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| Home Front Economy | |
| Paterson's budget calls for cuts -- and taxes -- galore | |
| 2008-12-18 | |
| New York's teetering economy will require a series of painful spending cuts to programs used by nearly all state residents and force more than $4 billion in higher taxes on everything from health insurance policies to the price of admission to the circus, Gov. David A. Paterson said Tuesday in proposing to close a $15.4 billion budget deficit. Money to lure new jobs would be cut, as would efforts to protect the environment. Nearly 2,000 prison inmates would be released early to save money. State workers would be laid off, and those who aren't would see their salaries and benefits frozen and cut.
"We're going to have to take some extreme measures," Paterson told lawmakers of the challenge of closing the state's largest deficit ever. The reaction was swift -- and negative. Hospitals and nursing homes would close, health care officials say, and those that don't would cut back on patient care. As a result of Albany's decreasing school aid, schools would reduce classroom and after-school programs, and property taxes would rise, education officials warned. Middle-class taxpayers would be hit hard, critics said, not just from the cuts, but from the stunning array of increases in taxes and fees. New Yorkers would pay more for registering a car, catching a salmon or trout, going to the movies, getting a haircut, buying gasoline, drinking beer and buying nondiet soft drinks. Republicans say the Democratic governor's tax and fee plan is actually $2 billion higher than being revealed. In all, there are 151 proposals that would create or increase taxes. Beyond the cuts and tax increases, the proposed budget has a good share of what critics call gimmicks. Paterson, for instance, is proposing to "sweep" $1.4 billion from off-budget accounts, such as from the New York Power Authority, into the general fund to balance the ledgers. Indeed, nearly 40 percent of the plan to reduce the deficit in what's left of this fiscal year would come from such transfers. A additional $1.1 billion in actions next year would come through nonrecurring moves, or "one-shots." | |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #7 LOLZ! - "something off about them, like a gamey arm or like with giant gums with tiny teeth" |
| Posted by: Frank G 2008-12-18 19:12 |
| #6 |
| Posted by: GolfBravoUSMC 2008-12-18 18:29 |
| #5 DoDo, for a second I thought you wrote bridge and tunnel Trolls. |
| Posted by: Deacon Blues 2008-12-18 15:27 |
| #4 ...to the price of admission to the circus Bridge and tunnel tolls going up. |
| Posted by: DoDo 2008-12-18 11:57 |
| #3 Cut education and healthcare but no talk of chocking people who don't work off the teat. People who won't work that is. |
| Posted by: bigjim-ky 2008-12-18 11:34 |
| #2 When push comes to shove, Demos revert to their natural volition. Raise taxes. Create more taxes. Add fees in lieu of taxes. Add a crocodile tear extolling compassion, because no budget cuts may be considered. Oh, and Merry Christmas to All ! |
| Posted by: Woozle Elmeter 2700 2008-12-18 11:26 |
| #1 2,000 prison inmates would be released early to save money. These people are essentially disenfranchised political prisoners of former evil, rascist regimes. This will become a national trend or Administration program under Obama. Funds should be allocated to their transition to gummit |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2008-12-18 07:57 |