On Monday night, parts of the New York state government could be shutting down if lawmakers in Albany can’t turn in a budget. It’s becoming a storm of eleventh-hour deals and last-minute threats.
There’s still no budget deal, as the New York Legislature gaveled in a special session on Sunday night – and then quickly gaveled out without voting on budget proposals.
Governor Paterson ordered Sunday’s extraordinary session, and the assembly and state senate complied for just a matter of minutes.
The governor is calling it shameful.
While the governor can summon the group to Albany, he cannot make them vote or even discuss the budget on his own terms.
Paterson angrily warned lawmakers of a possible Medicaid funding shortfall, and said a contingency plan must be approved to kick in if New York doesn’t receive $1 billion in Medicaid funding from the federal government.
“If they do not find a contingency way to address Medicaid, if we don’t get it from the federal government, I will veto every single appropriation, all 518 of them, and the 6,800 programs that they fund for $193 million, more commonly known as member items,” Paterson said.
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and senate conference leader John Sampson vowed to work with Paterson on a three-way budget agreement, but suggested a two-way deal – without Paterson’s involvement – would prevent any government shutdown or Paterson’s emergency extender.
“We will continue to negotiate, but in the interim, we put a two-way into the mix to let the governor know that we are willing to be serious on his issues, but also others,” Sampson said.
On Monday, the legislature is expected to pass its amended budget appropriations bill. That bill would include the restoration of $600 million in education funding, $177 million of which goes to New York City, and restoration of funding for homeless shelters.
Sources tell CBS 2 that the way to pay for all that includes temporarily restoring the sales tax on clothing, and giving local governments the option of restoring their portion of the sales tax as well.
Also included in the deal are the deferment of business tax credits and the limiting of charitable deductions for the wealthy.
New York City leaders are watching Albany closely, as the Big Apple’s own budget deadline is looming.
“We really are the engine that funds the rest of the state, and we need to get our fair share,” New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said.
(Source: WCBSTV)
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2 Responses
“engine that funds the rest of the state?” — some would say that with its big spending ways, wastefulness, excessive taxes, and extreme left wing legislation, New York City is the weight that is sinking the rest of New York.
And the frum community, which shares the “let’s get our’s” attitude towards public finance (as opposed to the “tea party” style – leave us alone approach), is just as guilty as the rest of the city. Just note the frequent articles on YWN on how the frum community glories in chasing patronage, even if the price is to support the radical un-Torah agenda of the secular Jews who run downstate New York politics.
Akuperma,
Speaker Quinn is correct. New York City’s sales and income taxes pay a substantial part of the infrastructure and educational expenses of the rest of the state. You are correct, however, about the frum community’s “let’s get ours” attitude. How often do we see the folks who complain about high taxes in forums such as this suggesting a publicly-supported frum program that could be reduced or eliminated. We are just as hypocritical as everyone else.