Ravitch Offers Blunt Assessment of His Time as LG

By Karen DeWitt “I don’t feel I accomplished anything very December 9, 2010 substantive,” said Ravitch. Ravitch worked for months on a plan to bail the state out of its financial crisis. He rec- ALBANY, (WXXI) - The state’s de- ommended short term borrowing, coupled parting Lieutenant Governor, Richard Ravitch, with long term budgetary reforms. Governor gave a blunt assessment of his term in office. Paterson, not only did not follow the recom- Speaking at a Rockefeller Institute forum Thurs- mendations, he openly criticized them. day, Ravitch said he doesn’t feel like he accom- plished very much during his time under “All I could do was offer my recommenda- Governor . tions,” said Ravitch. “They were rejected by the governor and the Attorney General at the Governor David Paterson created a new time.” precedent when he appointed Richard Ravitch as his lieutenant governor in the summer of The Attorney General is now Governor- 2009. Then- Lieutenant Governor Paterson had elect , whom Ravitch says will replaced former Governor , leaving make a “strong” governor who is “bright” and the post vacant. Up until that time, when there “honest”, and who has “all the necessary ingre- was no lieutenant governor, the state’s constitu- dients to govern”. tion said the post should be filled by the Senate Ravitch says he has “no idea” why his pro- Majority Leader, who would pull double duty. posals were dead on arrival. He says Paterson But a coup and month-long stand off in the Sen- never discussed the matter with him. He says ate left the lines of succession uncertain, and the many legislators, though, both Democrats and state’s highest court ruled that Paterson had the Republicans, said privately they liked his plan, right to appoint his own Lieutenant Governor. but told him he was “politically naïve”. At the time, Paterson said Ravitch, an he- Ravitch did not directly criticize Paterson, roic figure credited with rescuing New York but did he say he feels the pain of others in the City from bankruptcy in the 1970’s and who has administration whose ideas were ignored, or served in numerous governmental capacities, who, like Environmental Conservation Com- including Chair of the MTA, would help the missioner Pete Grannis, were fired for express- governor with the budget crisis. ing their opinions. Grannis was let go after an But Ravitch’s ideas were ignored. In an unsigned memo warned of dire consequences unusually blunt, for politicians, assessment of for the state’s environmental health if lay off his tenure, Ravitch told a forum at SUNY’s plans were carried out. Rockefeller Institute that he does not believe The 77 year old Ravitch is philosophical he achieved much in his year and half as lieu- about his time in state government, saying he’s tenant governor. “reached the ripe old age where being intellec- tually engaged keeps the juices flowing”.

1 “I’ve never looked back on things,” he said. “appreciative of his service to the people of “It’s been a terrific learning curve.” New York”. He’s already met with Lieutenant Gover- Ravitch says he plans to have one last holi- nor elect and current Rochester Mayor Robert day lunch with Paterson, in the remaining days Duffy. He declined to share what the two dis- of their terms in office. After that, he says he cussed, but when asked whether he thinks wants to take his wife on a vacation, and then Duffy will have a worthwhile experience as he says he wants to continue to write and lec- lieutenant governor, said “that depends solely ture about the huge financial problems facing on his relationship with the governor”. governments. Paterson, in a statement, says he’s “grate- ful” for the counsel provided by Ravitch and

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