The Accidental Governor Comes to Brooklyn

By on March 8, 2010 3:17 pm in News

Today, Governor Paterson participated in a Town Hall Meeting at Brooklyn’s Borough Hall.   Needless to say, the economy has severe problems and vital services are being cut to the bone. The following is a brief look at what he had to say after being introduced by Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz.

Yesterday, Gov. Paterson spoke in front of a Brooklyn church congregation and said that he was a victim of innuendo and lies and he would finish his term to “fulfill the mission in which God placed me.”

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  • Billy Reno

    I look forward to not having to look at him during the next term.

  • Furman

    What’s being done to Paterson is shameful and it will come back to bite the NY Democratic Party in the ass many times over. Notwithstanding the minor controversies of which we all know, David Paterson is the first, and maybe only, person in NY government to acknowledge that spending is unsustainable and that, due to the long-standing knee-jerk response of “tax the rich,” the tax base is leaving the state. Incidentally, that’s why there will need to be some sort of tax recompense from all of the new-build condos over the last decade, most of which have benefitted (and continue to benefit) from generous tax abatements. Regardless, even with Cuomo or whoever runs this state and city in the coming years, the slashing and cutting of social programs, entitlements, and, yes, services, is going to be grim. I fear what’s ahead will make the Dinkins and Beame years look tame. None of it is David Paterson’s fault.

  • T.K. Small

    I was at the town hall meeting and actually got to ask a question. Although his answer was a bit of a dodge, I was impressed with Patterson’s rejection of some of the proposed tax ideas of councilmember Charles Barron.

  • http://bivforbrooklyn.com Doug Biviano

    I’m generally pretty touch on politicians. But never ever believe the media’s portrayal of anyone. Listen to Paterson suggest a legit plan to avoid healthcare cuts, to save not only New York but all the states from the budget crisis and, with a bit of humor, save US taxpayers $800 billion by rejecting the Democrats lousy health insurance bill (view 58:56 to 1:04:02 by advancing play bar as cache video):

    http://www.ny1.com/1-all-boroughs-news-content/114854/-i-ny1-online—i–paterson-discusses-budget-in-brooklyn

    Yet, you won’t hear one news outlet cover something of substance coming from the man’s mouth.

  • http://bivforbrooklyn.com Doug Biviano

    oops. I meant pretty “TOUGH.”

  • Neighbor

    Unfortunately, Patterson is incompetent. That doesn’t mean you can’t point to a good idea here or there. He has, however, no experience as an executive or manager and no idea how to get anything done. He may not even have much interest in governing. He never wanted to be governor. He wanted to be senator. And, yes, he is getting beaten up, but he has a first rate budget guy in the lt gov’s chair and, according to what I read and hear, isn’t using his expertise. Ravitch is ready but the phone doesn’t ring. Patterson is not engaged and he is not dealing with the hard choices that have to be made in a coherent fashion. And, I have to add, neither does he have the expertise to make those choices.

  • Hillside

    Quite the opposite, Neighbor.
    Paterson is engaged, it’s the ideological party politicians who have disengaged from the real problems. They’re so focused on maintaining the status quo, they simply don’t want to hear what Paterson now knows. Perhaps it’s time for you to reconsider what it is you think you know via what you “read and hear.”

    Watch the two links below and tell me who is and who is not engaged: (pay special attention to 1: 15 of the second clip)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6YG4wxrVgc&NR=1

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3ZxmURTLSs&NR=1

  • No One of Consequence

    “fulfill the mission in which God placed me.”
    Really? I guess by that reckoning the devil made Elliot do it.
    The essence of a witch hunt is blatant. But that’s what you get when you don’t comply with the wishes of El Presidente’.

  • Sticky

    I just dislike him for proposing to close 41 state parks and 14 historic site in the state. Not even during the great depression did this happen. Way to go mismanagement!

  • Reggie

    Sticky, check this out from today’s Eagle:

    “Things are so bad, [Governor Paterson] said [at Borough Hall], that the state can’t afford to lay out the money for expenses that will be proven to generate more money. ‘For every $1 we invest in state parks, he said, ‘it generates $5. But we don’t have the money to do it.'”

  • nabeguy

    Oh, like all of you have a solution to the $9 bil budget gap. Ravitch might, and, yes, Paterson is arrogant in not putting him up front, but that’s politics. The man is fighting for survival in the only field he’s familiar with. Should he fall on his sword and accept the fact that the good of the people precludes his personal interests? F’ing A he should. For whatever reason, he seems to be truly challenged in recognizing that.

  • http://none Rosalie Harman

    I support Patterson. Many years ago , I had problems in family court with a judge who was biased against me. There were 13 other women who complained about that Judge. Patterson supported us, and in my case I was transferred to a Judge, who was much more fair. I also worked for Child welfare for many years, and I was suspended for speaking out and criticizing Child welfare policy. Patterson once again lent support. I eventually got my job back and worked for a few more years. I saw the good side of the man, and I believe him to be sincere. I called Albany to lend my support, I also discovered in daily conversation that a lot of people support the Governor and think he got a raw deal.