It's only fair.
Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.
Posted on 11/09/2009 8:01:33 PM PST by neverdem
Delivers Scary News To Legislature, Says Only Way To Fix Problem Is To Have Immediate Cuts To Education, Hospitals
Governor David Paterson called an unusual joint session of the Legislature Monday to implore recalcitrant lawmakers to close the state's huge budget gap before New York runs out of money.
To some lawmakers it's nothing more than a photo op to help Paterson get re-elected. But the governor is dead serious. He said if the Legislature doesn't cut the budget now the state could run out of money by next month.
"We're going to run out of cash in four and a half weeks. We are going to run out of money. Unless we do something about it, (it will) threaten generations," Paterson said.
And so began what is turning out to be a tense tug of war between Gov. Paterson and the Legislature.
The governor says $3.2 billion in cuts must be enacted how -- or else. The cuts range from $500 million in agency spending to over $1 billion in already committed in aid to school districts and hospitals.
"I will mortgage my political career, but I will not mortgage the fate of the State of New York," Paterson said.
But Senate Democrats, with their tenuous 32-30 hold on the upper house, are terrified to make school and hospital cuts because, they said, the cuts could mean increases in local property taxes.
And that could mean suburban Democrats on Long Island, in Westchester and other parts of the state could have trouble getting re-elected next year.
Remember, high property taxes led to the ouster of many suburban Democrats last week, including Westchester County Executive Andy Spano. Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi could also lose once absentee ballots are counted.
"Personally, I do not favor mid-year school cuts," said State Sen. Pedro Espada, D-Bronx.
"Last year, in the midst of this financial crisis, the Senate and the Assembly together with the governor decided to raise spending by $12 billion," added Sen. Andrew Lanza, R-Staten Island.
"I'd rather present 96 or 97 percent of a check to school districts, to hospitals than to have them call up and say where's my check? And the state says, sorry, we didn't have any money," said Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, D-Manhattan.
The governor has ordered lawmakers into special session Tuesday to close the budget gap. Right now there is no agreement and he could flex his muscles by keeping them here until there is.
Also on the agenda Tuesday are bills to legalize gay marriage, toughen drunk-driving laws, impose a cap on state spending and reform the state's public authorities.
So its a spending problem after all? For thirty years, we New Yorkers have been told that the problem was that we weren’t paying enough in taxes. Funny how us knuckle-dragging conservatives have been right all along.
Headline from 2011:
USA to be Broke by Christmas, President Says
If it wasn’t so sad it would be funny. People of NY, you voted for these jack holes, now you pay the price.
These politicians are better magicians than Copperfield ... that freeko geeko that tricked a super model into marrying him!
So, is Patterson going to show more sense than Arnie? That would certainly be unexpected.
Perhaps if they, like California) did something about their illegal alien problem, they wouldn’t be in this mess.
Didn’t they take stimulus money?
Who's been running that place?
We’ll Be Broke by Christmas (to the tune of “I’ll Be Home by Christmas”)
We’ll be broke by Christmas,
You can count on us.
Please send dough and on we’ll go,
Spending all you have.
We’ll be broke by Christmas,
We’ll turn out the lights,
Shutting schools, ‘cause we’re no fools,
We know you will give in.
Tax the old folks’ houses,
So we can foreclose.
Hospitals will close their doors,
But we will keep our perks.
We’ll be broke by Christmas,
But keep our liberal dreams.
How's that hope and tax increases working for you Paterson?
Yes, you’re right. That will put them under for sure. Good point!
It's only fair.
NYC broke—thanks go entirely to Liberal DemoRAT socialists. America is waking up! We The People will drain the sewer come 2010. RATs that don’t believe it, are smoking Pelosi’s lies.
Was this really necessary? No!
By CHRIS CAROLA The Associated Press - Published: May 15, 2009
CROWN POINT, N.Y.
A bronze plaque created by Auguste Rodin a century ago will soon be returned to its place on the Champlain Memorial Lighthouse, slated to reopen this spring after a more than $2 million restoration project that included conserving the French sculptor's "La France."
Rather than repair the Crown Point bridge in that area (Lake Cahnplain)they waste money on that. Now the bridge will be demolished and a new one built.
And this one:
Paterson isn't helping any of his dwindling chances of getting reelected with these dire realities, but I give him credit for at least pointing out that there is a HUGE problem within NY State's fiscal budget ... something which eludes all those NY polits with clear vision, but even a blind Paterson can see it
Every Democratic state will be going broke. They want more government than they can afford. They still say it is a “rich country” which gives them license to loot it, then tax and spend.
First 3 trillion in sub prime mortgages, now a trillion for health care, and there is no money to pay the interest on the national debt.
It will end in chaos.
Not bad! Now write some lyrics to “Budget Cuts roasting on an open fire...”
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.