Small inauguration set for Cuomo

Governor-elect Andrew Cuomo and other statewide elected officials will have a small inauguration in the Capitol on Jan. 1, forgoing the large public events of past years, Cuomo's office said Thursday.

Cuomo, Lt. Gov. Robert Duffy, state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli and Attorney General Eric Schneiderman will hold the ceremony at noon in a reception room on the Capitol's second floor. The only attendees will be family, staff and reporters.

Cuomo and Duffy will then greet the public for two hours at the Executive Mansion. Those wishing to meet them will need to register for tickets in advance.

Cuomo said he was forgoing the lavish ceremonies of Govs. George Pataki and Eliot Spitzer because of New York's fiscal crisis.

"This is not the time for the grand and expensive celebrations of the recent past, it is the time to return dignity, integrity and performance to state government and begin making real progress for the people . . . That means we go to work on the very first day with a focus on renewing New Yorkers' faith in government," Cuomo said.

He plans to meet with his top advisers at 8:30 a.m. on inauguration day.

The swearing-in ceremony will take place in the Capitol's War Room, which features a ceiling painted with scenes from the state's early wars. Cuomo's inaugural address will focus on improvements to state government and greater transparency and public participation in its work, he said.

Cuomo becomes governor at 12:01 a.m. Jan 1. He and Duffy will be sworn in at a private ceremony at the mansion.

Tickets to meet the pair later can be obtained at andrewcuomo.com/worksforny/inauguration. Registration ends on Dec. 23 at 11:59 p.m. If the number of requests exceeds the number of available tickets, the winners will be determined by lottery.

Cuomo and Duffy will greet ticket holders from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 1. Ticket holders will be informed of their selection via e-mail or telephone by Dec. 30 and receive a ticket at that time. Children 16 and younger don't need tickets if accompanied by an adult with a ticket.