Crains New York - June 11, 2012 - (Page 10)

VIEWPOINT Careful there, governor hen Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced plans in January for Genting to build a $4 billion convention center beside its Aqueduct racino, a few red flags were raised. It seemed foolish to hurriedly decide such a complex and important matter in closed-door negotiations with a single company. Dissent came from newspaper editorial boards, from state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli and from supporters of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, which faced competition from Aqueduct and even demolition under the governor’s plan. But on the whole, the objections were muted. Mr. Cuomo’s sky-high approval rating and successful rookie year largely immunized him from criticism. He had already won several victories by virtue of deals orchestrated quickly and quietly, such as a retooling of the millionaire’s tax. Complaints about a lack of transparency—a subject Mr. Cuomo cited 11 times in his 2010 campaign platform—got little traction. Then, suddenly, the governor declared last week, “I want to have a full, open competition” for a new convention, gambling and entertainment venue in the city. And nothing would happen until legislators and voters approved a constitutional amendment on gambling, meaning 2013 at the earliest. Fast-track and backroom were out; deliberation and openness were in. What changed? Only the governor knows for certain. But before he announced a new course on the convention center, he had learned that The New York Times was preparing a story revealing contributions of $400,000 by Genting and $2 million by the New York Gaming Association to the Committee to Save New York, a business and labor coalition W editor in chief Rance Crain publisher, vp Jill R. Kaplan EDITORIAL editor Glenn Coleman deputy managing editors Valerie Block, Erik Ipsen assistant managing editors Erik Engquist, Jeremy Smerd senior producer, news Elisabeth Butler Cordova news producer Lauren Elkies contributing editor Elaine Pofeldt columnists Greg David, Michael Gross, Alair Townsend pulse editor Barbara Benson senior reporters Theresa Agovino, Aaron Elstein, Lisa Fickenscher, Matthew Flamm, Daniel Massey, Miriam Kreinin Souccar reporters Amanda Fung, Andrew J. Hawkins, Shane Dixon Kavanaugh, Adrianne Pasquarelli art director Steven Krupinski deputy art director Carolyn McClain staff photographer Buck Ennis copy desk chief Steve Noveck copy editor Thaddeus Rutkowski data editor Suzanne Panara assistant data editor Emily Laermer researcher Amy Stern interns Esthena Brutten, Ken Christensen, Cara Eisenpress, Emily Lundeen, Eva Saviano, Mary Shell EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING OFFICES Risking all the progress made in making NY more businessfriendly that has advertised heavily in support of Mr. Cuomo’s agenda. By reversing course on Genting, he got in front of the Times story and so far has kept it from being considered a scandal. But it was a close call. Too close. The governor cannot afford to risk all the progress he’s made in restoring New Yorkers’ faith that state government can be effective and honest. In the past decade they have lost confidence in every governor: David Paterson’s approval rating plunged from 64% to 28% in a mere eight months. Eliot Spitzer’s tumbled 24 percentage points during his first year in office, and that was before his prostitution scandal. George Pataki’s rating, which was above 80% in late 2001, fell below 50% in the second year of his third term and never recovered. Public confidence in Mr. Cuomo is essential if he is to continue carrying out the largely pro-business agenda he has pursued so far. If state legislators sense weakness, they will resume their pursuit of narrow, parochial agendas—perhaps allocating themselves discretionary money or sweetening public-employee unions’ pensions to offset the recent reform. The governor could hardly call them out for doing favors for special interests if he were known for doing the same. We have no bone to pick with allowing a city casino that facilitates a convention center to attract shows too large for Javits. But there’s a bigger issue at stake, and that is the governor’s reputation. In a town like Albany, he can’t give up the ethical high ground. 