Cavalcade Live: 2012 State of the State Address

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo will about to reveal his plans for 2012, his sophomore year in office as the governor of the Empire State. After pushing forward a property tax cap, marriage equality, and renegotiating labor agreements, New York state government isn’t seen with the same comical scorn as was the case in the waning days of the Paterson administration.

I’m here at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center and will be providing commentary and coverage of the event live. Refresh your browser periodically for the latest.

Updates:

3:14 p.m. – Cuomo ends speech, exactly 60 minutes long.

3:13 p.m. – Cuomo, “Last year, we learned to run. Next year, we’re going to run!”

3:09 p.m. – Cuomo calls out “naysayers and cynics, saying that last year was fluke. I’m here to tell you that they don’t know us; they’re no way we’re going down, we’re going up.”

3:07 p.m. – Cuomo closes saying we are not Democrats or Republicans first, we are New Yorkers first.

3:04 p.m. – Cuomo calls for the end of fingerprinting for food stamps for children, “make sure no child in New York State goes hungry.”

3:03 p.m. – Cuomo lauds SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher for service to SUNY.

3:01 p.m. – Cuomo calls the State University of New York as the “precious jewel” of the state, says it’s the great equalizer for the middle class.

3:00 p.m. – Cuomo wants to create a Tenant Protection Unit as part of the rent regulation reform.

2:59 p.m. – Cuomo names former NYC emergency czar Jerry Hauer to build up statewide emergency network.

2:58 p.m. – Cuomo calls for the creation of a statewide emergency network in response to what the governor saw in Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee responses.

2:57 p.m. – Cuomo wants to form a bipartisan commission for education in the legislature. Wants the report to be done this year.

2:54 p.m. – Cuomo cites that state has highest spending in nation for education, but ranked #38 in graduation rates.

2:54 p.m. – Cuomo says this year the students will have a lobbyist in him.

2:53 p.m. – Cuomo: “Everyone in education has a lobbyist.”

2:50 p.m. – Cuomo says that the property tax cap worked and continued support for local government is needed.

2:50 p.m. – Cuomo wants to reform pension system and to create a Tier VI for employees who don’t even exist yet.

2:49 p.m. – Cuomo to continue to hold the line for no new taxes or new fees.

2:48 p.m. – Part 2 of the presentation begins: “Reimagining Government.”

2:47 p.m. – Cuomo estimates $25 billion in economic activity for collective Year Two plans.

2:45 p.m. – Cuomo plans to improve more than 100 bridges and to build new Tappan Zee bridge. Tappan Zee is currently seven years over it’s use-life.

2:43 p.m. – Cuomo proposes the NY Works Fund and Task Force to coordinate capital infrastructure projects across the state. Uses six agencies that have separate capital project bureaus.

2:41 p.m. – Cuomo estimates $1 billion in economic activity if state regulates casino gaming. Gets a mixed response from crowd.

2:40 p.m. – Cuomo says that the state is “living in denial” about casino gaming.

2:39 p.m. – Cuomo wants ESDC to “go global,” to work with Port Authority.

2:38 p.m. – Cuomo says regional councils were a success and thanks Duffy for running economic councils.

2:36 p.m. – Cuomo says that Buffalo will receive $1 billion in state support to create $5 billion of new economic activity. Says what happened in Albany (nanotech) can happen there.

2:35 p.m. – Cuomo addresses “crisis” in Western New York, “Buffalo, specifically.”

2:33 p.m. – Cuomo wants to build a new convention center at Aqueduct Race Track in Queens into the largest convention center in the nation. Wants to turn Javits into a private development site of 18 acres.

2:32 p.m. – Cuomo calls Javits Center as non-competitive; compares this to Chicago’s McCormick Place with 3.2 million sq. ft. compared to Javits’s 800,000 sq. ft.

2:29 p.m. – Cuomo introduces a three-part plan: next phases of economic development, reform, and job growth.

2:28 p.m. – Cuomo thanks emergency responders from storms, thanks the ones present in the audience, including New York National Guard troops.

2:27 p.m. – Cuomo calls 2011 a challenging year and uses Tropical Storm Lee and Hurricane Irene as examples.

2:26 p.m. – Cartoon of Silver and Skelos as children gets big laugh.

