Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Will a Paterson Administration Respect Spitzer Public Authority Appointments?


When Eliot Spitzer won his mandate as Governor of New York State all Roosevelt Islanders looked forward to the end of the Pataki administration and the years of disastrous RIOC relationships. So when Stephen Shane was announced, on March 16, 2007, as Spitzer's pick for President and CEO of RIOC all eyes and ears looked forward to a change for the better.

The question is will Lt. Gov. David Paterson if he succeeds Eliot Spitzer as Governor, if he leaves office, feel compelled to replace all, some, or any of Eliot Spitzer's hand picked appointments including Stephen Shane. To my knowledge Mr. Shane serves at the pleasure of the Governor. I don't know his position to be one with a defined term or one that successor Governor's are required to keep. Again I believe the role to be one that serves at the pleasure of the Governor. To my view Mr. Shane's tenure to date has been a positive one. Perhaps a few bumps or friendly disagreements but nothing on par with a Berman or a Blue. To even imagine starting anew again so soon into this administration's term seems a waste. But only time will tell where the chips may land.

In the previous post's comments both Craig and Anonymous seem to be thinking that a change in the State administration and a possible change in RIOC leadership would mean the end of the Kahn FDR Memorial. I actually would be concerned that any uncertainlty might allow FERI more time to raise the funds they need and again uncertainlty might make it easier to avoid deadlines that might prevent FERI from commencing its project.

2 comments:

  1. i'm hoping that we get the best of both worlds: NO kahn memorial, and either steve shane stays on or we get someone even 'better.'

    and no, i have no clue who that would be, or how to define 'better.'

    this being the island of the damned, i'd almost bet we lose shane and get donald trump... and they start laying concrete at southpoint within 5 minutes of spitzer's replacement being sworn in :P

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  2. David Paterson is right out of the Harlem/Dinkins/Rangel/Paterson(yes, Basil, David's dad) political machine. It'll be a field day for the lobbyists et al. who will have to be dealt with. Will we be able to do business? Will anybody? If the Dems take the state Senate next year, the whole state is in serious trouble, and all bets are off, anyway.

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