While as I said last post http://diaryofarepublicanhater.blogspot.com/2011/10/ok-now-i-dont-like-mayor-bloomberg.html I am not a big fan of Mayor Mike Bloomberg-he has his moments occasionally but then he ruins it by doing something like he did yesterday-announce a hiring freeze and $2 billion in cuts.
One chief executive most everyone here in NY likes is Andrew Cuomo. His approval rating is 66%-in a time of record low ratings for most of our public officals that is particularly impressive-his approval rating for handling the hurricanes is 86%. . And now in today's Wall Street Journal (10/05/11 pg. A19) he actually has authorized a 50 million bailout of the 1188SEIU worker's health insurance fund.
"Since the vast majority of providers are unionized and represented by 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, the increase amounts to roughly an extra $50 million in Medicaid funding over 27 months for the union's cash-strapped benefit fund for personal-care aides, who are paid hourly rates to help elderly and infirm Medicaid patients with chores, groceries, and bathing."
To actually raise what they have in their fund rather than cut it is a true man bite dogs moment as it's so rare. There is some talk that this deal was passed in exchange for the backing of Mr. Cuomo's recent budget plan that shaved up to $1 billion in Medicaid cuts.
I've always been a skeptic of his proposal to put a cap on property taxes. In a time of economic pain why protect property owners alone?
Still at least he is not reflexively slashing public unions as quickly as many other states and giving them back something where he can. He actually has done some good for pubic workers and it has been a long time since we could say that of anyone.
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