Spitzer: DiNapoli "unqualified" for comptroller job

One day after warning that the selection of Long Island Assemb. Thomas DiNapoli as comptroller was a "turning point" in his relationship with the legislature, Gov.

[jim]

TAKE A PILL ELLIOTT YOULL FEEL BETTER IN THE MORNING

[concern citizen]

Spitzer is right. What actual qualifications does DiNapoli have to be a Comptroller? The job has specific qualifications - does DiNapoli meet any of them? Let's be honest now.

[He is Right]

Spitzer is 100% absolutely right.

A nice guy is not a qualification to run this office.

Would you give him your money to invest with his no financial background or experience?

[Dan]

With less than two months in office, Governor Spitzer has already proven himself to be a huge disappointment. His $25,000 a plate soft money fundraiser on behalf of Craig Johnson was the first demonstration that he does not practice what he preaches with respect to campaign finance reform. Spitzer's attempt to handpick a Controller is classic overreaching since the Controller has an fiscal oversight responsibility over state agencies. Tom DiNapoli is an honorable man. Hopefully, Mr. DiNapoli recognzes that his role as a fiscal watchdog is not to be in partnership with the governor, but to act with fairness and impartiality with respect to his audit function. Mr. Spitzer's attempt to bully his State Assembly colleagues shows a disrespect for other branches of government, and a lack of respect for state constitutional checks and balances.

[holysmokes]

Spitzer: "wah wah wah wah wah wah wah wah".

[Ira]

Spitzer is right on this to a point.Tom is a good and capable man but not really qualified for this specific job. But Spitzer is not without guilt in doing the same thing with his appointment here on LI at LIPA. Again his choice here is a very capable and nice guy but not really qualified for the job. This is a little like the pot calling the kettle black. However, it can be at least said that Spitzer was elected statewide to do a job that affects the whole state. I don't remember voting for Silver to call the shots for things that affect the whole state. Enough of this guy continually throwing his weight around and dictating what happens in the state. Time for this political boss to go and let's run the state like it should be.

[Jane]

Why is Spitzer upset. He did the same thing with his LIPA appointment.

[Helen]

unlike spitzer, dinapoli has class and grace. as for qualifications, he managed over a 100 people at att for ten years. he ran a big school district. he sat on the fiscal ways and means committee for 15 years. he is an expert in the relatiionship between state and local govt, the guy who created the nifa bailout of nassau and the laws that stopped school district fraud. he has a reputation as an honest and honorable man, a guy who brings people together instead of driving them apart. and he is smart enough to hire experts in areas he doesnt know. does that answer you?

[Excuse Me]

Spitzer is turning out to be a real classy professional, first he publicly curses out a senator now he calls the new controller unqualified.
He fails to indict his friend Hevasi in a timely manner prior to the election so the Dems would maintain the comptroller slot.
He then bans all state officials from appearing in public service messages, citing unfair public exposure of officials. Then you seen Spitzers face all over campaign ads for Johnson soft money ads.
He tries to rewrite the State Constitution by giving the Assembly a list of appointees to pick from. Then has a fit when the Assembly elects one of their own. Now he is bad mouthing those that supported DiNapoli.
Spitzer is making a lot of enemies on both sides of the aisle. He will never accomplish anything as Governor with that attitude and ego. I can't see anyone wanting to work with him.

[tony]

gov. spitzer must think he has the almighty power.

[Matthew from Smithtown]

Our state government is an embarrassmaent. We have a senate and assembly who are filled with people who have no spine and just go along with the leaders of their respective bodies. It is time for term limits to clean out the dead wood that represents us. Is it any wonder that our state is in such poor shape.

Spitzer won in a landslide for a reason. Most of us are fed up how our state is run.

[Zed]

I love ya Elliot. Off with their heads!

[Common Sense]

Business as usual in Albany folks.... isn't time we "un-elect" them all and take our government back? Professional hoes have more class, grace, and skill at what they do compared to the bozos we have running our state!

[Fed-up in Smithtown]

Our inept legislators did it again, Followed the two power brokers that do what they want not what the people of our state wants. Someone should open the closets & let the skeletons out. NY's Legislators are the laughing stock of America.

Elliot Please Find a way to clean house.

[observer]

All the politicans suck, and they can't be trusted as far as you can throw the state capitol building. The answer is to elect independents who answer only to the people they represent, their own consciences, and their own God.

Meanwhile, change the law or state constitution, or whatever it takes so that the choice of a controller and similar positions in these circumstances is OUT of the hands of the politicans. Term limits are also needed - Bruno and Silver have long outlived their usefulness as legislators

[Jay D]

DiNapoli may or may not be qualified but I'm sure glad Spitzer didn't get one of his three bobblehead's appointed. He's just another power hungry politican throwing a tantrum because another power hungry politician, Silver, isn't prostrating himsef before the self annointed emperor. He better hope that Bloomberg isn't interested in Albany when he terms out, Elliot wouldn't stand a chance.

[Fed-up in Smithtown]

observer wrote:

All the politicans suck, and they can't be trusted as far as you can throw the state capitol building. The answer is to elect independents who answer only to the people they represent, their own consciences, and their own God.
Meanwhile, change the law or state constitution, or whatever it takes so that the choice of a controller and similar positions in these circumstances is OUT of the hands of the politicans. Term limits are also needed - Bruno and Silver have long outlived their usefulness as legislators

It's like asking the school districts to consolidate. Not in our lifetime

[reader]

Helen wrote:

unlike spitzer, dinapoli has class and grace. as for qualifications, he managed over a 100 people at att for ten years. he ran a big school district. he sat on the fiscal ways and means committee for 15 years. he is an expert in the relatiionship between state and local govt, the guy who created the nifa bailout of nassau and the laws that stopped school district fraud. he has a reputation as an honest and honorable man, a guy who brings people together instead of driving them apart. and he is smart enough to hire experts in areas he doesnt know. does that answer you?

are you related to this guy? or did he do you a favor or something?

I'm sick of hearing about corrupted Long Island officials. They steal more money than criminals but yet they get away with days in jail.

I think the time has come to flush the bureaucracy that has been cause of all the scandals.

If they are trying to appoint a new comptroller the BEST and the MOST qualified should be the only to win, not the one with the connections or just because he has been hanging around this circle of so called born-to-be-politicians.

Spitzer is right and I hope he gets his way.

I don't mean to sound insulting with you but I'm just truly sick of hearing about corrupt officials stealing money all the time and yet we keep appointing people from the same bunch.

Enough is Enough.

[dmm]

It would have been useful for Newsday to list DiNapoli's qualifications for this important oversight position - as well as those 3 candidates selected by the indepenent committee.

I am disturbed that the Legislature chose to do the "insider" route and disregard an agreement that they themselves entered into. DiNapoli's insider status can hinder him in his new role.

[Jim Sallie]

No, He is not a CPA. Since he is the controller now he should start taking courses at a college to become one. Tom Suozzi was more gualified them him. I believe Mr. Suozzi is an accountant and an attorney.