Address leaves local leaders wanting more
By MICHAEL ANICH/The Leader-HeraldALBANY - The area's three Republican state legislators weren't overly enthused by Democratic Gov. David Paterson's first State of the State address Wednesday, but say they like some of his initiatives, especially those aimed at upstate and the Capital Region.
"This is my 33rd State of the State [address]," state Sen. Hugh T. Farley said today. "It wasn't the greatest."
Farley, R-Niskayuna, said he was impressed by Paterson's memorization skills, but the 44th Senatorial District representative said the governor's address was somewhat short on substance.
"He seems to be reaching out to extraneous things - things that did not address serious problems," Farley said. "He recited poetry, he talked about Henry Hudson ... he's a philosophical man."
One of those extraneous issues, the senator said, was how the governor touched on obesity. The governor spoke not only of the need for universal health coverage, but also about the importance of preventive care.
Paterson announced a five-point plan to address the growing obesity epidemic, which he said is the greatest threat to children's long-term health in the state.
One out of every four New Yorkers under the age of 18 is obese, and not only does obesity lead to greater risks of heart attacks, strokes, cancer and loss of limbs, but he said it also creates a significant economic burden on New York state's health care spending.
"A lot of the surprise and luster of the State of the State was taken out when [Paterson] released his budget a month ago," Farley said.
Farley said he liked the way the new governor is reaching out to both sides of the aisle. He said Paterson mentioned many different legislators personally, including himself.
He acknowledged a mortgage crisis bill that Farley wrote. It was one of the more important pieces of legislation from the last session, the senator said.
Farley said he's noticed many of the governors in the past have had a tendency to "take on legislators," but Paterson appears to have more of a spirit of cooperation.
When asked if Paterson's attitude has to do with the national spirit of cooperation stressed by another fellow Democrat - President-elect Barack Obama - Farley said he merely thinks it is Paterson's "personality" shining through.
"He's a nice man, and you can quote me on that," Farley said.
The senator said he liked Paterson's ideas about energy independence and Farley sees ways they can help his district - a potential "boon" to the area.
Paterson called for New York state to meet 45 percent of its electricity needs through improved energy efficiency and clean renewable energy by 2015 - one of the most ambitious clean-energy goals in the country.
State Assemblyman Marc W. Butler, R-Newport, said Paterson didn't get too deep into issues, but that is sometimes the case with the State of the State addresses.
"With the state of the economy and the condition the state is in, I don't think the governor presented any sweeping, dramatic proposals," Butler said.
The assemblyman said Paterson re-emphasized some of the aspects of his budget.
Overall, Butler said he believes Paterson grasps the depth of the problems the state faces.
"I think the governor's got it right," Butler said.
He said the hope is that costs on the middle class aren't driven upward.
Butler said he was impressed the governor spoke about economic development efforts for upstate.
"That's exactly the shot in the arm we need," he said, noting the strengths of the Mohawk Valley.
Butler said his district has many hard-working people, "great" colleges and an affordable wage scale that can spur more economic development. Butler said he liked that the governor wants to increase manufacturing jobs.
Paterson reiterated his call for Congress to pass a comprehensive stimulus package and talked about the need to revitalize every part of New York state.
Butler said the governor noted the costs of companies going overseas are increasing and their profits have leveled off. He said Paterson wants to strengthen the position of existing manufacturers in New York state.
"Certainly, you have to support that," Butler said.
If he follows through on job-creation efforts upstate, Butler stated, "I think he's doing the right thing."
State Assemblyman George Amedore, R-Rotterdam, said Paterson had an opportunity Wednesday to talk about short-term fixes, but stressed the long-term.
"Here is an opportunity from the governor to outline a progressive plan for moving forward to get us through this," Amedore said.
But for Paterson and the state Legislature to get things done, Amedore said the state needs a business-friendly environment. He said the state needs to "build confidence" in its residents by allowing more buying power, savings and not having government "in their pocket."
"The government's taking too much from them now," Amedore said.
The Associated Press reported that in a rare, if not unprecedented, move, Paterson never mentioned the 6 million-acre Adirondack Park, where he plans some funding cuts, including in the Environmental Protection Fund, which can be used to buy wilderness to protect it from development.
