How can NY state be planning a 9% budget INCREASE for 2010?

[Brainonska511]

Originally posted by: ProfJohn
That firefighting story is awesome

Melville owns two 3,000 gallon-per-minute pumpers that are 50 percent more powerful than anything in the arsenal of the FDNY. Yet no hydrant in the Melville district is capable of producing that much water.

It seems that the it is all paid for locally though, so it really doesn't fit within the thread and the problems with the state budget.

That is true, but it's demonstrative of a systemic problem in NY, where there is tremendous waste and there needs to be consolidation of various agencies and departments.

For instance, they could hire a professional force for each county on LI, halve the number of trucks and stations, and still have plenty of coverage for the region.

New York is filled with tons of special districts that need to be broken down, but god forbid we cut government employees.

 

[Fern]

Originally posted by: ProfJohn
That firefighting story is awesome

Melville owns two 3,000 gallon-per-minute pumpers that are 50 percent more powerful than anything in the arsenal of the FDNY. Yet no hydrant in the Melville district is capable of producing that much water.

It seems that the it is all paid for locally though, so it really doesn't fit within the thread and the problems with the state budget.

I like that Melville Fire Dept story.

I know we generally consider them heroes, but try dealing with them. I suspect they don't require any type of IQ test to apply.

I was the head of a large Labor Day festival and you have to deal with the FD. In one instance I wanted to put some booths along the street. Had to get the Fire Chief's permission.

He came down and I told him what I wanted. He said "no" because because they might not be able to get their ladder truck in if there was a fire (A ladder truck, you know the ones with big ladders to fight fires many stories up).

I looked around and all I could see for blocks were one story buildings. A ladder truck WTH?

Fern

 

[ProfJohn]

Awesome story Fern... did you make a smart ass comment to the guy??

"Ladder truck?? Right, you never know when a cat might get stuck in a tree or something."

 

[Wreckem]

Originally posted by: heyheybooboo

Originally posted by: Brainonska511

They should cut state jobs. NYS has the highest number of government workers per capita in the US.

Increasing the budget is moronic though. They need to cut back on the special districts and the huge number of government employees and then see where they are in terms of money. Of course, the powerful unions in the state won't allow that. Why should they have their jobs affected during a recession? :roll:

Bzzzz. That would be incorrect.

California is #1 - followed by Texas.

here is a breakdown by funtion (pdf) from the Census.

I now return this thread to its typical rancor and 'colorectal-facts'.

He is technically correct. New York has more government bearucrats than any other state. Texas and CA have more state employees, because they are bigger states. However, NY has more administrative overhead at the state level.

 

[Fern]

Originally posted by: ProfJohn
Awesome story Fern... did you make a smart ass comment to the guy??"Ladder truck?? Right, you never know when a cat might get stuck in a tree or something."

Nope.

I really didn't think that would help.

If I did something like that I'd expect a "surprise" fire inspection the next day with a laundry list of crap to get fixed, or be fined.

A 'public servant' with an atitude is one of my worst nightmares. Somehow they (gov) seems very successful at bestowing power/responsibility on those with deep insecurity problems. They can't handle having their 'judgement' questioned.

No, he didn't want to do it (I think most likely because he was too insecure to approve of a 'change'). So, no matter how many of his reasons I shot down, I suspect he'd find another until he could change the conversation (E.g., "Oh look over there, that extention cord looks dangerous. It's a violation!").

Fern

 

[StageLeft]

Patterson's poll numbers are below Bush's. Perhaps this was a last ditch effort to buy votes, but he's done for unless something miraculous happens. Will be good to see him go. Some promise, too, but what a nightmare budget.

 

[kranky]

Originally posted by: winnar111
Gov. David Paterson and legislative leaders that finalized a balanced state budget Sunday night got some feedback Monday from interested parties.

The proposed $131.8 billion budget that lawmakers will vote on increases spending by 9 percent and includes roughly $7 billion in higher taxes.

?We made the tough choices,? Paterson said. ?If the Legislature can maintain this [spending] discipline over the next few years, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I can?t tell you that our fiscal woes are over?that wouldn?t be honest. We have not found the floor of this recession.?

?We did the best we could in a difficult situation,? added Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith (D-Queens). ?This was an unprecedented time. As I?ve said before, we cannot cut our way back to prosperity.?

Gov. David Paterson said Friday that the upcoming state budget will contain ?record spending cuts? that close part of a record-high, $16.2 billion budget deficit.


9% growth when Obama's economy is shrinking by 6% is quite a record.

This is true Orwellian-speak. How with a straight face can anyone say that while facing a 13% deficit already, a 9% increase in spending is "spending discipline"? What would "spending with reckless abandon" be? A 9% increase is unconscionable even in boom times.

I heard that 1% of the residents pay 50% of NY state taxes. Is that true? If so, better hope they don't up and move.

 

[Brainonska511]

Originally posted by: kranky
This is true Orwellian-speak. How with a straight face can anyone say that while facing a 13% deficit already, a 9% increase in spending is "spending discipline"? What would "spending with reckless abandon" be? A 9% increase is unconscionable even in boom times.

I heard that 1% of the residents pay 50% of NY state taxes. Is that true? If so, better hope they don't up and move.

NYS's government blows. I wrote to my NYS senator (Marcellino) and my assemblyman to bitch about the secret budget and tax increases. Marcellino wrote me back almost immediately saying he hated the budget and was looking to get things cut back and not drive taxes further up. Assemblyman has yet to get back to me.

 

[Hacp]

Looks like the Republican has the edge in the House seat. We're slowly crawling back!

http://blogs.usatoday.com/onpo...rship-post.html?csp=34

 

[JS80]

How can NY state be planning a 9% budget INCREASE for 2010?

That's not an increase! That's a CUT. It was originally a 15% increase, but they CUT it to 9%, so it's actually a budget CUT!

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Right now entitlements are killing us. They're stealing money from the school budgets to pay for the increase. They've got to make reforms, but we were publicly told that Medicaid was untouchable. Ridiculous.

 

[Brainonska511]

Originally posted by: Hacp
Looks like the Republican has the edge in the House seat. We're slowly crawling back!

http://blogs.usatoday.com/onpo...rship-post.html?csp=34

That has almost nothing to do with NYS increasing it's budget by 9% since that deals with the House of Representatives. In this thread, we're bitching about the NYS government.