The Remarks Of Speaker Sheldon Silver

The Assembly Majority Response To The State Of The State Address

State Capitol, Speaker's Conference Room, Albany, NY
Wednesday, January 9, 2008 [3 P.M.]

{As Prepared For Delivery}

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver spoke following Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s State of the State address. Silver applauded the Governor’s commitment to children’s health and education, improving the state’s public university system, addressing the tax burden and bringing economic growth to Upstate New York. Audio Excerpt A (17 seconds) Audio Excerpt B (15 seconds) Audio Excerpt C (25 seconds) View Transcript

We pray that the Bruno Family will find comfort in these sad times and we join them, and all New Yorkers, in a prayer that medical science will soon find a cure for Alzheimer's Disease.

I congratulate Governor Spitzer on his 2008 State of the State Address.

The speech provided a vision for the future comprised of serious, achievable, bipartisan goals that will move this state in the direction New Yorkers have long desired but have not been able to accomplish.

• Significant investments to strengthen the Upstate economy;

• Vast improvements to our state and city university systems;

• A strong commitment to our children's health and education;

• Serious efforts to reduce the tax burden;

I don't know how you argue against this as a vision.

I found the tenor of this afternoon's speech encouraging.

I believe it clearly demonstrates Eliot Spitzer's continuing maturation in the role of New York State's Chief Executive.

Naturally, I was pleased by the Governor's recognition of the Legislature's essential and fundamental role in this Democracy, and I was pleased by his commitment to work with us in addressing the many challenges facing the state.

I was also encouraged to hear that Governor Spitzer has lost none of his zeal for governing.

That's critical, because we will need all of the energy, all of the enthusiasm, all of the passion, and all of the leadership we can get in order to deliver an on-time budget that is fiscally responsible and true to our obligations in what is clearly a difficult economic climate.

Whether the economy is strong or weak, we are most successful when we are working together.

In his remarks, Governor Spitzer listed a number of accomplishments that we achieved together in 2007.

Speaking for the Assembly Majority, we are "on board" to bring about more progress this year.

Most of the ideas that Governor Spitzer enunciated in today's address, are initiatives that the Assembly Majority has been working on and acting on for years, and we will continue to act upon them.

Beginning with education, I am pleased that the Governor acknowledged our leadership on universal pre-K. We applaud him for sharing our commitment to early education, and let me add that it's great to have a governor who keeps his promises to our youngest citizens.

Being the original champions of C.F.E. in this state government, the Assembly Majority salutes Governor Spitzer for honoring his commitment to its principles.

To recognize that the education of our children transcends the ebb and flow of economics; to refuse to abandon the smallest and the least influential during the hard times; these are the truest signs of genuine leadership.

After years of fighting to keep the dream of a college education within the reach of every New Yorker;

After years of promoting higher education as the engine that drives this rapidly expanding innovation-based economy;

The Assembly Majority applauds Governor Spitzer both for holding the line on a tuition increase and for his staunch commitment to enhancing the quality and the stature of our public colleges and universities, as well as our community colleges.

On health care, we are pleased that Governor Spitzer's vision mirrors our own.

We support the "Doctors Across New York Program" and his initiatives to manage chronic diseases in children.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver responds to reporters questions following Gov. Eliot Spitzer's State of the State address. At the Capitol news conference Silver was joined (from left) by Assembly members Kenneth P. Zebrowski, Helene Weinstein, Tim Gordon, Catherine T. Nolan, Richard N. Gottfried, Darryl C. Towns, Vivian Cook, Robert Reilly, Janele Hyer-Spencer, Richard L. Brodsky, Naomi Rivera, Dennis H. Gabryszak, Anthony S. Semenerio, Jack McEneny, Michelle Schimel, Herman D. Farrell, Charles D. Lavine and Ron Canestrari.

Having joined Christopher and Dana Reeve in announcing the Assembly Majority's support for stem cell research back in March of 2003, I praise Governor Spitzer's leadership. I wish this dynamic duo had lived to see the fruits of their tireless labors here in New York State.

The Assembly Majority is proud of its longstanding commitment to provide health care coverage to each and every child who needs it. As champions of "SCHIP," we once again commend the Governor for his commitment to expanding the program.

I'll say it again, refusing to abandon the smallest and the least influential during hard times is the truest sign of genuine leadership. This is what separates our Governor from the President.

Last but certainly not least, as veterans of a twelve-year fight to change the way this state addresses the upstate economy;

Having delivered hundreds of speeches on the wisdom of regional economic development, university/industry partnerships for high-tech business and job creation, and investment in roads and bridges, schools and hospitals, tourist destinations and business parks;

We praise Governor Spitzer for embracing the idea of regional blueprints and for his commitment to investing in the upstate economy.

Our great upstate cities: Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Binghamton, Utica, Watertown, and Schenectady, all must be revitalized both physically and economically.

In Governor Spitzer, we finally have the partner we have needed in the Executive with the will to turn these regional economies around.

Let me add that after years of promoting and investing in a health sciences corridor in Western New York, we commend Governor Spitzer for striving to do in Buffalo with medicine and health sciences, what the Assembly Majority has been and is nurturing in Albany with semiconductors and nanotechnology.

The Governor was right when he said that we are all striving for good jobs, better schools, good and affordable health care, strong, safe and vibrant neighborhoods, and lower taxes.

How Governor Spitzer translates this vision into policy, we will see in the Executive Budget proposal he submits on January 23rd, then it will be up to the leaders in each house of the Legislature to submit the Governor's plan to our respective conferences and to mesh our visions with his.

As you know, there are serious challenges to consider: the recession, a budget deficit, the sub-prime lending crisis, increasing transportation and energy costs, and lagging wages.

Nevertheless, I believe that we share a common understanding of the challenges and a mutual commitment to addressing them in the smartest, most forward-thinking way possible.

We will present our plans to the People and we will pass a fiscally responsible and on-time budget that reflects our state priorities and honors our state obligations.

In closing, let me commend Governor Spitzer for his decision to re-name the Triborough Bridge in honor of Robert F. Kennedy. Bobby Kennedy gave his life striving to bridge the gaps that divide the American People.

Now, as we strive to transform vision into reality, let us be guided by his words: "Our future may lie beyond our vision, but it is not completely beyond our control. The work of our own hands, matched to reason and principle, will determine our destiny."