John Sheehan, communications director of the Adirondack Council, said today the park's absence in the speech is a serious concern.
"We're troubled by that and by the other aspects of what he's introduced so far," Sheehan said.
Sheehan said his organization will continue to lobby against cuts to the Environmental Protection Fund and the fact the governor wants to cap taxes on the forest preserve. He said he doesn't believe Paterson is necessarily "picking on the Adirondacks," but the council will double its lobbying efforts in the next couple weeks.
Michael Anich covers Johnstown and Fulton County news. He can be reached at johnstown@leaderherald.com
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resident69
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01-11-09 7:58 PM
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dang it...why isn't there a spell checker he..... oh yeah the LH doesn't use them in the paper either... I meant "Problems".... I wish they had a preview button before posting!
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resident69
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01-11-09 7:56 PM
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The answer to the states probelms is easy! Build super duper Wally Worlds across the state since some believe this will save Gloversville, so then it should save the state!
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ConcernedCitizenNy
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01-10-09 6:45 AM
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Obese (overweight, fat, whatever you want to call them) people are not hurting anyone but themselves... so why penalize them? If they want to eat themselves into oblivion, then by all means, let them! But, I don't see you ******** about the idiots that are out there smoking cigarettes in the cars with their little kids, or in public who then flick there butt out onto the street... They are hurting everyone not just themselves... Sounds like its okay to give the world lung cancer but its not okay to let a person eat if they choose to.... jmho...
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resident69
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01-09-09 7:31 PM
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after years of repubicains we we see CHANGE? oops I meant Will We, not we we.... but then again we might just see wewe LOL
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resident69
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01-09-09 7:28 PM
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in the election for the job she wants! Gee so now that the democraps have control after years of repubicains we we see CHANGE? I think not... First thing they did was to put the budget aside so they could fight over leadership amongst themselves. Yep Blame the Governor he himself caused this mess...NOT!! Let's see if these overpayed seat warmers actually do anything this year.
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resident69
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01-09-09 7:22 PM
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Discobulous, I called the jokers instead of liars...basically the same thing. We hear the same garbage over and over. They all of a suddenly do things for back home just in time for you to remember on Election Day. How about all that wasted taxpayers money on flying these clowns in washington overseas on fact finding "missions"??? Why don't they travel the U.S.A. and see the mess they have caused here. Go talk with the Homeless Vets and others. Those old enough to remember should say they are sorry to the Vietnam WAR vets...sorry but it wasn't a "POLICE ACTION"!!!! Now back to NYS, why did people want hillary here since she only was using this as a stepping stone back to the White House? White House, White Water...gee the same amount of letters. Was there no women living in NY good enough to be Senator??? and Not Kennedy!!!Just because her family is the alledged Make believe Royal family of the US does not justify making her a Senator. She didn't even vote in
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LoyalSocialist
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01-09-09 11:30 AM
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Educational systems need to be focused more on education than sports and other extra curricular activities. It comes down to the local districts to decide what they want to do with some of the monies, some take the money and put it toward education, others take it and put it to new unused athletic fields. Yes, sports can be a good thing, but they can be money pits as well.
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gvilleNative
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01-09-09 10:29 AM
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I can't help but to think that Gov. Paterson is all talk. In his state of the state, he said we need to have a top notch educational system, yet he cut the funding for schools. Explain that for me, will you? Because I am lost.
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Discobulous
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01-09-09 9:11 AM
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Right. Let's elect some NEW jokers.
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resident69
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01-09-09 8:54 AM
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Thanks ADKMike, I have always said the Best Term limit is NOT to keep re-electing the same jokers over and over. They will never impose term limits on themselves so we need to.
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stratford
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01-09-09 7:41 AM
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If the gop had not bankrupted the county then we would not be in this mess. Let's turn FULTON BLUE!!!! Recall those deregulate and bankrupt republicans. What can they do for us now except wave flags and guns to get your vote.
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ADKMike
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01-08-09 5:34 PM
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Thank you resident69, any politician that has been around for 33 years is a perfect model of how to live well on other peoples money. It kind of makes you wonder if they are part of the solution or the Problem.Don't you think that a little "fresh blood" every few years is a good thing? How do you get change when we all we have is the same old same old.
