New York Local News

ALBANY (CBS) ― A judge has postponed a decision on whether Gov. David Paterson's appointment of Richard Ravitch as New York's lieutenant governor is constitutional.

State Supreme Court Justice William LaMarca heard arguments Wednesday from attorneys for the governor, who contend Paterson was within his rights.

Attorneys for two state senators opposed to the appointment also presented their case, contending there is no wording in the state constitution that allows for the appointment of a lieutenant governor.

LaMarca did not indicate when he might rule.

Paterson appointed Ravitch lieutenant governor last week to provide a tie-breaking vote in the state Senate, which was deadlocked until Sen. Pedro Espada rejoined the Democratic conference Thursday. That restored the slim 32-30 majority the Democrats had lost in a June 8 coup.

The 76-year-old Ravitch, a lawyer and real estate developer, has a history as a fix-it man but has never been elected to office.

President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed Ravitch to the National Commission on Urban Problems in 1966, and he helped save New York City from bankruptcy when Gov. Hugh Carey tapped him to rescue the state's Urban Development Corp. in 1975.

As chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority from 1979 until 1983, Ravitch was credited with securing financing to buy new city buses and subway cars.

He headed a commission last year that recommended staving off steep MTA fare increases through a package of bridge tolls and tax increases. The Legislature adopted a modified MTA funding plan that disregarded some of Ravitch's recommendations, including the tolls.

Ravitch ran for mayor in 1989, losing in the Democratic primary to David Dinkins.

He served as chief labor negotiator for Major League Baseball from 1991-1994 but was unsuccessful in getting the players and owners to agree to a contract. He left during the 1994-95 strike that crippled baseball.

People who have worked with Ravitch praised him as hardworking and public-spirited.

"I'm sure that if he can be of help to the state of New York he'll do his best to do a good job," said Donald Fehr, head of the baseball Players Association.

Former Mayor Ed Koch, recuperating from open heart surgery, issued a statement from the hospital calling the Ravitch appointment "the best thing the governor has done since he has been in office."

Mitchell Pally, an MTA board member who was in the state Senate when Ravitch headed the MTA, said the authority never had a capital plan before Ravitch took over.

"Not only did he put together a plan, he got the state of New York to pay for it, which was an astounding achievement," Pally said.

The office of lieutenant governor became vacant in March 2008 when Paterson gave it up to take over as governor from a disgraced Eliot Spitzer.

At a news conference with Paterson on Thursday, Ravitch thanked the governor for being asked to serve and said he would not run for the office when Paterson seeks re-election next year. Gubernatorial candidates select their running mates and are elected as a pair.

Ravitch learned of Paterson's plan to appoint him on Sunday. He took the oath of office hastily Wednesday at the venerable Peter Luger steakhouse in Brooklyn in an effort to head off the Republican court challenge.

Peter Luger night manager Tom Hobby said the mood was festive. "People were celebrating, signing things," Hobby said. "It was a very happy event.

"He had the porterhouse," Hobby said. "Creamed spinach and hash browns. It's the standard meal here."

Ravitch was born on July 7, 1933.



 

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