Governor Blazes New Trails

Governor Paterson (while helping other candidates is another on the list of no shows for Aubertine) continues to blaze new trails in management and directing government operations.

Two items that would go a long way to reforming government would be a periodic requirement to do zero based budgeting and a review of provisions for core services.

Government tends to become unwieldy over time and with the passing of several politicians through office who desire to curry favor with various constituencies it morphs into something that is not its original mission.

Governor Paterson has directed every state agency to review its core mission.


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"Governor Paterson believes that given our current fiscal crisis, we simply cannot continue this kind of budgetary inertia.  As such, he has directed his agencies to help separate the critical functions of state government from those that we can no longer afford."

Keep up the good work Governor, it is healthy for organizations to gain an introspective view of their operations. Local governments should follow the Governor's lead.  

Live From Albany

A desk top "homemade" style video of sorts featuring two well respected state capital reporters Joseph Spector and Jay Gallagher talking about the financial situation facing the Governor and state legislature.

They talk that the nibbling around the edges is over. It is going to take difficult choices from here forward to solve the financial issue. The state really has three major areas of expenditures in the state funds category to address in order to solve the issue; health care or medicaid, school aid and personnel cost. 


Click Here To Watch

It Was Truly An April Fool's Day

State Budget Deadline 11:59 PM March 31 Missed
Special Election Deadline 11:59 PM March 31 Missed

Budget

The deadline for the New York State Budget has come and gone. Another late state budget and another year of excuses from people who lack the skill of time management. You will hear; it is better to get it right, then to just accept any budget deal. Just a moment here, you have had the budget proposal since January 22nd.

And the getting it right part; the budget proposal increases state funds spending by well over the inflation rate, it increases debt and leaves out year budget gaps of over 7 billion dollars. It leaves open prisons that will require $30 million in upkeep, yet it fails to address pay raises for judges who have worked since 1999 without one and all because the raises are being held hostage by Speaker Silver.

The process needs to be reformed, it needs to be more open and transparent through a greater use of budget committees. The current centralized power structure needs to be abandon for term limits on the positions of Senate Majority Leader and Assembly Speaker. Also, lobbyist should be restricted from lobbying 30 days before the budget deadline, that gives them 11 months to make their cases to lawmakers and a 1 month resting period while the legislators get their work done.


Special Election

The deadline for calling a special election in the 118th Assembly district has come and gone as well.

No one to represent people of that district in Albany until January 1, 2009.
No one to hear the issues that constituents need to be working with a representative on.
No one to intercede for constituents on their behalf to ensure proper action and responses.
No one for local governments to work with in order to move their initiatives along.
No one to interact with state government and its agencies on our behalf

The 118th Assembly District is an orphan child in the New York State Assembly.

So, let the primary announcements begin, both parties should guard against any deals to close the process, open primaries, it is up to the candidate and the parties to rally people behind the person after the primary.