Gov. Cuomo: End Fingerprinting for Food Stamps

Last year it was livery cabs, and this year it could be fingerprinting for food stamps.

In their first year serving together, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Governor Andrew Cuomo sometimes tussled behind the scenes, and 2012 may be no different.

In his State of the State address on Wednesday, the governor proposed ending fingerprinting for families with children who apply for food stamps.

“One of the things we do now and makes the stigma actually worse and creates a barrier for families coming forward to get food stamps is we require fingerprinting. I’m saying stop fingerprinting for families,” said Cuomo.

Fingerprinting is a policy long supported by the mayor, who says it prevents fraud and protects taxpayer dollars.

“It’s not a stigma, and it may be elsewheres in the state, and maybe that’s what he was referring to, but it’s certainly not a stigma,” said Bloomberg.

Already, though, other city elected officials were siding with the governor.

“If I was the mayor, I would be taking notes. He’s basically challenging everyone to stand up,” said Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer.

The governor’s proposal comes as the number of people on food stamps in New York City has skyrocketed. Cuomo’s office says they don’t need City Hall’s approval to move forward with the proposal.

Not everything in the governor’s speech will be a battleground for the governor and the mayor, though. Bloomberg said he supports the governor’s proposal to expand DNA sampling for those convicted of a felony and the creation of a new pension tier for government employees.

The mayor also said he would support a major proposal for New York floated by Cuomo: the expansion of the Javits Center and the construction of the nation’s largest convention center in Queens.

After Cuomo’s address, the mayor attempted to quell talk that the state’s chief executive and City Hall don’t work well together.

“We have to help the governor be successful because if he’s successful then the state we are a part of will be successful,” said Bloomberg.

As this year’s legislative session kicks off, only time will tell how helpful City Hall will be.