He disregards both

For months, we listened to Gov. Andrew Cuomo laud the importance of fact-based decision making and proclaim the values of objectivity and science. But “do as I say, not as I do” has always been a hallmark of this governor’s administration. So, it should not be too surprising he willfully disregarded the above in lieu of his own politically convenient narrative of the past year.

The FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office are now investigating the state’s handling of nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. And there is no shortage of irony of a man spending every day for the better part of a year telling people to follow the “facts” and the “data” as they grappled with the spread of the virus only to then hide the same facts and data despite countless requests. As federal authorities pursue their investigations, the state legislature has a responsibility to act decisively as well. I recently joined colleagues in the Assembly Minority Conference to call for a bipartisan Impeachment Commission in order to gather facts, information, and uncover answers with an eye toward accountability. There are many things we still do not know about the state’s response to COVID-19 and its impact on nursing homes. In fact, we may not even know all the things we do not know, as this administration’s constant refusal to be transparent is so strong that it is hard to make heads or tails of anything it has said in these past few months. What is fact, and what is fiction? What are we supposed to believe?

We now know the governor hid the true number of deaths in state nursing homes and long-term care facilities by 50 percent; the total number of nursing-home residents who died is more than 15,000. We also know information was censored as the governor’s team “froze” while coming up with a game plan to avoid federal investigation. And we also know many of the things the governor has said since the state attorney general investigated these misrepresentations have made little sense.

A review of the timeline of the events leading to that investigation is nothing short of alarming. In August, the New York State Department of Health (DOH) said it needed until November to answer a Freedom of Information Law request from the Empire Center aimed at uncovering the true nature of what was going on in state-run facilities. Then, in November, the DOH said it needed until January to look for exemptions to the law. Shortly after that, Gov. Cuomo was awarded an Emmy for his “masterful” COVID-19 television briefings. The request had still not been filled.

At the same time, the continued underreporting of statistics related to those deaths also drastically impacted the state’s nursing-home mortality rate, which the governor had previously claimed was among the best in the nation. Using New York Attorney General Letitia James’ numbers, New York was actually one of the worst. Somewhere along the way, Cuomo wrote a book about leadership and how well he was doing.

“Nature abhors a vacuum so does the political system,” the governor said in a recent Q&A, where he claimed the “void” his administration created by not releasing these numbers sooner was filled with “skepticism, and cynicism, and conspiracy theories which furthered the confusion.” Perhaps, that is because this administration has cultivated an atmosphere of “skepticism, cynicism and conspiracy.” I have a suggestion: instead of creating vacuums and voids in the first place, answer the people when they demand honesty, clarity, and accuracy. That is what they deserve and that is what you are tasked with doing as a public servant. 

The perils of the COVID-19 outbreak are too numerous to count; it is a public health crisis and an economic crisis. It has wreaked havoc on our education, quality of life, and work routines. The only way to confront these challenges is head on, with a concerted effort from government and health officials and competent leadership from those in positions of authority. At some point, integrity and credibility got lost along the way.

As a legislative leader, I will continue to press this administration for every available piece of information related to the state’s pandemic response — nothing like this can ever happen again.        

William (Will) A. Barclay, Republican, is the New York Assembly Minority Leader and represents the 120th New York Assembly District, which encompasses most of Oswego County, including the cities of Oswego and Fulton, as well as the town of Lysander in Onondaga County and town of Ellisburg in Jefferson County. Contact Barclay at barclaw@assembly.state.ny.us. 

Large-scale infrastructure projects are gaining national attention for their opportunity to spark growth and create jobs as the country seeks to recover from the economic crisis caused by COVID-19. This creates an important opportunity in our own community, which is why CenterState CEO is advocating for a “record of decision” on the redevelopment of Interstate-81 (I-81) as one of its top five 2021 policy priorities. Having been the subject of research, modeling, and debate for years, it is time for the project to move forward, as it is critical to safe and efficient transportation for Central New York. Additionally, the Community Grid option and its community-driven priorities stands to serve as a model for other regions embarking on infrastructure projects seeking to achieve more than just transportation solutions.

There are signs of progress as Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced in his State of the State address that he expects the project to break ground next year. Also, in February, Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh discussed the project with members of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s staff. I am hopeful that these conversations will result in the necessary federal funding needed to complete the $2 billion project.

While these conversations move forward, it is imperative that we shift our collective focus to maximizing this opportunity to ensure that the people in this community that need jobs have a clear pathway to those created by this project, particularly women and minorities. To prepare the local labor force and contractors so they are well-positioned to participate on this project, CenterState CEO is working with Mayor Walsh and Onondaga County Executive McMahon to develop and launch Syracuse Build. This workforce initiative is dedicated to developing career opportunities in construction-related fields for Syracuse residents, particularly from low-income communities and communities of color. As the economy begins to pick back up, and with work on I-81 on the horizon, Syracuse Build will produce a pipeline of qualified local workers.

This project, and the jobs and new investments it stands to bring, provide hope for a stronger more equitable future for our community. To learn more about Syracuse Build, contact Dominic Robinson, VP of economic inclusion at drobinson@centerstateceo.com.             

Robert M. Simpson is president and CEO of CenterState CEO, the primary economic-development organization for Central New York. This article is drawn and edited from the “CEO Focus” email newsletter that the organization sent to members on Feb. 18.