State of the State

Pataki delivered his 11th State of the State today in Albany. Newsday has the full text. Thus spake Nero:

"I introduced a new philosophy that day - I asked you to join me in seeking not just incremental change, but rather 'bold, sweeping fundamental change:' change to improve the lives of all New Yorkers. Now, a decade later, I hope you'll indulge me as I reflect on what we've achieved together, and more importantly, outline the steps we must take today to build on that great achievement."

No shit, sherlock. Easily the first third of the address has to do with the decrease in the crime rate in NY. Then 9/11 predictibly comes up. You have to scroll down a ways to get to the first real mention of Upstate, and then it's lauding businesses who are locating outside of NYC, but in NYS. Yay. It takes a while, but eventually he calls for medicaid relief/reform, and the following seven items: 1. Reform our state's lobbying laws. 2. Impose a ban on all gifts from lobbyists. 3. Bold reforms and improvements at our public authorities. 4. A new Executive Order establishing a new, broadly inclusive Commission on Public Authority Reform to explore new ways to continue promoting greater openness and accountability at all public authorities, whether at the state or local level. 5. Move aggressively forward with the elimination or consolidation of hundreds of commissions, task forces, boards and authorities that have been established over the course of many decades. 6. A new commitment in both houses to make internal reforms… to give members a greater voice, to improve the day-to-day operations of the Legislature, and to help strengthen public confidence in our government. 7. Topple the most notorious symbol of Albany's dysfunction…enact a real budget reform bill that opens up the process, empowers individual legislators and ensures balanced and on-time budgets. So, do it. If anything, it's not ambitious enough.