By Joyce Kryszak
Buffalo, NY – Governor Pataki's proposals drew praise from both sides of the aisle in the wake of Wednesday's State of the State address.
Now that Pataki has announced he's leaving state politics, even Democratic lawmakers seemed to cut him some slack. State Assembly Majority Leader Paul Tokasz says the Governor was clearly positioning himself for a national campaign. But Tokasz says that could be good for the state, especially in regards to the Governor's proposed energy policy.
"It gives him an entree, of course. And, I think it could lead and could help the New York state economy in a way," said Tokasz. "We do need to get away from fossil fuels. There's no question of that."
Tokasz cautions that the Governor's energy plan, that includes tax breaks, could prove too costly. But the Majority Leader says the idea is still worth pursuing. And he says the $2 billion surplus offers opportunities for some of his other proposals too, including tax cuts and bolstering education. Republican State Assemblyman Jim Hayes agrees. He gave the Governor especially high marks for his call to invest in education. But Hayes agrees the Governor's proposals for the state's economy took a global turn.
"And I think he is looking forward to leaving a legacy of his twelve years in office here as Governor of the state, and one that has made our community safer," said Hayes. "But much more work needs to be done and, certainly, he's laid out specifics on how he sees that to be accomplished. We'll see more when the budget is released."
Both Hayes and Tokasz were also optimistic about a smooth budget process. Tokasz attributes some of that to the fact that the Governor is on his way out.
"He is going to be someone who needs to be reckoned with this session, but I think most of the legislature understands that he has moved on," said Tokasz. "And I think we will have a conciliatory tone, hopefully we will have, if he gives us a good budget on January 17th."
Despite ample praise for the Governor's speech, Tokasz was quick to point out that Democratic Gubernatorial candidate Eliot Spitzer received the loudest applause when recognized by Pataki Wednesday.