DiNapoli: State has ‘special obligation’ to Albany
by Jordan Carleo-Evangelist
A day after Mayor Kathy Sheehan renewed calls for additional state financial support for Albany, state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli on Tuesday acknowledged the state’s “special obligation” the city and noted city officials have often found a friendly ear at the Capitol in the past.
But whether Sheehan lands the extra $10 million-to-$15 million annual boost she seeks to close Albany’s $16 million budget gap will ultimately come down budget negotiations DiNapoli has no role in.
“There were always these kinds of concerns and requests, and certainly the previous mayor I think in most cases had a positive response — maybe not to every single request,” DiNapoli, who spent 20 years in the Assembly, said this morning at a breakfast briefing for reporters. “So perhaps the question is how much more special should that relationship be?…
“We want Albany to not only survive but to thrive, so I think that special relationship will continue. The parameters of it and what price tag is attached to it, I think that’s what we’re all going to be looking at and considering over the next few weeks. But I do think there is a sense of a special relationship and a special obligation … in terms of understanding the financial needs of the city of Albany. And I’m sure that will continue.”
http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/204539/dinapoli-state-has-special-obligation-to-albany/
