By the later years of his administration, the Governor was allocated ~30
million annually for discretionary disbursements, and that is the likely
source of funding you refer to.  Typically, a NYS agency is selected for
running "point" on the funds, and there is legal language re receipt and
use.  Comptroller's Office would typically review such disbursements and
legal contract terms, before authorizing the payment/award.

It has taken significant legal maneuvering to get the details from the
Senate and Assembly regarding their disbursements.  Not sure if the former
administration ever presented their aggregate data, but doubt that they did.
You'd likely have to FOIL this information from the state agencies that
administered the grants (and take a guess as to which agencies would have
had administrative responsibility).  It has never been in anyone's interest
to publish/collect this information within the bureaucracy; given their
contract/authorization review, perhaps OSC is the best bet for "one stop
shopping" on this issue.

Incidentally, I believe Governor Spitzer has stated that he has declined to
take/use his discretionary allocation this year. 

Daniel Mackay
 
 

-----Original Message-----
From: A LISTSERV list for discussions pertaining to New York State history.
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Philip Terrie
Sent: Tuesday, January 23, 2007 5:26 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [NYHIST-L] Pataki and money

I have questions about NYS finances and how the state disperses some of its
cash.

During the Pataki administration, the Governor made several well-publicized
trips to the Adirondacks which involved his announcing major grants to local
institutions.  For example, he made at least two, multi-million dollar
grants (I'm not sure that is the right word, hence this query) that were
instrumental in advancing the progress of the Natural History Museum of the
Adirondacks, now known as the Wild Center, in Tupper Lake.

Two basic questions: first, what exactly are the terms of such grants?
I.e., does the Governor have discretionary funds that he can dole out as he
sees fit?  (Just last month he did something similar, giving $1 million to
the Adirondack Museum for its proposed branch campus in Lake Placid.) Or are
such grants always run through the legislature?  I think the total he was
responsible for transferring to the Wild Center approached the vicinity of
$14 million.

Second, does anyone know of where I might find a complete list of all such
items during the Pataki years?  I'm not looking for every bridge, firehouse,
basketball league, etc, funded by legislators, just those for which the
Governor took personal credit, as he did whenever he was handing out checks
in the Adirondacks.

Thanks,
phil

--
Philip G. Terrie
Interim Director, Center for Environmental Programs Professor, American
Culture Studies Bowling Green State University Bowling Green, OH 43403
(419) 372-6886 (voice)
(419) 372-7243 (fax)