Left of Center

Are they all in denial?

Yesterday, Gov Paterson gave even more bleak economic news. Rather than 1.5 billion shortfall this year, its more like 2 billion. And with Citibank slashin 53,000 (yeah, 53,000!) jobs, and Goldman Sachs saying they will forego bonuses this year, the picture is probably worse (NY gets a significant amount of tax revenue from end of year bonuses). But, Citi realized they couldn't do it anymore, and slashed 20 percent of their payroll. Gov Paterson has come up with a number of ways to try and slash back some spending. The response from the Assembly and Senate? A seeming giant yawn. They have so far refused to even offer any type of plan whatsoever! Paterson quoted, and I have to belive many of us New Yorkers have to agree, 'Its more than irresponsible - it doesn't make any sense. This type of inaction, I think its embarrassing'.  What have we heard from our reps? What has Betty Little proposed? Janet Duprey? Teresa Seyward? These are the times that these people make their money. For years and years, these people have been able to just go along and get along without any really taking any risks. Now, they have to. In addition to the 2 billion this year, next year is projected as a $12 billion hole! In Jim McCulley's blog, he implores people like CSEAs Danny Donahue that something has to be done. And NOTHING is being done.

Mayor Bloomberg is also the head of a group of idiots in complete denial. Part of his plan to close a $2 billion deficit was to not send out the yearly $400 rebate checks. But no, the city council says they have the final say. It seems like the city taxpayers will get their $400 and Bloomberg will have to cut $400 for every check he sends out. Do these fools somehow think the money will fall from the sky?

In Detroit, today's NY Post describes how over 9,000 GM execs get a new car every 6 months, for all of $250 which includes insurance and repairs. Plus, they can expense out the gasoline ! For an extra $50, they get their choice of vehicles. What do you think is by far the most used vehicle? The monster $55,000Cadillac Escalade. Who cares about mileage when GM is footing the gas bill? And this is of course the company that wants us taxpayers to bail them out to the tune of tens of billions! How can they have 9,000 'top managers'?!

Its ironic that between the senate and assembly, all can see, but all are blind. In the governor's mansion, he who is blind seems to be the only one who can see. 

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View Comments: | 1-16 | Post a comment

