WXXI: Spitzer Will Need to Repair Relations, Experts Say (2007-11-15)

This week, Governor Eliot Spitzer put aside a divisive proposal on granting driver's licenses to some immigrants, and indicated that he wanted to work towards a broader agenda. Many experts and his political friends and rivals, say the governor has some repair work to do to get back on track.

Ten months into his term in office, Governor Spitzer's popularity has plummeted, and much of his political capitol, earned with a 70% voter mandate in November 2006, has been spent.

Steve Greenberg is with Siena College, which put out a poll this week showing that only 25% of New Yorkers would vote for Spitzer again. Greenberg says now that the controversial driver's license issue is behind him, the governor needs to shift his attention to the more immediate needs of the electorate.

"I think the governor needs to reconnect with voters," said Greenberg.

An editorial in the New York Times suggested that the governor needs to go on a listening tour, referring to the 1999 venture of then first lady Hillary Clinton, who wanted to run for Senator in the state. But the paper, and other editorials appearing in newspapers across the state, also say now is the governor's golden opportunity to turn things around.

By ending his quest to give driver's licenses to some immigrants, Spitzer quelled what had become an on-going war with Republicans in the legislature, who brought up the issue at every opportunity.

Assembly Minority Leader Jim Tedisco, who was one of the most vocal Republicans against the plan, says Spitzer is going to have to do more if he wants to work productively with the legislature.

"I'm hoping that he has learned a lesson," said Tedisco.

But Tedisco says a number of other incidents have soured relations. The Assembly Minority Leader says the trouble began back in the winter, when he was the recipient of an obscenity-laced tirade by the governor. Tedisco says Spitzer told him that he was a "steamroller", and would roll over opponents.

Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno, who has been in a feud with the governor since early summer, had some words of advice, if Spitzer wants to put a new foot forward.

"I would say to anybody in public office; be responsive to the needs of the people, get your priorities straight, be upfront," said Bruno. "Get results."

There are some indications that the Governor now wants to nip potentially controversial issues in the bud, and not let them fester out of control. The New York Sun reported on Wednesday that Spitzer's budget director planned to begin forcing Amazon and other large online retailers to charge the 8.375% New York sales tax for Internet purchases starting on December 1st, just in time for holiday shopping. As Republicans were trying out slogans, like 'the grinch tax', the governor's budget office announced that it was withdrawing the proposal, and would not try to impose the tax after all.

The governor also announced that the state would side against a lawsuit by some prisoners, convicted of violent felonies, who claimed that they were unfairly treated at state parole hearings. Republicans had been trying to tie that issue to the governor, sayinghe was soft on crime, but Spitzer now says he agrees with the GOP objections, and will fight the inmates in court.