"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have"
Thomas Jefferson

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

The Final Word

A number of prominent Democrats have spoken out against the recently passed New York State Budget, which spends too much and includes job killing tax hikes, all the while Sens. Aubertine and Valesky continue to pat themselves on the back for a good budget and the tough choices they had to make and Addie Jenne Russell continues to shy away from even commenting on it. 

BUT - hold any more press releases guys!

The voters have spoken and you are blowing smoke against the wind.

By a nearly 4 to 1 margin voters DISAPPROVE of this budget. In particular voters are not pleased about losing their STAR property tax rebate checks, 70% disapprove while only 20% approve.

And those tough choices they claim to be making, think again.
"It was 'business as usual in Albany,' as Gov. David Paterson and legislative leaders did not show the political courage to make tough decisions, voters say 65 - 26 percent."
They continue to put the "fun" in our dysfunctional government.
"Voters agree 71 - 23 percent that New York State government is dysfunctional."
This will be their new line of defense. We elected Senators last year that require on the job training, despite some who previously served in the Assembly.

Sen. Diane Savino, who has been a Senator since 2004, said she considered the budget, a "learning experience."  Really!

Read more from Quinnipiac poll.

The good Senators can take away some solace in the fact that Governor Paterson's approval rating is more dismal. They need not worry until their rating gets to a 5-1 disapproval.

Read what Daily News' Bill Hammond is thinking.

It's the ugliest budget in modern memory.

"Only in Albany would spending more count as responsible in the face of an almost $18 billion deficit."
"They're in a psychotic fugue or something,' says Elizabeth Lynam of the nonpartisan Citizens Budget Commission. "They've completely gone into their own world. To be selling this as hard as they are, as some kind of major breakthrough, seems to me to be completely out of touch with reality."

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Have you bothered to check her website? Man, PIV, if you worked for a real media source you would be fired by now.

Anonymous said...

Great post, IV. I don't think NNYers realize -- yet -- what our leading lights in Albany have agreed to go along with.

When they do, they won't stop throwing up.

Anonymous said...

I think this is hardly the final word. Paterson already says the Legislature will be back to unwind this budget, as it's already out of balance.

That will mean two things -- more cuts, more taxes.

Great job, Darrel and Addie!

Anonymous said...

3:36 There haven't been any cuts.
That's the problem. As far
as more taxes, that's always
been the case here in NY, so
you're probably right on
that.

Anonymous said...

I think we found out who the "1" is who favors the new budget.

This is from a press release issued by Sen. Aubertine:

"The budget we passed last week for the 2009-10 fiscal year is not a perfect budget. No budget can be. What it is though, is a responsible, balanced spending plan that restores funding for vital services and programs, limits the impact of these hard fiscal times on Upstate New York and puts us in position to create jobs and build a better future for all New Yorkers."

Hmmm. Raising income and property taxes, electric bills and fees galore will "limit the impact" of the recession and create jobs.

We must be dumber than we think!

Anonymous said...

Anon 5:46 There have been cuts, The Agricultural Programs are funded to a lower level than last year. That is a cut that Darrel had skirted.

But for the most part you are right.

Anonymous said...

7:10 OK, if you read the gazillion pages of the damn budget I'm sure you can find some line that is lower than last year. But the damn budget increased by 9% over last year.

I stand by my statement. Nothing was really cut.

My rebuttal is not meant to be an attack on you personally. I just get tired of repeated "lines" that put out there by special interest groups. Every year we hear about cuts to education, and every year it is a lie.

A 9% increase in spending doesn't sound like a cut to me.

Anonymous said...

7:10 OK, if you read the gazillion pages of the damn budget I'm sure you can find some line that is lower than last year. But the damn budget increased by 9% over last year.

I stand by my statement. Nothing was really cut.

My rebuttal is not meant to be an attack on you personally. I just get tired of repeated "lines" that put out there by special interest groups. Every year we hear about cuts to education, and every year it is a lie.

A 9% increase in spending doesn't sound like a cut to me.

Anonymous said...

It is amazing that the total budget had a 9% increase but Darrel's Agricultural Committee funded the Agricultural Programs 25% LESS then last years funding. Way to work hard for the farmers of Jefferson County Darrel. I thought you were one of US farmers.

Danny M. Francis (Eyepublius) said...

FINAL WORD: How about this?

Assemblywoman Dierdre K. Scozzafava asked for $139,000 for 19 groups, including $25,000 for the Fort Drum Regional Liaison Organization to use

(1) to travel to trade shows and encourage businesses to relocate here because of the Army base.

(2) The money would also be used to improve the Drum Country Web site Click Here

Tax dollars for the non-appointed, non-elected members of the FDRLO to travel and hawk Drum?

And, tax dollars to help fund their webmaster for their webpage?

The Feds can "Hawk/sell Drum" and have done over billion-dollars plus in improvements, too?

Give me a break ... this is pretty awful use of scarce money IMHO.

I don't care which side gets or uses this kind of money for "back home," -- it stinks.

~ dmf

City Watch said...

I agree with you on that Dan, I poor choice of use for supposedly scarce funds.

Anonymous said...

Where's Aubertine's list of member items?

Did he get $4.5 million, like Dave Valesky, in exchange for sitting on his hands and supporting this worst-budget-ever?

Anonymous said...

Dave Valesky can't even spend it all. He is trying to give it away. That is sad.

Anonymous said...

I find it odd that if were in a "Budget Crunch" how can member items even exsist??? More of the same old BS from Albany, Thanks to Darrel and Addie, you to Dede,(How's Wise Buys) doing.

Anonymous said...

question 1. just which parts of the budget do you economists want cut, or eliminated?

question 2. what do you think this place will look like without Ft Drum?


And dmf says he doesn't want the last word.......



Joe

Danny M. Francis (Eyepublius) said...

Anon "Joe" 1:06: "There you go again."

I never said or implied "taking away Fort Drum from this area."

I said clearly that giving scarce tax dollars to unelected, unaccountable organizations like the FDRLO is wrong and I have said so for years ...

They have in the past asked the JeffLeg for $100,000 to market video tapes and stuff for Drum and bingo, they get it.

Drum ain't going anywhere and the Feds can take care of us just fine w/o these gimmicks for scarce money going out this way ... and I've said that for years, too.

Not that it matters, but I still say it and believe it.

~ dmf

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