Gov. Andrew Cuomo's appointment of Cornell University President David Skorton as New York Racing Association chairman is ironic, given the stark contrast it showcases between the two men.
As Mr. Skorton takes the reins on a difficult and controversial issue ("Cuomo bets on a new face," Dec. 9), his first step is "insisting on sunshine" — transparency. Inspiring both confidence and trust, he made the NYRA meeting public and released the organization's financials. Perhaps this modus operandi is why Mr. Skorton is so popular and well-respected, a point I can attest to as a Cornell alum and donor.
In contrast is Gov. Cuomo's approach on fracking, the tough issue he took control of when elected governor. Gov. Cuomo has brought a dark cloud of secrecy to the issue, inspiring only distrust. Now, instead of letting the draft fracking regulations expire while the science is conducted, the governor has released revised regulations before completing a health review, indicating that politics — and pressure from out-of-state oil and gas companies — is driving his decision rather than science.
To make matters worse, the health review is being conducted entirely in secret, at the exclusion of not only the public and the media but also New York's exceptional medical and scientific community.
Gov. Cuomo would do well to take a lesson from Mr. Skorton and end the secrecy and go one step farther: Instead of allowing fracking, he should bring sunshine to the state — and his political future — by aggressively investing in solar, which would create both the jobs and the energy New York needs.
JOHN ARMSTRONG
Frack Action
Albany