711 Third Ave., New York, NY 10017-5806 editorial: 212.210.0277 Fax 212.210.0799 advertising: 212.210.0711 Cable craincom nyk Fax 212.210.0499 Entire contents ©copyright 2012 Crain Communications Inc. All rights reserved. ®CityBusiness is a registered trademark of MCP Inc., used under license agreement. 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Masura 313.446.6097 director, audience development Michael O’Connor senior marketing manager Catherine Schutten event producer Courtney Williams reprint sales manager Lauren Melesio general manager, online & e-commerce strategy Kira Bindrim senior web developer, interactive Chris O’Donnell NEW YORK PRODUCTION production and pre-press director Michael Corsi advertising production manager Suzanne Fleischman Wies PUBLISHED BY CRAIN COMMUNICATIONS INC. chairman Keith E. Crain president Rance Crain secretary Merrilee Crain treasurer Mary Kay Crain executive vp, operations William Morrow senior vp, group publisher Gloria Scoby group vp, technology, circulation, manufacturing Robert C. Adams vice president/production & manufacturing David Kamis chief information officer Paul Dalpiaz founder G.D. Crain Jr. (1885-1973) chairman Mrs. G.D. Crain Jr. (1911-1996) CRAIN’S ONLINE POLL COMMENTS SHOULD BIKING WITHOUT A HELMET BE MADE ILLEGAL? Date of poll: June 5 Say no to Albany deal TAX CUTS, YES. WAGE HIKE, NO The Long Island Association reiterates our support for the state Senate majority’s New Jobs NY plan and our opposition to the state Assembly majority’s efforts to increase the minimum wage (“Pessimism may signal Albany deal,” The Insider, June 4). The Senate majority’s plan includes tax cuts for small businesses, acceleration of the repeal of the 18-A utility assessment, tax credits for job creation and regulatory reform. These will help create private-sector jobs, reduce energy costs and make the state more competitive. Meanwhile, increasing the minimum wage and indexing it to inflation would raise the cost of doing business for small and large companies. The New York City and Long Island economies will prosper with fewer government regulations and more tax cuts, which will allow businesses to invest and hire more. hurt affordable housing”: The argument that Intro 730, now pending before the City Council, will somehow add an unbearable financial burden on contractors is simply false. Employers are already required under the state’s Wage Theft Prevention Act to compile basic hourly wage information. Intro 730 simply requires that the contractor transmit to the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development the same information. The only circumstance under which Intro 730 would add a financial burden is if the contractor is not already complying with state law. And in that case, the contractor has no business working in the city’s publicly funded affordable-housing program. The only people who are afraid of government transparency are those with something to hide. 294 votes Yes. Head injuries are the leading cause of death and disability among bicyclists. 63% . 37% No. Requiring helmets could dampen demand for the city’s bike-share. For this week’s questions: Go to www.crainsnewyork.com/poll to have your say. 10 | Crain’s New York Business | June 11, 2012 . President & CEO Long Island Association —kevin s. law Business manager Mason Tenders’ District Council of Greater New York and Long Island CRAIN’S WELCOMES SUBMISSIONS to its opinion pages. Send letters to letters@crainsnewyork.com. Send columns of 475 words or fewer to opinion@crainsnewyork.com. Please include the writer’s name, company, address and telephone number. —robert bonanza A FINANCIAL BURDEN WORTH BEARING Re the May 14 opinion column “Wage bill will http://www.crainsnewyork.com http://www.crainsnewyork.com/poll

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Crains New York - June 11, 2012

Crains New York - June 11, 2012
Table of Contents
Local hospitals suffer growing pains
Meet two of the busiest property buyers in town
Sin City: Pot, pop and ponies, by the numbers
New York, New York
Brooklyn Heights morphs into retail hot spot
The Insider
Real Estate Deals
Viewpoint
Greg David: Why city’s med centers must merge or die
Small Business
Plus: NY’s top hospitals list
Classifieds
For the Record
Tourists’ ticket to exclusive events
How to overcome the tech talent shortage
Executive Moves
Dewey partner down but not out
Hot and spicy at Singapura
The Weekahead

Crains New York - June 11, 2012