New York Democrats have a unique way of capitalizing on crises and utilizing them to their advantage. This can be seen in their handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, where they have engaged in wasteful spending and questionable practices. A recent audit conducted by the City Comptroller’s office revealed that a medical staffing and services company, Executive Medical Services, took advantage of their contract with the city to overstaff vaccination sites and overcharge for vaccines. Shockingly, some jabs were priced at an exorbitant $2,423, and certain COVID tests were priced at a staggering $937. This behavior was not simply a result of poor oversight, but rather a deliberate setup that encouraged the company to maximize their profits at the expense of taxpayers.
This pattern of wasteful spending extends beyond the city level to the state level as well. Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Excelsior Pass vaccine-tracking app, touted as a solution to pandemic control, cost taxpayers a whopping $64 million over the past two years. This price tag far exceeded the initial estimate of $2.5 million and raises concerns about the misuse of funds. Furthermore, the app was largely unnecessary, as most New Yorkers resorted to using photos of their vaccination cards as proof of vaccination. The excessive cost of the app can be attributed, in part, to substantial payments made to high-ranking consultants, which are currently under investigation by the state’s Inspector General.
Unfortunately, it is unlikely that Cuomo will face any consequences for these actions. The exorbitant cost and questionable record of the Excelsior Pass app likely explain why Governor Kathy Hochul remained silent about setting an end date for its use. However, this sunset date was not implemented until July 28, giving the state ample time to exploit the app and extract additional funds from hardworking citizens.
Hochul herself has a history of engaging in questionable practices. She established a favorable arrangement for campaign donor Charlie Tebele, resulting in the state paying his firm $637 million for no-bid contracts for COVID tests. These contracts were made possible by specific provisions in Hochul’s prolonged COVID “emergency” order. Astonishingly, New York ended up paying more than double the amount that other states paid for the same brand of tests, a clear misuse of taxpayer funds.
This type of behavior may bring pride to Rahm Emanuel’s eyes, but it is a significant burden on taxpayers and erodes their trust in New York’s public officials.
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