Politics on the Hudson

Andrew Cuomo was sworn in as New York’s 56th governor tonight, taking the oath of office in a private ceremony at the Executive Mansion.

The event was an emotional return for Cuomo and his family, who occupied the mansion during the 12 years his father, Mario, served as governor from 1983 through 1994.

It was also a pinnacle moment in the long political career for Cuomo, 53, who ran his father’s first campaign in 1982 and long sought to hold the seat himself one day. Mario; Andrew’s mother, Matilda; and his three daughters and girlfriend, Food Network personality Sandra Lee, were among the roughly 80 people to attend the ceremony, aides said.

Surrounded by their families, Cuomo and Lt. Gov. Robert Duffy were sworn into office separately by the state’s chief judge, Jonathan Lippman, at 10:09 p.m. They officially took office at midnight. Cuomo, a Democrat, succeeds Gov. David Paterson, a fellow Democrat who did not seek election.

“I am honored and humbled to accept this tremendous responsibility,” Cuomo said in a statement Friday night. “The time has come to return integrity, performance and dignity to New York and make it the Empire State once again. I look forward to getting to work right away for the people of our great state.”

Cuomo will give an inaugural address Saturday at noon, after holding an 8:30 a.m. staff meeting. He will greet about 300 New Yorkers at the mansion Saturday afternoon.

Duffy said Friday that the state’s period of crisis is an opportunity to restore New York’s proud tradition of innovation and again make it a “shining example” across the country. Duffy said he hopes New Yorkers will rally around Cuomo’s vision to revamp the state, a message that will be prominent in Saturday’s inauguration events.

“New York state is in the midst of a crisis right now, and the governor has an opportunity to really help transform this state—and to be a part of that is just an incredible honor,” Duffy said in an interview Friday with Gannett’s Albany Bureau.

Duffy had a private dinner with family at an Albany restaurant before heading a few blocks to the governor’s mansion with his wife and two daughters to join the Cuomo family prior to the swearing in.

“It is very exciting. The best way I could describe it is that I’m both honored and humbled that Governor Cuomo would invite me to be a member of his team,” Duffy, the outgoing Rochester mayor, said.

“I loved my job as mayor. I love Rochester and to step away from that to join the governor reinforces how much I believe in him and what he’s going to do over the next four years.”

At the mansion, pasta, chicken and New York wines were on the menu for the buffet-style dinner for about 40 people. Mansion staff did the cooking, not the famous chef Lee.

Aides said Cuomo planned to be sworn in on the Bible he used when he became attorney general in 2006. Lee held the Bible. A recording of the swearing-in was shown statewide Friday night on news stations.

Gov.-elect Andrew Cuomo and Lt. Gov. Robert Duffy are taking the oath of office in a private ceremony at the Executive Mansion in Albany tonight.  They will be sworn in at 10 p.m., two hours before they officially take office, and a recording of the ceremony will be shown at 10:30 p.m. (A live broadcast from the mansion is not possible, an aide said.)

Cuomo plans to arrive at the Capitol at 8 a.m. tomorrow and hold a staff meeting with Duffy and top aides at 8:30 a.m. The inaugural ceremony begins at noon in the War Room at the Capitol.

You can watch WRGZ in Buffalo’s recording of tonight’s swearing in here:

As of tomorrow, New York state government will have roughly 900 fewer workers, but it’s unclear exactly how many, which agencies they are in, and how many people will opt for retirement rather than another position if their jobs have been cut.

Gov. David Paterson’s administration issued 891 notices for reductions, but the number of layoffs will in all likelihood be lower because of retirements, attrition and the ability to fill essential jobs that come up, Paterson budget spokesman Erik Kriss said. Union members have bumping rights based on seniority.

The state Public Employees Federation and Civil Service Employees Association held vigils around the state this week in a last-ditch appeal to stop the layoffs, but they were not successful. Union leaders have accused Paterson of doing the layoffs “out of political spite.” There are 11,500 fewer state employees today than in 2008, and the loss of almost 900 additional employees will take $363 million out of New York’s struggling economy, according to the unions.

The unions made an agreement with Paterson that they would not oppose legislation for a new, less-generous pension tier and he would not lay off any state employees during his tenure. His term ends tonight, and laid-off employees’ last day on the payroll is today. Union leaders said Paterson “is meeting the letter, but not the spirit of the no-layoff agreement.” The new pension tier took effect this year.

