New governors from California to New Jersey have cut spending and reordered priorities in recent years in an attempt to get their states on a path toward stability and prosperity. People were uncomfortable with these actions at first, but later saw that change was necessary and beneficial. We must do the same thing in New York, but it will be harder than in other states because we've put off tough decisions for years. Our budgeting often has been driven by politics instead of common sense. We've made commitments that drive billions of dollars into ineffective programs that benefit the few...