As expected, David Paterson today announced the state is facing $2 billion budget shortfall this year and what looks like a $12.5 billion gap for next year (that's roughly 10 percent of this year's budget). Paterson wouldn't say how he'd like to go about trimming the budge, but he said, There is no segment of this budget that will not be cut."
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Check out New Yorkers for Fiscal Fairness. They support a Better Choice Budget campaign which outlines some really sensible measures rather than a bunch of slashing and lay offs.They even ask for use of the Tax Stabilization Reserve Fund. Not that I knew about it until I read about it in their campaign, but sounds like as good a time as any to me.
http://www.abetterchoiceforny.org
... said Glenna on Oct 28, 2008 at 4:50 PM | link
@Glenna - Unfortunately "New Yorkers for Fiscal Fairness" is just a front group for the public employee unions.
The reason that the deficits in New York are so bad isn't because we're not charging enough taxes or because of "corporate loopholes" or private contractors in government. All of these things waste money, but the problem comes from the budget-breaking spending growth comes from NY's sacred cows: health and education spending.
Its time for the state to compel the consolidation of school districts to reduce the massive overhead costs. Count the school districts in the Capital District alone -- it's a complete waste.
Every school district has several full-time people in the business office, including a business administrator that usually makes over $100k. Why? Consolidate those functions, and the bus operations and food service on a county-wide basis, and you would save lots of money.
We also have too many hospital beds, many of which are empty. Time to close hospitals where it makes sense. We also have dozens or hundreds of hospitals going broke due to poor people without insurance using the ER as primary care. Give those people insurance and give them access to a real doctor.
... said Duff on Oct 29, 2008 at 12:06 AM | link