Tom Precious at the Buffalo News sounds the theme that there aren't enough details in the governor's budget:
Some say it's a brilliant political move by Cuomo: Leave several major -- and contentious -- areas of the budget purposely up in the air right now and let the various sides fight over the specifics down the road. But legislators are now complaining, led by Senate Republicans who otherwise have been cozying up to the Democratic governor since he took office last month. They say Cuomo's fiscal approach is so open-ended that analyzing the 2011 budget has become impossible.
An analysis by the senate's Republican majority indicated that nearly 40 percent of the governor's cutting proposals are "unspecified:"
Cuomo has not hidden the fact that a sizable portion of his budget falls into the player-to-be-named category. The new governor has, for example, said he wants industry experts and stakeholders to be a part of redesigning the $50 billion Medicaid system. But there was not time for the panel, which includes members of the Senate and Assembly, to come up with a plan before he unveiled his budget Feb. 1.
Schenectady mayor to leave post
The mayor of Schenectady, Brian Stratton, is set to take a yet-to-be-announced job in the Cuomo administration, reports Jimmy Vielkind and Lauren Stanforth at the Times Union. The gig is expected to be revealed today.
Stem cell advocacy
Rochester city councilman Adam McFadden will appear on the popular BET show 106 and Park to talk about the importance of stem cell and marrow donation. Gary McLendon at the Democrat and Chronicle reports that McFadden will appear with a young leukemia patient to whom he donated blood stem cells:
McFadden and Adams are working with Preserve Our Legacy, an organization whose mission is to inform and educate individuals —particularly minorities — about the benefits of stem cells and the treatment options they provide via peripheral blood stem cells, bone marrow, and/or umbilical cord blood donation. The organization also provides educational resources that focus on early detection, which can lead to prompt treatment and improved chances of a positive outcome.
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