One of Columbia’s own, David Paterson, CC ’77 and an adjunct professor at the School of International and Public Affairs, was sworn in as governor of New York state on March 17.
Paterson, who served as lieutenant governor under former Governor Eliot Spitzer, is the first legally blind and first black governor of New York. He is a John Jay Award winner and a resident of Harlem. He entered office at a time of crisis for his party, following a sex scandal involving Spitzer.
“I never expected to have the honor of serving as governor of New York state,” Paterson said at his inauguration. “But our constitution demands it. This transition today is an historic message to the world that we live among the same values that we profess, and that we are a government of laws and not individuals.”
Paterson’s experience in politics began early, with his father serving as a West Harlem state senator in the 1960s and later the New York secretary of state. Paterson followed in his father’s footsteps, becoming a political activist in his area and then being elected as the West Harlem state senator in 1985. In 2002, he became the first nonwhite minority party leader and is affectionately referred to as the “Son of Harlem” by some in the neighborhood.
Spitzer and Paterson ran together in a 2006 gubernatorial bid, achieving a decisive victory over Republican opponents. But on March 10, Spitzer made headline news for his patronage of a high-profile prostitution service called Emperor’s Club VIP—a discovery that led to his political downfall and resignation seven days later.
Paterson caused a brief stir right after he was sworn in when he admitted at a press conference to having had extramarital affairs. But beyond his personal matters, Paterson took office at a critical time, needing not only to restore New Yorkers’ trust in his party, but to balance the state budget before the April 1 deadline.
In the future, the chief executive and Columbia alumnus could come in handy for Columbia as it moves toward construction of a new campus. With three Manhattanville business owners still unwilling to make deals with the University, state use of eminent domain—which would allow the government to seize ownership of the private property for the public good if the land is deemed underused—may be necessary.
“I’ve talked to Governor Paterson over the years,” Bollinger said, referring to Paterson’s tenure as a state senator. “I know he is supportive of this project. He has said so publicly. And I believe that were eminent domain to be needed to implement the plan, I believe that he would be supportive.”
Yet Paterson’s stance on eminent domain remains murky. In August 2005, the then-New York state Senate minority leader called for a moratorium on the use of eminent domain at a press conference. He also expressed support for a plan to restrict the use of the policy in the city after Councilwoman Letitia James (D-Brooklyn), whose district includes the area of the proposed Atlantic Yards development, proposed the bill. He has not publicly addressed his views on eminent domain since being sworn in as governor.
melissa.repko@columbiaspectator.com