2:24 p.m. – Cuomo showcases “fair tax” brackets and new middle class tax cut.

2:22 p.m. – Cuomo lists accomplishments such as property tax cap, etc. Cuomo then states that New York has regained it’s place as the progressive capital of the country.

2:21 p.m. – Cuomo asks for legislature to stand up to be recognized.

2:20 p.m. – Cuomo cites the turnaround such as expediting the Capitol complex’s sped-up renovation and the historic legislative session in 2011.

2:19 p.m. – Prepared remarks begin (you can see a copy via Gannett Albany’s Jon Campbell) and slideshow begins.

2:18 p.m. – Cuomo thanks OGS staff and commissioner for renovation of the Empire State Plaza and the Capitol complex.

2:16 p.m. – Cuomo shouts out Attorney General Schneiderman, Comptroller DiNapoli, Majority Leader Skelos, and Speaker Silver.

2:15 p.m. – Cuomo thanks Duffy. Calls Duffy the personification of “pride, integrity, and performance.”

2:14 p.m. – Cuomo takes podium.

2:13 p.m. – Duffy talks about turn around of New York state government’s perception in one year.

2:12 p.m. – Duffy talks about Cuomo staffers wearing pins that say “I work for the people.”

2:11 p.m. – Duffy introduces New Yorkers in audience, including 300 school-age children.

2:10 p.m. – Skelos ends remarks, hoping to partner with the governor in the new year for further reform.

2:07 p.m. – Skelos talks about the $3 billion state deficit gap.

2:07 p.m. – Skelos cites the reason for this is having a partner in Governor Cuomo.

2:06 p.m. – Skelos says that Senate “threw the playbook of Albany dysfunction.” Cites closing $10 billion state deficit and cut taxes for middle income families.

2:05 p.m. – Skelos calls Cuomo an “innovator and friend.”

2:04 p.m. – Majority Leader Dean Skelos takes podium.

2:04 p.m. – Silver ends remarks, Duffy returns.

2:01 p.m. – Silver wants funding reform for community colleges, cites that the rate of state support has never been what it was supposed to be. Calls for an increase of funding for these “learning centers.”

2:00 p.m. – Silver wants to increase state minimum wage, cites NY is behind more than a dozen states.

1:59 p.m. – Silver looks forward to working with Cuomo and Skelos in the new year.

1:57 p.m. – Silver calls Cuomo the “most effective chief executive in our nation today.”

1:56 p.m. – Silver takes podium. Thanks Duffy for service as lieutenant governor.

1:55 p.m. – Duffy introduces both Ron Canestrari and Tom Libous, both have no microphones.

1:55 p.m. – Introduces legislative leaders.

1:54 p.m. – Duffy returns to stage to introduce mayors in audience, including Buffalo’s Byron Brown, Rochester’s Thomas Richards, Syracuse’s Stephanie Minor, and Albany’s Jerry Jennings. Yonkers’s Mike Spano gets a big plug, as does New York’s Mike Bloomberg.

1:50 p.m. – Duffy returns to stage, introducing the New York State National Guard to lead the pledge of allegiance.

1:46 p.m. – Archbishop giving secondary blessing.

1:45 p.m. – Rabbi gives interfaith blessing. Event running 12 minutes late.

1:44 p.m. – Cuomo enters.

1:43 p.m. – Duffy introduces Senate Majority Leader Skelos.

1:42 p.m. – Duffy introduces Schneiderman, DiNapoli, and Silver.

1:42 p.m. – Lieutenant Governor Robert Duffy enters room.

1:38 p.m. – TU’s Jimmy Vielkind reports that Sandra Lee, the governor’s girlfriend, has just arrived – reportedly giving Albany Mayor Gerald D. Jennings two kisses on the cheek.

1:34 p.m. – Assembly procession continues, members filling in and being guided to their seats by Cuomo staffers.

1:29 p.m. – Members of the New York State Assembly have begun coming into the ESP Convention Center.

1:25 p.m. – Members of the New York State Senate begin coming in through the northside entrance onto the floor.

1:24 p.m. – Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman is starting the judicial procession of the Court of Appeals.

1:20 p.m. – Attendees are asked to take their seats, 10 minutes away from advertised start time.

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