with legislative leaders on budget issues, and including the minority leaders of the Senate and Assembly in these discussions. In addition he encouraged the adoption of an ontime budget and in 2005 and 2006 the state budget was adopted on time.
State Budget Powers
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Upstate Economic Development
Pataki has been criticized for not doing enough on the issue of upstate economic development. He has created a series of Empire Zones statewide which serve to spur economic growth in cities by providing tax incentives for businesses. In addition he has used the state's banking laws to create banking development zones to intice banks to settle in upstate cities. Pataki has considered casino gaming an economic development program for upstate and he sponsored the creation of an Indian casino in Niagara Falls and in Buffalo to spur economic development. He has also promoted tourism practices for the upstate economy and created centers for excellence in the sciences in several upstate cities to spur economic growth. These policies have been criticized for not doing enough to encourage economic development.
Liberal Republican Legacy
In 2003 Pataki made a controversial budget proposal in which he proposed several tax cuts, despite the state's rising deficits. He also made cuts in education and health care funding which, some say, may close emergency rooms and turn non-profit hospitals into for-profits. Pataki argued that new taxes would drive businesses out-of-state, reducing jobs, further compounding the deficit.
Pataki has always been liberal on social issues but by his third term many social conservatives simmered over his continued support of abortion as well as his heavy lobbying in favor of a gay rights bill which had languished in the state Senate for many years due to the opposition of Senate Leader, Joseph Bruno, from conservative upstate Rensselaer County. In 2003, Bruno finally gave in; the bill passed the senate and was signed into law by Pataki.
On July 27, 2005, Pataki announced his intention not to seek a fourth term as governor in 2006. Along with several meetings with donors, trips to states important for their primaries, and an August 2005 veto of a bill that would allow sale of the morning-after pill, this fuels speculation that Pataki will seek the 2008 Republican presidential nomination, although, his "morning-after" pill veto notwithstanding, he may still be too liberal for the party's grassroots conservatives to win the nomination.
Campaign for Fiscal Equity
Pataki's tenure has been marked with the long standing Campaign for Fiscal Equity suit regarding the state's funding of public education. The CFE has sued in order to get more state money for the New York City public schools and to guarantee a sound education for all students. Pataki has fought the lawsuit his entire term, saying that the state should not pay for the increase funding and that the state constitution only guaranteed a sound education till 8th grade. Pataki has filed several appeals for the decisions and the final decision will be made after he leaves office.
Mandatory Pre-K
As a part of the CFE lawsuit, education advocates have tried to seek state support and funding for mandatory pre-kindegarden classes in the state's public schools. Pataki has blocked this measure which has support from legislative leaders and was a pet issue of former Lt. Gov. Betsy McCaughey Ross.
Hospitalization
Pataki suffered a burst appendix and had an emergency appendectomy on February 16, 2006 at Hudson Valley Hospital Center. He was transferred to New York-Presbyterian/Columbia Medical Center from which he was discharged on March 6. Doctors advised rest at home which for conditions like his may last for a month. On the week of March 20-24, 2006 he appeared at a public press conference looking fit and thinner to comment on the progress of the annual budget and the recent Campaign for Fiscal Equity CFE ruling from the New York state court. During Pataki's two surgeries, when was under anasthesia, power officially transferred to Lt. Gov. Mary Donohue, making her the state's acting governor. Pataki came under criticism when it was revealed that he and his staff did not inform Donohue that she was acting governor the first time, until after Pataki had woken up and resumed power.
Lieutenant Governors
Lt. Gov. Betsy McCaughey Ross
Pataki's 1994 running mate for lieutenant governor was Betsy McCaughey, an academic best known for her critique of the Clinton health care plan. McCaughey was selected because of her work on the Clinton health care plan. It is reported that Pataki choose McCaughey over sofa bed heiress Bernadette Castro for the spot. Castro was nominated for the U.S. Senate in 1994.
McCaughey faced problems with Pataki and Pataki's staff from the start. It is reported that Pataki did not like McCaughey's relationship with the press or her public discussion of policy differences the two had. McCaughey also lost support from Pataki when she said that D'Amato had made suggestive comments to her.
McCaughey married during her first year as lieutenant governor and became Betsy McCaughey Ross. Lt. Gov. McCaughey Ross had many problems from the start with Pataki, who did not like her public displays and constant public attention. Pataki assigned her work on health care and education issues. Lt. Gov. McCaughey Ross said that Pataki did not listen to her advice on these issues, including her calls for mandatory state funding for pre-kindergarten in the state.
Lt. Gov. McCaughey Ross stood during Pataki's 1996 State of the State Address which attracted attention to her (standing behind Pataki in a bright blue suit) and away from Pataki. She announced constant policy differences with Pataki and announced that Pataki would not talk to her. Pataki's public feud with McCaughey Ross inluded at times taking her state police bodyguards from her and trying to take her Albany office away. Pataki's aides constantly discussed McCaughey Ross in a negative context in the press and Parks Commissioner Bernadette Castro feuded with Lt. Gov. McCaughey Ross on the radio.
