Observer » Paul Francis

Former Bloomberg Guy Hires Former Spitzer Guy

Azi Paybarah — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 20:04:41 -0400

Eliot Brown reports that Michael Bloomberg's former deputy mayor, Dan Doctoroff, has hired Eliot Spitzer's former state director of operations for a big job over at Bloomberg L.P.

Former Bloomberg Deputy Hires Former Spitzer Deputy

Eliot Brown — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 19:50:38 -0400

Paul Francis, the former state director of operations under Governors Spitzer and Paterson, has been picked up by Bloomberg LP to take a top job in the company's Financial Products group, a Bloomberg spokeswoman confirmed. Put another way: Dan Doctoroff, formerly Michael Bloomberg's influential deputy mayor and now Bloomberg LP's president, hired last week a former top aide to Governors Spitzer and Paterson.

Mr. Francis, who resigned from the Paterson administration in June, worked in a number of the same areas in government as Mr. Doctoroff. Both men, for instance, attempted to bring about a deal on the Moynihan Station project.

Mr. Francis will report to Tom Secunda, head of the Financial Products group, according to a Bloomberg spokeswoman. Mr. Francis' job is considered similar in scope to that of a chief operating officer. [Corrected].

Paul Francis, Top Aide to Paterson and Spitzer, Resigns

Eliot Brown — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:51:29 -0400

Paul Francis, the director of State Operations for Governors Paterson and Spitzer, has resigned, the governor’s office announced today. In the Paterson administration, Mr. Francis provided oversight to many key development projects in the state, trying to sort out the mess at Moynihan Station, among others.

Former colleagues generally held him in high regard as a policy-focused good-government type, though he was said to clash with others close to the governor.

Toward the end of this legislative session, he was a key figure in negotiating the state’s incentive package in a casino resort planned for the Catskills.

Last week, before a deal was eventually reached, we asked Senator John Bonacic, who represents the area, what the holdup was to a three-way deal between the Assembly, Senate and governor’s office.

“The problem is Paul Francis,” Mr. Bonacic said, adding that Mr. Francis was reticent to grant additional state subsidy requested for the project.

For weeks, insiders had suggested Mr. Francis’ tenure was limited in the capital. The Times Union had the scoop on this yesterday.

Release below.

GOVERNOR PATERSON ANNOUNCES THE RESIGNATION OF STATE OPERATIONS DIRECTOR PAUL E. FRANCIS
Governor David A. Paterson today announced that Director of State Operations Paul E. Francis has submitted his resignation.

Paul Francis was a key member of the team that produced some of the State’s most important victories in the last two years, including a new Foundation Formula and Contracts for Excellence for schools, gaining control over Medicaid costs and comprehensive workers compensation reform. He also represented the State in negotiating a number of large transactions, including a long-term power purchase agreement that kept Alcoa in the North Country, the granting of the NYRA franchise and the state takeover New York City OTB earlier this month.

“In his roles as Director of State Operations, Budget Director and Policy Director for the Spitzer-Paterson transition, Paul provided experience, judgment and wise counsel to me and my predecessor,” said Governor Paterson. “He came into government after a long career in the private sector, and quickly demonstrated a commitment to public service that won him many friends in Albany. I wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”

Mr. Francis served as the Director of the Division of the Budget for the first year of the Spitzer Administration after serving as the Policy Director for former Governor Eliot Spitzer’s campaign and Transition Office. He has been the Director of State Operations since January 1, 2008. Prior to entering public service, he spent 25 years in the private sector, where he served as the Chief Financial Officer of Ann Taylor Stores Corporation and Priceline.com as well as a Managing Director of Merrill Lynch & Co.

Paul Francis said: “It has been a privilege to work with Governor Paterson over these last three months and for Governor Spitzer before him. I’m proud of what we accomplished together and will always cherish the opportunity that was given to me to serve in State government. Governor Paterson is off to a great start and I’m confident he will prove to be one of New York’s great Governors.”

Francis on This Year’s ‘Difficult’ Budget

Azi Paybarah — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 17:59:30 -0400

I just got off the phone a few minutes ago with Paul Francis, Eliot Spitzer’s top aide and newly minted director of operations. Francis said he doubts the capital budget from last year will be settled by the time the governor presents his executive budget on January 22 next year.

“I would say at this stage it’s highly unlikely that there will be a capital budget before the executive budget is introduced," Francis told me.

