November 10, 2006
GIVE EM ELIOT
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New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, whose aggressive pursuit of corrupt Wall Street financiers, polluting energy companies and rip-off drug companies won him national fame, easily won election as Governor in Tuesday's elections.
Spitzer won majorities in every corner of the State and among all demographic categories - even among registered Republicans.
And he emphasized a bipartisan approach to governing in his first press conference as Governor-elect, asking for resumes and input from "the best, the brightest, without regard to party affiliation" on his new transition website, www.transitionny.org.
Former Assembly Health Committee Chair James Tallon will head up a health care transition team, which will also include current Executive Deputy Health Commissioner Dennis Whalen (who is staying on at NYSDOH) and Deborah Bachrach, a well-regarded attorney and lobbyist who's represented non-profit health care and social service providers for more than a decade. Bachrach has resigned her position as a partner at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips and is expected to take a senior health care job with Spitzer.
Silver, Bruno still on the scene
Spitzer also announced he'd meet with Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver soon to discuss his agenda for reform.
Though there have been a few rumblings of rebellion in the ranks (perhaps just dog-pitch noises audible only to hyperactive bloggers), Bruno and Silver remain as powerful legislative leaders.
Senate Republicans lost just one seat: Westchester County Legislator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, a Democrat, will replace Senator Nick Spano. And Assembly Democrats gained several seats, further cementing their supermajority status.
Andrew Cuomo new AG; Hevesi reelected as Comptroller
Former HUD Secretary Andrew Cuomo won election to Spitzer's old seat as NY Attorney General; he's stood up on HIV/AIDS and housing issues for years and says he'll focus on health care fraud and access issues as AG.
Comptroller Alan Hevesi won re-election by a strong margin, despite hot headlines over his improper use of state government staff to care for his wife, who is disabled. Cuomo's first job as AG may be to determine the course of an ongoing ethics investigation of the matter.
Medicaid, welfare, housing, testing - what else is new?
AIDS issues in the Spitzer era will include some old favorites.
Medicaid reform is one of Spitzer's big targets for "Day One," and advocates will be working to make sure savings come from fat drug company profits instead of lean patient benefits.
The recent high-profile battles on AIDS housing rents and public assistance household budgeting will be resolved in the halls of the Capitol in Albany.
And HIV testing and counseling policies will be the subject of more heat and light. All the more reason to get geared up for state advocacy in the coming year - we'll keep you posted on all the details.