The New York State Senate is going to act on Governor David Paterson's legislation to reduce spending in New York in order to balance the budget this year. Whether it passes or not is another question, but this is what Governor Paterson requested and Senate Majority Leader Skelos will oblige!
Majority Leader Dean Skelos has cut all members loose from manipulating an outcome and told members to vote their conscience. This is probably the closest Albany has come to real democracy by giving members the freedom to vote they way they feel is best for their constituents.
How will Senator Darrel Aubertine vote?
a. He will vote in favor and support legislation to balance the budget and reduce this year's projected deficit by cutting $2 billion in spending.
b. He votes against because he does not believe the two largest areas in the budget - school aid and Medicaid should be touched.
Majority Leader Skelos has put the ball in the respective court of each individual member, this will be the first test of the fiscal discipline and will of the Democrats who hope to become the new majority.
"A government big enough to give you everything you want,
is big enough to take away everything you have"
Thomas Jefferson
9 comments:
You made it a B & W case, PIV.
Which would you choose if you were in such a position?
I would vote for a reduction in spending, then again I would not have vote consistently year after year for the large increases in spending.
I would work to protect direct providers such as teachers and nurses and combine backroom type function such as administration, human resources, etc.
Darrel will vote as he is told to vote.
PIV, you've now gone on record as "protecting" teachers and nurses, which under education and healthcare comes to 57% of the budget. Now do you want to add police and fire to that? This would bring you to the mid 80th percentile. NOW what would you like to cut? The problem with your statement is that it is unworkable. All areas have to be on the table, or its trainwreck time.
Freeze everything, across the board.
I'm not opposed to any cuts, I just listed my priority or first round of cuts.
That is typical of cuts, you always work around the direct providers first then when necessary cut there in a second round.
I have had to make cuts before at a hospital and I was not shy about what needed to be done.
PIV,
What if you were not given the choice to "work to protect?"
What if it was as black & white as you made it out? What if its all or nothing? What would you do?
~STA
Moreover, what way would you like Sen. Aubertine to vote?
Freeze everything.
FREEZE.
FREEZE everything.
Tell me why this won't be a good first step. Followed by a
NO HIRING rule that really is a
NO HIRING rule that really is followed. UNLIKE the one we have had for the last decade.
Across the board freeze.
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