Gov. Cuomo just stood with the public by vetoing several special-interest bills — including two we’d denounced under the headlines “Schoolbus Banditry” and “No More Giveaways to the Rich.”
The bus bill would’ve forced the city to favor higher-cost drivers and companies — who already benefit from a $42 million-a-year giveaway pushed through by Mayor de Blasio, one of whose donors benefits greatly from the subsidy.
The other bill would’ve handed $50 million a year in “tax credits” to firms working in music production and in digital-gaming media — “sexy” companies that apparently charmed the Legislature into offering the expensive gifts.
Those weren’t Cuomo’s only pro-taxpayer vetoes: The gov also nixed nine different “pension sweeteners” (bills that hand new benefits to state or local government employees), including one that would’ve rolled back the latest (Tier 6) pension reform for teachers across most of the state.
Peeved that the governor’s appointees had refused to OK a pay hike for the Legislature, lawmakers sent Cuomo more than 130 bills to sign or veto over the long Thanksgiving weekend.
Looks like that strategy backfired.