Summary: The Obama administration has granted an $8 billion waiver to New York State allowing it adjust spending and possibly preserve some hospitals in New York City and beyond. Governor Andrew Cuomo discusses the new spending flexibility, saying that it will help "transform" hospitals that "have beds that are un-needed," while acknowledging that some hospitals will be scaled back. When asked about his plans to fund universal pre-K statewide, and reject Mayor de Blasio's proposal for a New York City tax to do so, Cuomo told guest-host Jami Floyd that "we [already] have a millionaires' surcharge, which is one of the reasons why we have the resources to pay for pre-K statewide." He argued that an NYC-only tax would create "a tale of two states." And when asked about the response to this week's snow storms, Cuomo confirmed that he did not consult with Mayor de Blasio about declaring a state-wide state of emergency, but defended the mayor's decision to close schools, saying "second-guessing is very easy."
