After Eliot Spitzer resignation, what becomes of Silda Spitzer's programs?
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By JOLEEN FERRIS
Story Created:
Mar 27, 2008 at 10:53 AM EST
Story Updated:
Mar 27, 2008 at 4:21 PM EST
When former Governor Eliot Spitzer resigned from office, his wife's public calendar was cleared as well. But what about the programs the first lady started - such as "I Live New York' - an initiative designed to keep talented young New Yorkers in the state?
When Spitzer stepped down from office, his wife, Silda Wall-Spitzer's, public life went away too. Her name's already been removed from the I Live New York website - the campaign she spearheaded which was designed to keep talented young people in the state, with a focus on upstate. We asked our state lawmakers in Albany to find out - will I Live NY continue?
"This was an important subject matter; stopping the brain drain the exodus from the state of New York," said Senator Joseph Griffo. "They may want to approach it in a different way, so all I would encourage is we continue to focus on the issue; how he wants to develop it and undertake it would be something we would yield to the new governor."
A spokesperson for new first lady Michelle Paterson was unsure of the fate of I Live NY, saying the governor's first priority right now is the budget - that many initiatives are being reviewed and upstate will continue to be a priority.
Assemblywoman RoAnn Destito was in Albany Thursday and contacted the governor's office about I Live New York.
"He intends to fully support the next conference of I Live NY that'll take place in Buffalo," Destito said. "He recognizes that the success of upstate New York is the success of New York State."
Destito learned, though, that first lady Michele Paterson might not be the one spearheading the I Live New York initiative, as she works full time.
A spokesperson for Governor Paterson says Former Governor Eliot Spitzer's $1 billion pledge to Upstate New York Economic Development still stands.
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