The New York State Legislature during the budget process approved the sweep by the Division of Budget for approximately $150 million from various accounts in order to balance this year's budget. This money is generated in some cases by specific user fees.
Where they did not break the bank is on their own discretionary spending, pork or member items. They have essentially two cookie jars of money where they can put their hands into so they can ensure their re-election, discretionary funds or member items, which is $200 million annually and capital funds, which is $700 million. So, while the various state agencies go about doing some overdue clipping in their spending under a directive of Governor Paterson, the legislature’s appetite for spending is not being curtailed.
What seems even more inane is the amount of money being rolled over in the member item’s account; $340 million in unspent funds have been exempted by the lawmakers from being used to balance the budget according to a report today in the Albany Times Union.
When a politician hands out any member item money this year, the recipients of that money should acknowledge and thank such people as anyone who snowmobiles, because they fronted their registration money for the recipient.
Maybe the elected official will rightly have the snowmobilers present the check!
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