Winners & Losers 12/11/15

It was like Christmas in Albany this week as Gov. Andrew Cuomo handed out cash to all regions of the state - with three areas getting a top prize of $500 million. Was the governor’s annual Santa routine able to land him on this week’s list? Read on to find out. 

WINNERS

Bill de Blasio: The mayor has been criticized for failing to get results. But this week he was able to get something done - even if it was a small thing - when he had a truck driver arrested by his security detail and cited for 13 violations. He’d probably of preferred the city council supporting his new zoning plan, but sometimes you gotta enjoy the small victories in life.

Peter Brower: It’s always good to go out on a high note and Brower, who has served as the Ramapo police chief for four and a half decades, is doing just that. As one of the highest paid state employees in recent years, earning almost $370,000 a year. In his retirement the chief will get about 60 to 70 percent of that amount in pension payments. Wonder if he’ll be spending most of that check in Florida, like so many other New York retirees.

Andrew Cuomo: There were a lot of winners from the Upstate Revitalization Initiative, but the awards announced this week allowed the governor to talk about his favorite subject – revitalizing upstate New York. As anyone who’s listened to a speech from the governor, upstate was “forgotten” before he became governor. He also won his own fight against the National Restaurant Association when a state boardupheld his order to raise the minimum wage for fast food workers to $15-per-hour.

David Greenfield: New York City will spend nearly $20 million guarding private schools under a controversial bill ushered through by Greenfield and promoted by parochial school organizations. Some City Council members’ voiced concerns about detracting resources from public schools, and the New York Civil Liberties Union suggested the measure pandered to the religious lobby. But the mayor ultimately greenlit Greenfield’s bill after they agreed to use private security personnel rather than the NYPD’s school safety agents.

Joe Percoco: He left to make money. And he will be making money. The close aide to Gov. Andrew Cuomo has landed softly after going off the public payroll in October. Cuomo’s former executive deputy secretary was named senior vice president of the Madison Square Garden Co. this week. Hopefully working for the Garden will be a little less stressful than being Cuomo’s political muscle.

LOSERS

Rick Chandler: A lawsuit was filed this week alleging New York City Buildings Department officials are so racist they would rather promote inept while inspectors rather than qualified minorities. As commissioner of the department (in addition to being a white guy) – that’s never a good week.

Anthony Mangone: No amount of singing could keep this canary from getting caged. The Westchester lawyer has been a cooperating witness in federal cases against three state Senators, helping convict Tom Libous, Nick Spano and Vincent Leibell. It was all a bid for leniency in his own case on bribery and tax evasion charges, but even having a better conviction rate than Preet couldn’t save him from getting sentenced to 18 months behind bars.

Dean Murray: Politicians, repeat after us: If you are trying to publicize a bill, never, ever, ever call into Mike Francesa. Ever. Murray broke this cardinal rule when he called into Francesa’s sport talk show and proceeded to get berated for 14 minutes by the infamous WFAN host over his view that daily fantasy sports aren’t gambling. Next time Murray wants to call in he should remember that Francesa controls the mic, and has been shouting down New Yorkers for decades. At least he wasn’t left in tears like Will from Queens.

Adam Skelos: Even in the event that young Skelos is acquitted in the corruption trial that could come to a conclusion as soon as today it’s still been a pretty terrible week for the son of the former Senate Majority Leader. Adam was called  "obnoxious," "a problem," "an ungrateful person," and a "bad employee" … by his own freaking attorneys! He also got raked over the coals by the Post for his pricey wardrobe choices. It’s pretty clear that he will never be able to fix his image as a spoiled daddy’s boy.

Angela Wozniak: Just watch this.