State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli announced this afternoon that he has appointed former Department of Environmental Conservation commissioner Alexander “Pete” Grannis as first deputy comptroller. Grannis, who was dismissed by Gov. David Paterson’s administration in October in connection with an unsigned, leaked memo critical of layoffs that had been ordered at the agency, will earn an annual salary of $165,000. The appointment is effective Jan. 20.

“Pete Grannis has built a life-long reputation for vision, leadership, integrity and the ability to get things done,” DiNapoli, who served with Grannis in the state Assembly, said in a statement. “We’re facing some of the toughest times in New York State history. Pete’s skills, leadership and expertise will help us face those challenges.”

Grannis was appointed DEC commissioner by former Gov. Eliot Spitzer in January 2007. Before that, he was a member of the Assembly for more than three decades. He is a graduate of Rutgers University and the University of Virginia Law School.

DiNapoli spokesman Dennis Tompkins said that because of the appointment as first deputy comptroller, Grannis will not serve as special counsel to Environmental Advocates of New York, as that group had announced in mid-December.

Also today, DiNapoli announced the appointment of current first deputy comptroller, Mary Louise Mallick, to senior policy adviser, also effective Jan. 20. She will make $162,000 a year in the new position.

The percentage of parole releasees returned to state prison for committing a new crime has dropped 40 percent over the past ten years, according to the state Board of Parole and the Division of Parole’s annual report, released this week. But while the rate of releasees returned to prison for committing a new crime fell from 3.7 percent in 2000-01 to 2.6 percent in 2009-10, the percentage of releasees returned for violating the conditions of their release increased from 13.2 percent to 15.9 percent.

“The fact that fewer releasees are committing new crimes is great news for the public and a testament to the tight supervision and careful mentoring provided by our parole officers,” Andrea W. Evans, chairwoman of the Parole Board and CEO of the Parole Division, said in a statement.

If parolees significantly violate the terms of release or repeatedly refuse to abide by reasonable restrictions, that can mean they are slipping and not ready to return to society, Evans said. “While we do not look for excuses to send someone back to prison and would much prefer to transform the individual into a law-abiding, tax-paying member of society … the Division of Parole does not hesitate to violate those who cannot or will not play by the rules,” she said.

In 2009-10, 1,515 parole releasees, fewer than 3 percent of those who are under supervision, went to prison following a new felony conviction. Releasees accounted for 3.1 percent of all arrests in the state in 2009—4.5 percent of all felonies and 2.5 percent of all misdemeanors, according to the report. Nine percent of violent felony offenders and 3 percent of sex offenders eligible for parole were released to parole supervision.

During the 2009-10 fiscal year, state parole officers made more than 500,000 home visits, did 151,038 on-site drug tests and collected nearly $1.1 million in supervision fees. The Division of Parole has developed referral sources for housing, substance-abuse prevention, anger management, domestic-violence counseling, mental-health counseling, medical care, mentoring, employment and other services.

Andrew Cuomo will take the oath of office later tonight in a private ceremony at the Executive Mansion, two hours before he officially becomes the state’s 56th governor.

Cuomo, a Democrat, plans to have a low-key dinner at 6 p.m. with close friends and family. His father, former Gov. Mario Cuomo, and mother Matilda, will be in attendance.

Cuomo, along with incoming Lt. Gov. Robert Duffy, will take the oath of office after dinner. A recording of the swearing-in will be shown at 10:30 p.m. because a live broadcast from the mansion is not possible, a Cuomo aide said.

On Saturday, Cuomo will arrive at the state Capitol building at 8 a.m. He will conduct a meeting with senior staff and Duffy at 8:30 a.m.

A ceremony in the Capitol’s War Room will be held at noon and last for about 45 minutes before an audience of 175 people. Cuomo is expected to speak for about 10 to 15 minutes and provide a framework for how he will govern New York, including his plans to draw the general public into making needed changes to state government.

A receiving line with Cuomo and Duffy is then scheduled for 2 p.m. at the mansion.

Here is a look at Andrew Cuomo’s schedule for Friday and Saturday.

Tonight

6 p.m.: Has a private dinner in the Executive Mansion with family and friends.

10 p.m.: Takes oath of office as New York’s 56th governor.

Saturday

8 a.m.: Arrives at Capitol building for first official day as governor.

8:30 a.m.: Huddles with senior staff and Lt. Gov. Robert Duffy.

Noon: Holds inaugural ceremony in the Capitol Building’s War Room outside of the Executive Chamber.

2 p.m.: Holds receiving line at the Executive Mansion with Duffy.

On the eve of his taking office as governor, Democrat Andrew Cuomo today announced a slew of appointments for state inspector general, a nomination for commissioner of the Taxation and Finance Department and two inner-circle staff aides.

