What's Behind New York's Budget Deal?
And how did Gov. Cuomo get it done?
Welcome to Politics Bites, where every afternoon at It's A Free Country, we bring you the unmissable quotes from the morning's political conversations on WNYC. Today on the Brian Lehrer Show,Chris Smith, contributing editor for New York Magazine, talked about the negotiations that led to the agreement on a budget in New York between the governor and the legislature.
How the Governor Got What He Wanted
Chris Smith said that Governor Cuomo shrewdly capitalized on the deep, longstanding unpopularity of the state legislature. As strong as Cuomo's approval ratings have been, Albany politicians in the Senate and Assembly had little leverage against his budget.
He was going to get his way no matter what, and pass his budget with some nibbling around the edges by one way or another. He positioned himself as a compromiser, bringing everyone around the table, allowing discussion in a way that hasn't happened in New Jersey or Wisconsin. Ultimately, the terms are Cuomo's; whether they arrive this week or next, it's all going to be virtually the same.
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