Democracy In Albany - New York Politics || Comptroller Wanted - No Financial Experience Necessary

Comptroller Wanted - No Financial Experience Necessary

By DIA, Section News
Posted on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 01:55:27 PM EST

Well the NY government is right back to being a joke. The top Republican is under investigation by the FBI and was just re-elected to his position of majority leader. And now the Assembly just elected a comptroller that has no financial background. He claims that he learned about finances via his work as an elected official. No, he isn't kidding. His time as a member of the most dysfunctional legislature is what he says qualifies him to be the top money guy in NY. And he worked at AT&T.

My extensive knowledge of State and local government is not all I will bring to the job of Comptroller. For ten years I worked in the private sector in the telecommunications industry. For most of those years I served in a variety of management positions. At the time of my election in 1986, I managed an office of more than 100 employees at AT&T. I also earned a graduate degree in management from The New School University in New York City, which further honed my skills in managing people to produce the best possible results.

There you have it.

Shelly Silver has got to go.

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Comptroller Wanted - No Financial Experience Necessary | 13 comments (13 topical, 0 hidden)

Wow (none / 0) (#1)
by alfrednewman on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 02:23:47 PM EST

This guy sounds great.

I was once worked in an office that had 100 people. Maybe I can be his assistant.
"What? Me worry? " "whatmeworry.alfred@gmail.com"

: It was a legislative perogative to begin with (none / 0) (#3)
by AlfredMoisiu on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 06:05:01 PM EST

All of this melodrama is just posturing for the press. Everyone knew back when the Hevesi scandals were raging that Shelly's guy would be in.
What I find more disturbing is that the public employee unions have thrown in for the financial neophyte who holds less that 15,000 in investments personally. This guy is the sole trustee of billions of dollars of union member pensions. Go CSEA for looking out for your member's interests!

[ Parent ]

I'm on Shelly's side (none / 0) (#2)
by devtob 53 on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 05:31:57 PM EST

For 12 years, he protected a lot of worthwhile social and educational programs from the predation and corruption of Pataki and Boss Bruno.

This appointment is the Legislature's prerogative, and the Democratic majority exercised it.

Spitzer over-reached on this, and found that he could not, and never will be able to, steamroller the speaker.

The comptroller's office has plenty of people with financial and auditing experience. DiNapoli will now manage them, presumably as well as former Assemblyman Hevesi and former state Sen. McCall did.

Shelly Silver is going nowhere. Spitzer and Democrats here will have to deal with it.
The Democrats are the party of the people.

: devtob (none / 0) (#4)
by alfrednewman on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 08:53:39 PM EST

Don't be too sure about Shelly.
The first thing that Pataki did was get rid of Ralf Marino. Spitzer is quickly going to discover that Silver has a different agenda than he does. The Govs budget shows that he thinks that he should be the one, through the exectutive departments, that dispenses all of the "gifts" that under Pataki was the perview of the legislature.
Silver was smart enough to eliminate the staff conspiracies that almost cost him the leadership when Bragman took a shot at him. He consolidated all of the councils and moved most of the Albany staff to the district offices.
He was also gracious enough to "forgive" those who voted for Mike.
But times change. The ironic thing is that Spitzer is now a threat to Shelly's fifedom because Spitzer, not Silver, is now the Democratic leader of the state and Spitzer may well have the power to dethrown him. Just as Pataki was able to take down Ralf.
Want to bet that Shelly doesnt go on vaction out of state anytime soon? Thats what happened to Ralf. Went out of state and came home to an office change.
I am surprised that the new Comptroller lacks the experience that I would have that would have been neccesary. I personally, apparently, have done better with my investments.

"What? Me worry? " "whatmeworry.alfred@gmail.com"
[ Parent ]

Shelly wins (none / 0) (#5)
by Eric427 on Thu Feb 08, 2007 at 03:06:30 AM EST

Shelly does what he wants, but he couldn't do it without the lockstep support of local heros, make that zeros, assemblymen Jack McEneny, Bob Reilly and Ron Canestrari. Not to mention, Mr. Independent Tim Gordon. Didn't that guy run on Spitzer's coattails and now when Shelly says jump, Gordon asks how high?

And Uncle Joe? Maybe he had other things on his mind, like I need to try to curry favor with the new Comptroller, screw voting for the best candidate.

At the end of the day, hired professionals will run the pension fund and as a result it will be fine. Tom DiNapoli won't be trading any stocks. The Unions understand that. Still, it doesn't mean that just anyone can run the office. If it did, we all could have just voted for Callahan.

status quo (none / 0) (#6)
by DIA on Thu Feb 08, 2007 at 04:27:49 AM EST

Shelly has presided over an embarassment of a legislature. For quite some time. And DevTob, if you think Shelly represents "the people", I'd love to see some evidence.