In April 1997, Pataki announced that he was dropping Lt. Gov. McCaughey Ross from his 1998 reelection ticket. McCaughey Ross said she would seek elected in 1998 either as lieutenant governor, governor or to the U.S. Senate. In September of that year, she became a Democrat and unsuccessfully sought the governorship in that party's primary. She was on the 1998 general election ballot as the nominee of the Liberal Party for governor.
Lt. Gov. Mary Donohue
After dropping McCaughey Ross from his 1998 ticket, Pataki considered several replacement running mates. In the spring of 1998 he announced his choice of State Supreme Court Justice Mary Donohue for lieutenant governor. It is reported that Pataki also considered State Parks Commissioner Bernadette Castro, Erie County Comptroller Nancy Naples and State Sen. Mary Lou Rath for the lieutenant governorship as well. Naples would later join Pataki's Cabinet as State Motor Vehicles Commissioner.
In office, Lt. Gov. Donohue has been relegatd to projects outside the governor's inner circle. She has worked on school violence prevention, local government, small business, and homeland security issues. Many of her duties have consisted of delivering speeches to groups around the state or filling in for Pataki at ceremonial events. Lt. Gov. Donohue has kept a generally low profile around the state.
In 2002, it is reported that Pataki considering dropping Lt. Gov. Donohue from his ticket and asking her to run for state attorney general instead. It is reported that he considered Secretary of State Randy Daniels and Erie County Executive Joel Giambra for lieutenant governor. Pataki decided to keep Lt. Gov. Donohue on as his 2002 running mate.
Lt. Gov. Donohue has announced that she will not run to succeed Pataki in 2006.
Cabinet Members
As of April 2006
- Secretary to the Governor: John Cahill
- Director of Aging: Neil E. Lane
- Acting Commissioner of Agriculture: Patrick Brennan
- Superintendent of Banks: Diana Taylor
- Director of the Budget: John F. Cape
- Chief Information Officer: Michael R. Mittleman
- Commissioner of Children and Family Services: John A. Johnson
- Civil Service Commission President: Daniel E. Wall
- Consumer Protection Board Chairwoman: Teresa Santiago
- Commissioner of Correctional Services: Glenn Goord
- Director of Criminal Justice Services: Chauncey Parker
- Commissioner of Empire State Development: Charles Gargano
- Commissioner of Environmental Conservation: Denise Sheehan
- Director of Emergency Management: John Gibb
- Commissioner of General Services: Daniel Hogan
- Director of Small Cities: Glen King
- Commissioner of Health: Antonia Novello
- Director of Homeland Security: James McMahon
- Commissioner of Housing and Community Renewal: Judith Calogero
- Commissioner of Human Rights: Michelle Donaldson
- Superintendent of Insurance: Howard Mills
- Commissioner of Mental Health: Sharon Carpinello
- Commissioner of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities: Thomas Maul
- Commissioner of Motor Vehicles: Nancy Naples
- Commissioner of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation: Bernadette Castro
- Public Service Commission Chairman: William Flynn
- Racing and Wagering Board Chairwoman: Cheryl Ritchko-Buley
- Director of Regulatory Reform: Eileen Natoli
- Secretary of State: Christopher Jacobs
- Tax Appeals Tribunal President: Charlie Nesbitt
- Commissioner of Taxation and Finance: Andrew Eristoff
- Commissioner of Transportation: Thomas Madison
- Director of Veterans Affairs: George Basher
Former Cabinet Members
- Secretary to the Governor: Brad Rice
- Superintendent of Banks: Neil Levin
- Superintendent of Banks: Elizabeth McCaul
- Budget Director: Robert King
- Director of Criminal Justice Services: Katherine Lapp
- Commissioner of Environmental Conservation: John Cahill
- Superintendent of Insurance: Neil Levin
- Superintendent of Insurance: Greg Serio
- Commissioner of Labor: John E. Sweeney
- Racing and Wagering Board Chairman: Michael Holbrook
- Director of Regulatory Reform: Robert King
- Secretary of State: Alexander Treadwell
- Secretary of State: Randy Daniels
- Acting Secretary of State: Frank Milano
- Commissioner of Transportation: John Daly
Cultural references
The last name of Hey Arnold! character Helga Pataki is taken from the governor.
State Tickets Governor Pataki Has Run On
1994 Republican and Conservative Tickets
- Governor: George Pataki
- Lieutenant Governor: Betsy McCaughey
- Comptroller: Herbert London
- Attorney General: Dennis Vacco
- U.S. Senate: Bernadette Castro
1998 NYS Republican and Conservative Party Tickets
- Governor: George Pataki
- Lieutenant Governor: Mary Donohue
- Comptroller: Bruce Blakeman
- Attorney General: Dennis Vacco
- U.S. Senate: Al D'Amato
2002 NYS Republican and Conservative Party Tickets
- Governor: George Pataki
- Lieutenant Governor: Mary Donohue
- Comptroller: John Faso
- Attorney General: Dora Irizarry
- "N.Y. Gov. George Pataki to deliver Class Day address". Yale Daily News. 2002-05-26. Retrieved 2006-04-21.
- "George Pataki Biography". Retrieved 2006-04-21.