On Board Online • March 8, 2010

By Timothy G. Kremer
Executive Director

I will never forget when, during a luncheon speech at a NYSSBA convention, then-Attorney General Eliot Spitzer uttered the memorable phrase, “Hubris is terminal.” If only he had followed his own advice. The ending of his governorship was a sordid tale for sure, but at least he owned up to his indiscretions and quickly exited the governor’s mansion.

By the time you read this, David Paterson may have bowed to pressure and left office. Or he could be tenaciously clinging to the office of governor.

News reports that the governor personally intervened in a domestic violence case to protect an aide have damaged the governor’s credibility severely –  maybe beyond repair. Even longstanding allies like the National Organization of Women have called for his resignation.

Paterson was dealt a bad hand when he suddenly became governor. But, he has consistently stumbled when trying to forge a consensus on strategies to address our state’s long-standing problems.

Should he resign? Let’s put it this way: Few people in his position would choose to stay in office. He has already acknowledged his political obituary by withdrawing from the race for governor. Now an Attorney General’s investigation and media frenzy over “Abusegate” promises to distract, if not paralyze, his administration.

If Paterson resigns, our governor will be Richard Ravitch. Paterson, himself, convinced me that Ravitch comprehends the requirements for the job of governor when he selected him as his lieutenant. Ravitch knows the Albany culture, yet is viewed as unaffected by it. Ravitch also understands New York’s external environment well enough to judge what the state’s most pressing priorities should be. His knowledge of the global community and how New Yorkers are interconnected worldwide is respected of many lawmakers, business leaders and media representatives.

Ravitch has a strong track record of accomplishments in tackling complex, highly-politicized, fiscal policy issues – exactly the skill set New York needs in an interim governor now. Sometimes, an interim leader is the only person who can mobilize the effort through particularly difficult times and build a sturdy bridge to a better future in preparation for his or her successor. Ask almost any school board that has benefitted from the services of a veteran interim superintendent who was called in to make really tough decisions.

By not having to worry about running for office, building lasting relationships, “seeing the possibilities” or building his resume, Ravitch could focus on the state budget deficit and designing a practical financial plan to get us through the lean years ahead.

NYSSBA’s number one job right now is to convince the Legislature to reject Paterson’s proposed education cuts contained within his 2010-11 executive budget. (I hope you are planning to attend the annual State Issues Conference to reinforce that message in visits with legislators.)

To what degree would Ravitch support Paterson’s proposed cuts? No one knows. If he is as savvy as reputed, he surely grasps that shifting costs from the state to school districts simply puts added pressure on local property taxpayers. While school districts are doggedly pursuing ways to become more efficient – with NYSSBA’s strong support – everyone knows that a few badly designed state laws are responsible for a largely intransigent education cost structure. 

School board members are well aware that resources for public education are dwindling while, at the same time, expectations are rising. We need a governor who will respect school districts’ ongoing efforts to cut costs while maintaining important programs that are good for kids and their communities. A governor who communicates honestly and shares information with the people about significant matters will gain our trust and support. We also need a governor who feels bound by our state’s promise to fix the broken state aid formula and is committed to ensuring students in every school district have adequate resources regardless of local wealth.

No governor can do it alone. All political players must join in crafting a solution to our state’s financial problems that does not eviscerate our public education system and addresses fundamental issues that hold back our state’s progress.

The first step is to restore confidence in government. That’s what’s lacking now. The status quo is intolerable.