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DivaGod
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01-08-09 5:27 PM
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Hey we may need our fat to live off of when we can no longer afford to eat due to our high taxes. pig out now folks you may not get the chance again.
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Discobulous
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01-08-09 4:57 PM
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But all the extra fat can be liposuctioned off and turned into useful biproducts you can sell. Hence the 'fat kid' actually wins in the end.
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justmyopinion6
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01-08-09 4:49 PM
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Depression rates Suicide here they come, and who is going to make all the money off the fat camps, tv reality shows about skinny ******* showing fat people how to work out, oh I'm sorrry I have a job to go to I dont have time to go to the gym, oh summer camps for kids who is funding these, kids get picked on while counslars are making out, give me a break the world is just finding someone else to pick on
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justmyopinion6
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01-08-09 4:44 PM
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we are not free by any means so stop right their, the food industary, makes lots of money even the so call diet foods, it is the bull shit, life is all a money making skeem for someother *******'s pocket, ******** like these are what keeps people stressed out, where does weight truely come from, bodies chemitry, alot of us want to lose weight but can't, doctors don't help, peep pressure and hertiaty is where it comes from, and you probably have the kids in the lunch room making fun of the fat kid, throwing some at me, you want to talk shit, how about that bus ride home when you get beat up getting off the bus after the bus driver ride away, it that fun to you, do you think that does any good to the fat kid to lose weight, you are all *****
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justmyopinion6
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01-08-09 4:35 PM
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what happen to freedom of rights, are we now in China, next your going to say we have to kill the first born son, or oh thats right I forgot that is why we have so many displace Vets now, you must all be skin ***** that are replying to this, your suicide rates are going to sky rocket, or course you'll just make money off the body part through the morges, I bet your not going to print this
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Discobulous
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01-08-09 3:08 PM
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So lets institute a 'fat tax'. Anyone weighing more than the legal obesity limit has to pay, say, $3.00 a month per extra pound. It might also convince them to reduce.
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sighing
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01-08-09 2:41 PM
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Yes, I certainly agree that obesity is a problem in this area. But has anyone ever notice how many "large" people put diet Pepsi in their shopping cart next to the cookies, chips, ice cream, and candy? The same at McDonald's.....Supersize the meal, along with the diet Coke!
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resident69
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01-08-09 2:05 PM
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"This is my 33rd State of the State [address]," state Sen. Hugh T. Farley said today I kind of like Mr Farley, but when you follow that statement with "the governor's address was somewhat short on substance." Mr Farley these problems have been mounting for years and if you been there for 33 years, are you part of the problem since nothing has seemed to get improved upon. Mr Patterson didn't create all this mess, it was dumped in his lap. I don't agree with everything he wants but he has to start somewhere. Albany needs to pull their heads out of you know where and look at the mess they have created over the years. Just imagine what this country could have done with the money wasted on the past presidential campaigns? What a total waste of money! Just think of the cancer research it could have funded. The school supplies it could have been bought! Albany and Washington lead us down this dusty road.
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resident69
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01-08-09 1:47 PM
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Discobulous, wouldn't it be nice if they did and quit making speeches about needing to do it?
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Discobulous
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01-08-09 12:33 PM
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That's a revolutionary idea! Too bad none of them have thought of it.
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resident69
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01-08-09 11:44 AM
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Repukicans blaming the democraps... gee the state wasn't better off with a republican in control. It's not a new idea, WORK TOGETHER FOR THE TAXPAYERS. We DO pay your salaries!
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resident69
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01-08-09 11:41 AM
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...and charge cigerette smoker for polluting the air and littering for throwing the butts on the ground (maybe charge them with an EPA violation for the toxic chemicals the smoke produces) then the beer drinkers for excessive potty usage.
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oinkster61
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01-08-09 11:38 AM
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I don't think that Hugh Farley and I listened to the same speech. If our senators and assemblymen don't like the governors proposals that's fine. Come up with other initiatives and make the needed cuts.The governor said that it is your time, so let's see some real decision making.
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