Corruption charges touched the Cuomo Administration, as the Governor bet big on Hillary Clinton and a Democratic State Senate only to come up short. Those are just some of the developments this year in State News, including a debacle over a pay raise for state lawmakers. State House Reporter Zack Fink joins me now in the studio to wrap up the year in Albany.
Coming around to a position he had previously been criticized for not taking, Governor Cuomo pushed hard for a $15 minimum wage in this year's State budget.
"The minimum wage and paid family leave are fundamentally economic issues that are customary for the budget," Cuomo said.
Cuomo got paid family leave and a path to a $15 minimum wage in some parts of the state, including the City. And when the vote came down to the wire on the morning the budget was due, some Republicans initially balked but ended up voting for it.
Later that month, it was determined that Joe Percoco, one of Cuomo's closest aides, was under investigation by the U.S. Attorney. He was arrested in September as part of a wide ranging alleged bid rigging and bribery scheme.
"Today's complaint shines a light on yet another sordid side of the show me the money culture that has so plagued government," said U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara.
Cuomo disavowed any knowledge of the alleged scheme, even though it included eight other people with ties to the Administration.
"I had no idea about anything that was contained in that complaint," Cuomo said in September.
Cuomo decided to bet big on a Hillary Clinton victory that would usher in a Democratic majority in the state senate, both of which he campaigned hard for. But he was wrong, with Republicans winning the White House, and maintaining control of the state Senate.
Sensing backlash, Cuomo is pivoting to big infrastructure like an on time finish for the long awaited 2nd Avenue subway. Meantime the ongoing feud between Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio continued to color every interaction between the state and city, including the response to the Chelsea bombing.
Then in November Cuomo's appointees to a pay commission, which was expected to grant lawmakers their first pay increase since 1999, decided not to.
"We the appointees of the Executive will refrain from voting on any recommendations put forth by our colleagues," said commissioner Fran Reiter.
The lingering hurt feelings over the pay commission coupled with Cuomo campaigning against their members, led Senate Republicans to turn their backs on The Governor when he tried to call a special legislative session this week. Cuomo was hoping to salvage a pay raise, but came up short.