Governor Paterson seems to have a one word vocabulary and that is NO!
Paterson has said he will continue to say NO to the unions to sweeten their pension pot. "This is not the time to sweeten the pot because we're about to lose the whole pot," Paterson said.
Paterson does not want to pick a fight with the unions on this issue, but it looks like it is headed that way. The unions want to protect their own from any health care reductions due to budget cuts and fiscally difficult times the state is facing. According to the New York Post CSEA President "Danny Donohue, says his aim is to make sure 'localities live up to their responsibility to retirees.' And, he says, labor wants New York to do 'what's morally right.'"
Paterson is reportedly prepared to say NO to the gas tax holiday as well. In this case, he believes doing nothing is doing something and he will not take action for reduction of taxes on the purchases of gasoline.
His final NO was to himself, the Governor annually gets a $30 million share of the $200 million member item or pork barrel spending pot, and $500 million of the capital projects spending, which Paterson has said he may not spend his portion. A portion of the $500 million, $150 million to be exact, is previously committed, but the balance $350 million remains uncommitted.
His positions seem firm for the moment, but time will tell, as the election of Democratic colleagues in the Senate gets closer and the battles heat up, he might come under pressure to begin dumping taxpayer money for electoral purposes.
3 comments:
Perhaps the Governor does not want to fall sucker to a another scheme that will give further encouragement to Big Oil. Perhaps he will suggest other options that will be more transparent.
Recently Mr. Bush said that the present tax rebate. could be used to buy food and oil. That rebate alone will put us another $250 Billion in debt while Big Oil swims in their 38% yearly profit increase.
President Bush said that he gave up golf out of respect for the Soldiers in Iraq. What an example he has set! Will his faithful supporters follow his lead and give up something equally important? Perhaps retirement benefits, medical care, gasoline, and pork barrel spending.
Support our Troops, Quit Golf
WASHINGTON - Republican presidential candidate John McCain on Thursday promised to bring most American combat troops home from Iraq by the end of his first term in the White House, telling U.S. voters the war-torn nation would be a "functioning democracy" within five years.
McCain Flip-flops on Timetable
Post a Comment