No more fees and taxes or no more spending?
It has to be one or the other. Let”™s nix the new fees and taxes.
And we know that can”™t happen in the Empire State.
Both houses of the Legislature are in disorder and their ability to craft a solid budget is affected by partisan politics and deep-pocketed lobbyists. The upshot is no sacrifice on government”™s part and unending sacrifice for taxpayers.
Assembly Democrats proposed a $137.6 billion budget that would restore millions in spending that Gov. David Paterson wants to cut. Some $475.4 million would go primarily to New York City to fund homeless shelters and MTA bus and subway passes for students. It also rejects cuts to the STAR program and state parks. It also restores $600 million in school aid cuts and $126 million in health care.
The Assembly Democrats also want to borrow $2 billion to close the $9 billion budget deficit. Maybe they should check in with the comptroller”™s office to see what he thinks about borrowing in this economy.
The Assembly also rejected Paterson”™s plan to increase the MTA payroll tax in New York City.
Nine Democrats broke ranks to vote against the plan, including local Assembly members Sandy Galef and Amy Paulin.
The Senate Democrats were bold enough ”“ or voter-savvy enough ”“ in their proposed $136 billion budget to cut education funding by $1.4 billion, just as Paterson had proposed. But as we all know, this budget is far from being hammered out; we await the resolution reached historically by the three men in the room.
Neither budget plan looks very promising to taxpayers or to the future of this state.
One very, very slight glimmer of hope that lawmakers are paying attention to voters is a plan in the Assembly budget to consolidate state agencies and save $32 million. Bring it down to the local level and real savings will begin to emerge.
New York is not alone in its plight.
California has a $20 billion deficit and voters will decide if pot will help overcome the shortfall.
Hawaii”™s public school week is now four days.
Florida, which faces a $3 billion deficit, seems to understand the budgeting process.
At least Florida House Speaker Larry Cretul seems to.
He began the current legislative session”™s budgeting process by saying there would be no new taxes or fee hikes.
“We will balance our budget with the dollars we have, not ones that may possibly arrive at some point in the future,” said Cretul. That”™s a sentiment for politicians everywhere to borrow.
Gravely overlooked in the Assembly and Senate proposals are pro-business initiatives.
The Assembly offered up some gratuitous initiatives, such as $25 million for a small-business revolving loan fund and rewording language for the Excelsior Jobs Program. The Senate a few days later came up with “New Jobs New York.”
Such small actions in times like these cross from thoughtlessness into downright stupidity. It”™s time to cut spending. It”™s time to work smart.
