Bloomberg welcomes Spitzer move
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- November
- 14
As expected, reaction to Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s decision to abandon his driver’s license policy is coming in from all quarters. Among those applauding the move is New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who had expressed reservations about Spitzer’s policy in a CNN interview earlier this month.
“One thing I have tried to emphasize to every person in my administration is that I expect them to tackle our toughest problems full-force and without fear of failure or second-guessing, ” Bloomberg said in a statement.
“Whether or not New Yorkers agree with this particular proposal, I am glad we have a Governor who is trying bold solutions to big problems,” Bloomberg continued. “That said, there comes a time when the wisest move is to focus on different challenges, and I congratulate Governor Spitzer for demonstrating that today. Washington’s failure to come up with an immigration policy is what’s really hurting us, and I’ll continue to work with the Governor to lobby for the kind of change we need.â€?Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, in his own statement, criticized the governor for “arrogantly” pushing ahead with the plan for weeks and only giving up after his own party balked at the proposal.
“The Governor’s ill-conceived plan was arrogantly crafted behind closed doors and in secret, without consulting the Legislature or county clerks who would be responsible for its implementation, a move that is symptomatic of his abrasive governing style and the reason why many New Yorkers have voiced their desire for new Executive leadership,” Bruno said.
Immigration advocates are also calling for Washington to finally address immigration reform.
“Governor Spitzer’s announcement today that he is abandoning his driver’s license effort serves as a call to action for a real solution at the national level,” Chung-Wha Hong, executive director, The New York Immigration Coalition, said in a statement.
“The governor’s original policy of one secure license for all was the right thing to doâ€â€to bring undocumented New Yorkers out of the shadows to make New York a safer place for all. Fear-mongering politicians, however, used the issue to score quick and easy political points, and it became impossible to have a rational and substantive debate on how to create a secure licensing policy. ”
This entry was posted
on Wednesday, November 14th, 2007 at 12:07 pm by Glenn Blain.
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