This seems to be the running theme in articles across the state. Every place wants to be optomistic but we are all skeptical.

Many promises, but skepticism, too
ALBANY — In his first State of the State address as governor, Eliot Spitzer put government reform, ethics and the economy at the top of an agenda so ambitious some legislators said it would require magic to accomplish.

The Democrat outlined a broad set of changes including campaign finance reform and lobbying restrictions, consolidation of courts, local governments and hospitals, and more charter schools and pre-kindergarten classrooms.

Spitzer said he wants to do this while reducing the growth of state spending and implementing a $6 billion-over-three-years property-tax cut.

The freshly minted governor said his record-setting election victory signals New Yorkers won’t be satisfied with minor changes.

“New Yorkers didn’t whisper for change on Election Day,” Spitzer said in the speech he delivered to a joint session of the Legislature at the Capitol, “they shouted for it.”

Is it achievable?

The laundry list of goals pleased some legislators, but had them wondering how it would all get done.

“To do all the magic he wants to do,” said Assembly Republican Leader James Tedisco, R-Schen-ectady, “health care, education, all the programs, and cut property taxes? To do all that, he’d better be better than Houdini.”

Spitzer echoed a theme of his inauguration speech, delivered only two days ago, in which he vowed to end what he called the state’s Rip Van Winkle decade, a sharp criticism not only of three-term Republican Gov. George Pataki but also the long-time leaders of the state Senate (Joseph Bruno, R-Brunswick, Rensselaer County) and Assembly (Sheldon Silver, D-Manhattan). In his address, Spitzer said: “As the world has transformed and moved forward, it is only Albany that has stood still.”

He blamed this on a “lack of leadership” but reached out to legislators, saying: “I know this can be the start of an historic bipartisan partnership.” He said government reform was the first priority — particularly ethics and election laws.

That put a spotlight on state legislators, some said.

“I think it was an honest assessment of the Albany culture,” said Sen. John Bonacic, R-Mount Hope, Orange County. “I personally thought he was getting in the face of the leaders of both houses.”

Government watchdog groups were almost beside themselves with glee.

“There hasn’t been much snow in New York this winter, but you could almost feel the ice breaking in Albany today,” said Michael Waldman, executive director of the Brennan Center, a New York University-based think tank whose 2004 report dubbing New York the nation’s “most dysfunctional” Legislature spurred calls for reform.

“There hasn’t been a State of the State speech like this one for as long as anyone can remember. Spitzer went right at the heart of the Albany establishment and laid out a truly breathtaking set of reforms,” Waldman said.