letsroll
11-21-08 6:02 PM »Report Abuse	John, Why is revenue down so far in the state ? I'm not talking about property taxes. I'm talking about income tax, sales tax, etc. People are leaving in Droves !@!! why is that ? they can't afford to live here. they can't afford to open new business here without being on the government teat (dole). why is that ? too many authorities (legal robber barons) like the APA, Thruway authority, bridge authority, Tupper Lake endowment authority, Moody Pond preservation authority, and even the Spruce Lake housing Authority !!!
DW12983
11-21-08 11:24 AM »Report Abuse	This is dated November 18, 2008. These paid positions kind of makes you wonder what Patterson is really up to. It's no wonder CSEA is upset about Patterson's proposals. But John, keep trying to place the blame on the Republicans, it's ok the CONSERVATIVES can take it.
DW12983
11-21-08 11:19 AM »Report Abuse	From his website “Governor David A. Paterson today announced that he will appoint Peter J. Kiernan to serve as Counsel to the Governor. He also appointed Marc Shaw as Senior Advisor to the Governor for a six-month period. In addition, Governor Paterson announced that he will appoint William J. Cunningham, III to serve as Secretary to the Governor. This position was held by Mr. Cunningham on an acting basis and is now a permanent appointment.”
DW12983
11-21-08 11:18 AM »Report Abuse	John, is that a reason to try to place blame on Betty Little? Janet Duprey? Teresa Seyward? I don't think so. Is that a reason to cut funding to Schools? To Hospitals? Cut pay? Take away raises? That would be the easy way out. What we need is for the Governor and Legislature to sit down and cut the fat and come up with a plan that won't just place the entire burden on one sector and leave the others untouched. To paraphrase Obama, "We need to spread the hurt around"! Why should State Employees have to give up raises while City, County, Town, Village and Teachers are given hefty raises? Why should Schools loose funding while Towns and Villages still get their funding? Why does the Governor continue to make new appointments when he wants to cut pay?
iman05
11-21-08 9:17 AM »Report Abuse	Here's an irony. An area that NY gets lots of tax dollars is in year end bonuses on Wall St. We have AG Andrew Cuomo out there telling top banks to forego giant bonuses this year. That of course also leads to huge decreases in tax revenue for ny. Dammed if ya do, dammed if you don't
iman05
11-21-08 9:15 AM »Report Abuse	Also, remember we can't deficit spend in NY. We can't just say 'lets run up the state debt to 20 billion, cut taxes and increase funding for infrastructure and educational projects. So, the state needs to find things to cut, raise taxes, or somehow infuse the state economy into somehow producing like crazy to bring in more tax revenue.
iman05
11-21-08 9:13 AM »Report Abuse	UUNOTME - what has the local legislators offered up? Not building a ranger station? I don't think that'll close a 2 billion dollar hole. Yeah, Paterson is cutting where it hurts. When Willy Sutton was asked, why do you rob banks? he answered,'thats where the money is'. Where do you want Paterson to find the cuts? They have to come from somewhere. Tell me where the assembly or senate in NY has come up with anything close to 2 billion this year, or 12 billion in the coming year. If the 2 billion will be bad, 12 billion will be a blood bath.
phahn50
11-20-08 9:49 AM »Report Abuse	The state probably needs a new constitution. There is something about the organization that makes it not work even in good times. The two parties in the senate and assembly are more interested in gaining power than getting anything done. In fact they would like to mess things up to embarrass the other guys. You would think in a time of crisis, like now, they could work together, but evidently not. At least Patterson is being honest with us.
UUNOTME
11-19-08 8:56 PM »Report Abuse	The only thing Paterson and the Democratic leadership want to do is make cuts where they'll hurt most and raise taxes. The bottle bill will only put a five cent tax on plastic bottles that doesn't exist now. How can I say that? Because distributers will raise their prices to cover the money the State will capture. When the State takes money it's either a direct or indirect tax.
UUNOTME
11-19-08 8:48 PM »Report Abuse	Gee John, I thought this was a national problem where we all need to work togeather. Excuse me for saying that the Feds need to take some kinda action on the national level. I guess that you feel that the state level Republicans need to act and the Federal level Democrats need to react. If you read the story in todays paper you might learn just what the local representatives are doing.
iman05
11-19-08 8:36 PM »Report Abuse	Oh, and I do really respect Seyward and Little. (not so much Duprey who got elected because she wasn't that twit Democrat running 2 years ago). I have met both and I like what they are doing, for the North Country and the real property tax problem. Oh yeah , Letsroll, 'don't build the Ranger station - OK. We now only need another 1 billion, nine hundred ninety nine million nine hundred thousand dollars.
iman05
11-19-08 8:30 PM »Report Abuse	Uh, UUNOTME, maybe you haven't figured it out yet. Duprey, Seyward and Little are all in the NYS Assembly and Senate. The rest are in the US Senate and House of Reps. We need to take care of our business here, while the others are taking care of national business. This is why we elected them. At thre National level, they are at least trying things. In NY, other than Patterson, no one is really coming up with anything substantial, Republicans or Democrats. Oh, and I mention the trio of women Republicans only because they are our 3 local representatives, not their party affiliation.
letsroll
11-19-08 5:18 PM »Report Abuse	Betty Little does have a plan. She believes that not building a new Forest Ranger Station is a good start. Well, it is a start. Maybe the next part of her plan will be for the state to quit buying up land for the state. Less land, less Fish Cops (DEC personell) needed to run off tresspassers, but then less tickets from the fish cops, less revenue. Cats and dogs living together, mass hysteria !!!!
letsroll
11-19-08 4:52 PM »Report Abuse	I watched on Public TV the other night the Ford, GM, and Chrysler CEO's put there Tin cup out looking for some of the bailout money. What a joke they were. But the guys at the helm now are stuck with the sins of the fathers. Well, thats why they get the big bucks. One senator said in his opening statement that he was abhorred that these guys all came in separate private jets to a meeting with a tin cup out. He said that they were so far out of touch will the real world that how could they turn around a company. They all espoused that they are in trouble because of entitlements they have to pay. (medical, pension, etc). Apparently all these years they never put away anything for these. Here is the clincher. Any of the big three go under, all there entitlements to retirees are GURARANTEED BY , you guessed it, the federal govt. They might as well be state workers !!!!
phahn50
11-19-08 4:20 PM »Report Abuse	We knew it was a disfunctional government.
UUNOTME
11-19-08 3:52 PM »Report Abuse	"What have we heard from our reps? What has Betty Little proposed? Janet Duprey? Teresa Seyward?" I believe you should listen to your local news and find out John. They are saying far more than "Chucky" or Hillary. Oh and what's Kirsten Gillibrand saying? Don't bail them out then disappearing to the Caucus with a "wink".

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