March 17, 2011
In an unusual, perhaps unprecedented occurrence, left-leaning New York Jobs with Justice sided with state Senate Republicans yesterday in rejecting the regional economic development councils proposed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo. "This could be a first," said a Jobs with Justice spokeswoman, "though we occasionally get a Republican who questions bottomless tax breaks." She said Cuomo hasn't provided enough details on the councils to demonstrate that they're "a coordinated, long-term strategy to create good jobs throughout the state." Senate opposition was not unexpected, given that the councils entail new spending largely outside of legislators' control.