Session reactions: Astorino on mute swans, Teachout on pot

Jimmy Vielkind

ALBANY—Most official reactions to the close of New York's legislative session have centered on the legalization of medicinal marijuana or a pause on the use of Common Core-based teacher evaluations.

Rob Astorino focused on mute swans.

The Westchester County executive and Republican challenger to Governor Andrew Cuomo used the Legislature's approval of a bill to forestall the state's planned mass execution of mute swans to illustrate what he sees as inaction on mandate relief issues that were not taken up.

“Cities like Syracuse and localities statewide are buckling under the pressure of pass-along costs from Medicaid and pension benefits. No relief there," Astorino said in a video. "So what was Albany working on? Lowering the speed limit in a traffic-choked city where you're lucky to go 5 miles an hour; a debate over whether to kill a couple hundred mute swans—I'm not sure where that one ended up—and passing new regulations on 'light pollution,' whatever that is. Now, these may all be very good bills, but where are the priorities? Where is the real help you promised, Mr. Cuomo?

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