Three of the hires come from Cuomo’s inner circle from either the campaign trail or his attorney general’s office.

Ellen Nachtigall Biben will replace the retiring Westchester County resident Joseph Fisch as inspector general. Biben is taking the post after serving in Cuomo’s attorney general office, working in the public integrity office.

“Ellen has an unimpeachable record of integrity and independence and will bring her well-known tenacity fighting crime and sense of basic fairness to this critical position. I am extremely proud that we have assembled a governing team of such remarkable experience, diversity, and integrity and look forward to continuing the work of building our administration,” Cuomo said in a statement.

In addition, Cuomo announced Thomas Mattox, a former banking executive, will be nominated to serve as commissioner of the Department of Taxation and Finance.

Another attorney general staff aide, Jim Malatros, will serve as Cuomo’s deputy secretary for policy management. Josh Vlasto, Cuomo’s spokesman on the campaign trail and former flak for U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer’s aggressive press office, was named deputy communications director.

Andrew Cuomo is taking over the governor’s office as the state faces a mountain of problems, from mounting health and education costs to a pension fund groaning under the weight of an unsustainable system.

Cuomo, a Democrat, is being sworn in tonight and will officially take office Saturday.

We took a look at the problems Cuomo is facing and how his management style will be used to tackle them. From the story:

The Democrat faces a $9.2 billion budget deficit and opposition to his plan to cap property taxes, as well as calls for tighter ethics laws for public officials. Add to that a potentially contentious issue over redrawing legislative districts, skyrocketing pension and Medicaid costs and a scandal-weary public, and Cuomo appears to have his work cut out for him.

“The challenges are daunting, so anyone who underestimates the slope of the hill — let’s call it a mountain — that this state has to climb isn’t living in reality,” he said in a radio interview this week.

Cuomo, in moving Wednesday’s State of the State address from the ornate Assembly chamber to a relatively drab but larger auditorium, said the move was meant to be symbolic of allowing more citizens to view the affair.

But he is entering office as the confidence voters have in state government has practically vanished.

“Voters overwhelmingly think the state is heading into the wrong direction, and they are hoping this new guy they elected is going to start to turn things around,” said Steve Greenberg, a pollster for Siena College. “I think the voters, while they are very pessimistic, have some cautious optimism about what the new governor will bring.”

Outgoing Democratic Gov. David Paterson warned today “everyone will suffer” if there’s a public pension meltdown in 2011.

Paterson, who is governor for another 14 hours or so, appeared on CNBC’s Squawk Box this morning, said changes need to be made now to pension plans for public employees.

The Democrat predicted the problem will come into relief next year.

“These pension funds, these public funds will take center stage in 2011 because bascially they’ve been able to carry off a lot of their bad assets,” he said.

In some communities, like an Alabama town, have already taken a hardline on pensions, and canceled payments to retirees.

Paterson warned there will be a “serious downgrade of asset pools” and that state officials will face a “financial and moral choice.”

“Which is are we going to hurt taxpayers who have to write off this debt or are we going to take off these people who have broad revenue base, those who are in retirement and abandon them?”

New York has a roughly $132 billion pension fund, one of the largest in the country.

The governor wrote an op/ed piece in The New York Daily News today that sound a similar alarm on pensions and the political problems faced in picking them.

He wrote:

The structural problems of our public pension funds have started to emerge, and no amount of wishful thinking can replace the hard work of reforming them. We all have a stake – employers, employees, organized labor, government, regulators, lawmakers, investors and investment managers. Yet there exists no consensus, or even an informal dialogue, on how to proceed.

Milt Hoffman reports:

The Westchester County Fair Campaign Practices Committee honored its first chairperson as it completed its 20th year of operation. During election campaigns in 2010, the Committee made ethics findings in 11 cases. The number of hearings has ranged to as many as 26 in one year.

Some two dozen committee and former committee members helped celebrate the retirement of Ruth Hinerfeld of Larchmont at a party at the home of Evelyn Stock of Scarsdale, the present chairperson who joined the Committee in its second year. Those attended included another original member, Bruce Jennings, now Hastings-on-Hudson trustee, and Guy Parisi, attorney in Rye who was the first Republican ex-officio non-voting member and who again filled that position in 2010.

The Committee was created by the League of Women Voters of Westchester in 1991 in response to a challenge made in an editorial published by Gannett Westchester Rockland Newspapers, predecessor to The Journal News. That editorial called for the establishment of an independent organization to hear and decide accusations of false, unfair or misleading campaign tactics. The first committee had five members, one alternate and non-voting representation from the political parties.