Residents frustrated over long power outages due to Sandy

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Residents frustrated over long power outages due to Sandy

New York State Assemblyman Phillip Goldfeder weighs in

This is a rush transcript from "Your World," November 12, 2012. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

NEIL CAVUTO, HOST OF "YOUR WORLD": Now to Long Island, where despite protests this weekend, 74,000 are still without power. This is two weeks after Sandy. Utility official say most will be back up and running by tomorrow.

But try telling that to Democratic New York State Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder.

Assemblyman, I guess you still without power and still looking for answers. How do things stand?

PHILLIP GOLDFEDER (D), NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLYMAN: Day 14.

The response has been slow. And the coordination with the utility companies and the city of New York and other counties and government entities has been poor.

CAVUTO: Now, Governor Cuomo, Andrew Cuomo, has been particularly tough on utility companies in the last few days, saying that there is no excuse for this. But why is it happening? I mean, it is just a because of bad coordination? What? What do you know?

GOLDFEDER: Well, I first give the governor all credit in the world. I think he is right to hold the utility companies accountable. And I think he's absolutely right in calling for an investigation.

What I would say is the coordination between the utility companies and the city of New York has been absolutely nonexistent, nonexistent, in that they are not talking to each other, there has been no coordination, and unfortunately, it's the people in the streets who have to suffer.

We are in day 14 today, and to think about being 14 days without power is unconscionable.

CAVUTO: Yes. There are a lot of areas, as you know, also without power and more coming on back every day.

But I'm wondering -- I am not blaming you, Assemblyman, or the governor at this point -- but could it be a case of just throw the utilities under the bus for what has been a bad public response to this?

GOLDFEDER: I think the time for accountability is going to come.

I think everybody agrees that when our families are safe, when the residents in the neighborhood are out of harm's way, the time for accountability will come and those who need to be held accountable will. I trust in the governor that we are going to get this thing right and we will do right when the time is right.

But for now, there are thousands of people who are still cold at night. There are thousands of people who are still hungry. You turn on the TV and there is a rosy picture, but to live in this neighborhood, it's like time has stopped. We are really struggling for the aid and the assistance.

And I hope to rebuild, but it will be long, slow process.

CAVUTO: All right, Assemblyman, we will be watching very closely. Thank you, sir.

GOLDFEDER: Thank you.

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