If you like the status quo in NY (and i'm sure the unions do), than Shelly and Joe are your boys. Why any person not personally connected on the ongoing organized theft of NY taxpayer dollars would defend the status quo is beyond me.

Eric (none / 0) (#7)
by alfrednewman on Thu Feb 08, 2007 at 05:51:59 AM EST

The problem is that the comptroller is the sole trustee for the pension fund. Its not the professional traders that set policy and can play politics with the pension money. Its the Comptroller.

McCall publically stated that he played politics with the money and if any of our leaders had any balls they would have removed him over it.
"What? Me worry? " "whatmeworry.alfred@gmail.com"
[ Parent ]

I never said Shelly represents (none / 0) (#9)
by devtob 53 on Thu Feb 08, 2007 at 04:38:19 PM EST

"the people."

He directly represents his district, and indirectly the Assembly Democrats who elect him their leader.

He's not perfect, like any politician, but for 12 years he held the line against Pataki and Bruno on a wide range of issues of interest to Democrats.

Though Shelly is no longer the top Democrat in the state, he does not deserve to be treated like shit by DEMOCRATS when all he did, in this instance, was exercise his prerogative to choose a replacement comptroller, as anyone who knows how Albany works knew he would do all along.

BTW, I am not a union member, nor otherwise benefitting from "the ongoing organized theft of NY taxpayer dollars," whatever that is. And I support the vigorous prosecution of any illegal uses of state money, by people of any party.

So let's start talking about the obstructionist Senate Republicans, and their boss who is likely to be indicted for selling influence to a shady wheeler-dealer.

We are Democrats here, after all, aren't we?
The Democrats are the party of the people.
[ Parent ]

: Devtob (none / 0) (#11)
by alfrednewman on Thu Feb 08, 2007 at 06:22:59 PM EST

Actually because Shelly is the Speaker of the Assembly he represents more than just his district. He leads the lower house of the legislature.
Shelly is being treated like a political rival to the most powerfull Democrat in the state, which he is. Albany isnt big enough for both of them.
Who cares about the Senate and no- not everyone here is a Democrat. Ford is a Republican.
The Democrats are the party of some of the people.

"What? Me worry? " "whatmeworry.alfred@gmail.com"
[ Parent ]

Back to being a joke? (none / 0) (#8)
by A Muse on Thu Feb 08, 2007 at 10:22:25 AM EST

Exactly what years, months or even days has New York government not been a joke?

dev tob (none / 0) (#10)
by DIA on Thu Feb 08, 2007 at 06:21:39 PM EST

not everyone here is a democrat. I am.

However, the reason this blog exists is because of corrupt democrats like Jennings and the bullshit that goes on in systems that protect incumbency at all costs.

I will never defend a democrat who I feel is not doing their job. So far i've found few in NY who i can respect and believe that they are doing their job.

I criticize democrats when the earn it. And they do it alot these days.

I didn't start criticizing Shelly this week. I've been doing it for years. He is part of the problem. I've been treating him like shit for a while now. He has/had a real opportunity to stand up and do what is right FOR THE PEOPLE.

That said, I've been harder on Bruno, because he's more of an arrogant asshole about all this.

I am a democrat. I stand think we should work for what is good for all the people, not just the rich. However, Democrats in power around these parts don't appear to agree with me.

Silver wants the status quo. The status quo is bad for the people. But very, oh so very damn good for Shelly and his henchmen.

If we support democrats just because we are democrats we are no better than the 30% of backwash that still supports Bush.

A Muse (none / 0) (#12)
by DIA on Thu Feb 08, 2007 at 06:28:21 PM EST

There was a brief few days there where everyone was talking about reform.

Like most of what comes out of our incumbents mouths, it was lies.

Still a joke. But i must say i like how spitzer is bringing it. He is calling them on their bullshit. Which is what needs to be done.

I like Joe and Shelly's hubris. Personally, I'm glad Shelly is trying to protect his power instead of representing the people. How embarassing to be the two leaders who worked so hard to maintain the title of Most Dysfunctional Legislature. But they are going to fight to hold onto that title. Good.

Cheesey Chucky better watch out! (none / 0) (#13)
by Jim Travers on Fri Feb 09, 2007 at 12:04:51 AM EST

I hear Elliot's armor plated a Caterpillar D9, and is headed over to the LOB.

You know, the same kind of bulldozer Chuckey's buddys in Israel used to crush Rachel Correy to death with.

More corporate greed & death brought to you by Senator Charles Ellis Schumer and your tax dollars:

http://www.israeli-weapons.com/weapons/vehicles/engineer_vehicles/bulldozers/D9_D10.html

http://rafah.virtualactivism.net/news/today_two.htm

Comptroller Wanted - No Financial Experience Necessary | 13 comments (13 topical, 0 hidden)

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