2012: The year in review

Beginning his second year in office, Gov. Andrew Cuomo made a bold promise. With all the state’s politicians, lobbyists, members of the press and other civic leaders watching, he used his State of the State address to pledge $1 billion for economic development in the Buffalo area, drawing praise from Western New York and sending shockwaves throughout the state.

Cuomo, who had lost Western New York to Buffalo native Carl Paladino in the 2010 election, said the state’s second-biggest city had for too long been ignored by Albany, and that he intended to change its fortunes. The promised money, almost all of it now committed to projects, has played a role in the narrative picked up by many publications from around the nation that the long-struggling city has turned a corner and is on a path to renewed splendor, with many new buildings and civic projects beginning to spring up shortly after the money started flowing. 

The surprises didn’t end there, though the other unexpected event was brought on by Mother Nature. Superstorm Sandy ripped through New York City, killing more than 40 people and causing tens of billions of dollars worth of damage. The fall storm became the focus of the nation, as communities like Breezy Point and Long Beach were devastated, the images of homes burning even as they were half filled with water flashing on television screens throughout the country. Cuomo and dozens of other leaders pushed extensive clean-up efforts, soliciting billions of dollars from the federal government to help put things back together, a task that continues in some communities to this day.

It was the year of a figurative storm as well, as U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara kicked his campaign to clean up Albany into high gear. Former state Sen. Hiram Monserrate took a guilty plea on fraud charges. Carl Kruger, the once-powerful Brooklyn state senator, was sentenced to seven years in prison on bribery charges. Former state Sen. Nick Spano took a guilty plea on a tax fraud charge. All fell at the hands of Bharara, whose dogged policing of a state capital often described as a cesspool has earned him an almost mythical status as “The Sheriff of Albany.” 

And in the Legislature, another storm of sorts was brewing. Democrats were able to seize control of the Senate – or so they thought. While the party held an outright majority in the chamber after the votes were counted, a breakaway group of five Democrats formed an alliance with Republicans, then under the leadership of Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos. Led by state Sen. Jeff Klein, the Independent Democratic Caucus established a power sharing agreement with Republicans, denying Democrats the right to rule the Senate, which would have given them control of the executive office and both chambers of the Legislature.

In a year full of surprises, both good and bad, the events of 2012 set the stage for things to come, but rough waters were ahead for Cuomo and others.

OUR COVERAGE: In its first full year after the merger between City Hall and The Capitol, City & State started off with a cover story on Cuomo’s blueprint for his second crack at negotiations with legislators. The staff followed that with cover stories on the tension between Cuomo and Michael Bloomberg, as the two executives tried to navigate the difficult world of public education, and an in-depth look at the legal saga of former Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno.