Gov. Cuomo Gets High Marks For First Year In Office
NEW YORK (WCBS 880) - New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is wrapping up his first year in office and he'll be happy to hear what some have to say about it.
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David Birdsell, dean of the School of Public Affairs at Baruch College, says it was a spectacular first year.
"Passing the budget on time for the first time in quite a long while, making significant changes to balance that budget, the gay marriage piece," cited Birdsell.
Gerald Benjamin, a political science teacher at SUNY New Paltz, said Cuomo sounded like a Democrat on social issues and a Republican on fiscal issues and that, in part, is what made Cuomo's first year such a success.
"It was a balancing act, and quite an extraordinary one," he said.
Benjamin feels Cuomo has more credibility with the legislature than past governors and that's making a big difference.
"He's also gone into rooms, told people that he made commitments to people, and then delivered," said Benjamin.
But it doesn't mean year two will go quite as smoothly.
"He's facing some big issues and it might get in the way of further achievements. So, there are challenges ahead," said Benjamin.
"This is almost like having a blockbuster movie and then you have the director's second task and people are always looking at that with very high expectations," said Birdsell.
What do you think of the governor? Sound off in the comments section below!
