How “reformer’ decided to vote for DiNapoli
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- February
- 8
There is arguably nobody with stronger “reformer’’ credentials in the Legislature than Assemblywoman Sandra Galef, D-Ossining, and she arrived in the Assembly chambers Wednesday ready to cast what could be viewed as the right “reform’’ vote for comptroller: Martha Stark, the New York City finance commissioner endorsed by a panel of former comptrollers for the job.
  But she ended up voting for the winner, Assemblyman Tom DiNapoli of Nassau County, who has little no financial experience. She said she was actually swayed by the debate – a rarity in the state Legislature.
   “You convinced me I was wrong,’’ she told her colleagues after hearing a parade of lawmakers sing his praises.
  “As I listened to the debate, the way his colleagues spoke about Tom, I realized the kind of person he is,’’ she said, and, in contrast, “I don’t know this person’’ (Stark).
    Later she said the process was a “strange campaign,’’ since she never heard from Stark or the two other people endorsed by the panel, Bronxville financier Bill Mulrow or Nassau County Comptroller Howard Weitzman. But she was lobbied by DiNapoli and other Assembly members who wanted the job.
  She said it was different in 1993, when lawmakers last named a comptroller, when H. Carl McCall (the eventual winner) Carol Bellamy and other candidates “were in my office all the time.’’
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  She said she hoped not to be put in a position of either having to uphold a deal agreed to or vote for someone she considered to be the best candidate.
 “I hope in the future we have agreements we can stick to,’’ she said.ÂÂÂ
This entry was posted
on Thursday, February 8th, 2007 at 11:38 am by Jay Gallagher.
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Are you joking? You can only be considered a reformer if you actually reform something. Galef has been there way too long and has no reform success to speak of.
Ms. Galef, Mr. Bradley, Ms. Paulin, et al…all earnest little Silver soldiers—chose to wantonly abrogate the agreement worked out by the Governor, Silver, and Bruno—solely because one of their own was ultimately left off the selection list. Ms. Galef’s retort that she didn’t know anything about Ms. Stark—is frightening. Isn’t it the assemblymember’s job to undertake due diligence. So the only way an assemblymember devines information for decision-making—is through lobbying??!! I think her reform credentials are now shambles.
Galef is no reformer. Where do you get off calling her that? To reform you must stand up and take action and not sit silently by passing meaningless legislation that “looks like” but is not, reform. Greg “brass” Ball, now that’s a reformer and a guy who will take on the system to get something done.
GUESS EVERYHING DOESN’T CHANGE ON DAY ONE!