Francis, who helped craft Spitzer’s first budget last year, said this budget will be tougher, and that having an on-time budget is a secondary consideration.

“It’s probably fair to say the more difficult the budget, the harder it is to have an on-time budget. I think this will be a more difficult budget than last year because of the decline in revenues due to Wall Street problems." He added, "The governor said on a number of occasions, he thinks having a good budget is more important than having an on-time budget.”

Westchester on the 'Altar of Expediency'

Wed, 04 Apr 2007 16:21:53 -0400

Some of Eliot Spitzer's budget decisions are not going down so well in Westchester.

Here's part of a dramatically worded letter sent today by Democratic Assembly members from Westchester to Paul Francis, the governor's budget director, about the new school funding formula:

"We racked our brains to find a single example of the use of the education formula to harm an individual municipality. We often find ways to single out a community for help. Never before, never before has a community been singled out for harm. It is a terrible precedent that once unleashed, can be turned against a community that has fallen from political favor, or which is sacrificed on the alter of expediency, even if that expediency is a timely budget, as you suggest in your letter."

The entire letter is here.

-- Azi Paybarah

Small-Government Spitzer

Wed, 31 Jan 2007 11:20:59 -0400

Eliot Spitzer is giving his budget presentation to reporters, with budget director Paul Francis and the budget staff on hand.

One line that caught my attention so far is how Spitzer described funding that some health care institutions received so far. He described is as a "pipeline, almost an unending pipeline of state largess."

-- Azi Paybarah

Elsewhere: Hevesi Responds, Bloomberg's Looks Ahead

Tue, 12 Dec 2006 18:25:42 -0400

Alan Hevesi responds to his settlement with the AG's office by saying that most of the chauffering for his wife was "related to her security."

Here is a calendar of state employees who chauffeured Hevesi's wife, and how the AG's office came up with their calculations.

Eliot Spitzer's adviser, Paul Francis, said that health care is one of the greatest challenges facing the new governor.

Siberia may not open tomorrow.

Mitt Romney, John Edwards and Tom Vilsack all made hires for their presumed presidential campaigns.

A documentary about the role of bloggers in Ned Lamont's race will air on Dec. 28.

Andrew Sullivan is less annoying than Kos, according to a new poll.

Mike Bloomberg looks ahead to 2030.

And pictured above is the room at Gracie Mansion where the mayor hosted his party for City Hall reporters last night.

-- Azi Paybarah

Events for Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Mon, 11 Dec 2006 18:00:00 -0400

At 8 a.m., the Campaign for Fiscal Equity has a breakfast forum at the Yale Club.

Starting at 8:20 a.m., former governors Bill Weld and Jim Florio join incoming state budget director Paul Francis at a panel discussion on "Governing Change: Policy, Politics and the Spitzer Administration" at The New School.

At 9 a.m., the Board of Directors for the NYC Industrial Development Agency will meet at 110 William Street.

At 10 a.m., the Governance and Audit Committee of the NYC Center Operating Corporation will meet at the Javits Center.

At 11 a.m., Assemblyman Mike Gianaris calls for the creation of the Innocence Commission, with members of the Innocence Project, in his Astoria office.

At noon, there's a protest outside the Iranian mission to the U.N.

The City Council's Civil Service and the Housing Committees will hold meetings.

And the holiday parties of DL21C, Queens DA Richard Brown, and The New York County Lawyers' Association will be taking place.

-- Azi Paybarah

Thinking About Moving to Albany?

Thu, 09 Nov 2006 12:36:14 -0400

Here's Eliot Spitzer's newly announced transition team:

Rich Baum, executive director
Paul Francis, policy director
Francine James, appointment director

Chairs

Richard Parsons
Peter Goldmark, Jr
Elizabeth Moore
Lloyd Constantine
Hunter Rawlings
Rosanna Rosado

They're accepting resumes here.

-- Azi Paybarah

Suozzi’s Audience

Wed, 08 Mar 2006 14:21:31 -0400

More interesting than anything Tom Suozzi said at a Crain's breakfast this morning, I'm told, were a couple of the faces in the audience.

First, there was Mario Cuomo, who doesn't often show up at this sort of thing.

Also at the table of former Cuomo aide and lobbyist Tonio Burgos was Eliot's policy guy, Paul Francis. Scribbling busily, a source notes. So much for ignoring the guy.