Cuomo, De Blasio Continue To Feud Over Fixing Public Housing, Subway System
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio are at it again.
As the governor takes a high-profile victory lap for securing funds to fix public housing and the city subway system, the mayor launches an attack to rain on Cuomo's parade.
Cuomo got a standing ovation from hundreds of the city's movers and shakers who attended a public bragging session Thursday, or as de Blasio probably saw it – a public flogging session, CBS2's Political Reporter Marcia Kramer reported.
"We just lost eight months, because the city wouldn't pay half of the subway action plan," the governor said. "It is nonsensical, nonsensical."
Cuomo was talking about the things he accomplished for New York City in his new state budget, including getting the city to cough up its share of an emergency plan to fix the subways, and his public housing bailout, including more money and the appointment of an independent monitor to oversee repairs.
"The NYCHA housing is as bad as anything I have seen," he said.
More: NYCHA Residents Suffering While Officials Trade Blame In Political Tug-Of-War
De Blasio decided to punch back, suddenly adding a press conference to his schedule – one that, coincidentally, was at precisely the same time as the governor's event, Kramer reported. He bragged about fixing the roofs at 65 NYCHA buildings, but the real mission was to slam the governor for his recent tours of crumbling NYCHA apartments.
"There are some politicians who suddenly believe it is stylish to visit NYCHA. I've been visiting public housing buildings throughout my entire career," the mayor said. "Of course I'm talking about the governor. He hadn't been to a NYCHA development for five years previous to his recent tour. Let's be real."
Melissa DeRosa, secretary to Cuomo, quickly tweeted a response, saying, "Calling a visit to NYCHA 'selfish' diminishes an all-too-real travesty in housing experienced daily by 400,000 New Yorkers."
De Blasio was asked if it's time to stop the fisticuffs and be happy for the extra state funds.
"I'll work with the governor when he actually tries to help New York City, which I'd like him to do a lot more often," he replied. "And when he does something that hurts New York City, I'll take him on. That's my job."
The mayor seemed particularly irked by the governor's decision to have an independent monitor make the repairs. He said it came "out of nowhere."
Team Cuomo said it's what the tenants asked for; they don't trust NYCHA to do the work.
