Madmallard
.223 Rem
Gov. Andrew Cuomo described this budget as a “a great, great progressive accomplishment.” I wholeheartedly agree. Unfortunately, progressive accomplishments tend to be disasters for the working poor, middle class, small businesses, taxpayers, free enterprise, the Second Amendment and the safety of our communities. Further, this budget has been stuffed with non-budgetary matters to encourage horse-trading and push through unpopular policies. It’s Albany at its most deceptive.
Accordingly, and for the foregoing reasons, I voted against each of the 2017-2018 budget bills.
The budget process is deeply-flawed because of the continued “three men in a room” practice. There is no transparency behind budget negotiations. This fosters a secretive process, with details revealed and pushed through at the last minute.
State government continues to grow and, with it, the burden on taxpayers. This new budget will spend $162 billion. Texas’ state budget is $106 billion. Florida’s state budget is $92 billion. How can New York compete when our budget is 65 percent larger than that of more populous states? In addition, Albany levies unsustainable and unfunded mandates on school districts and local governments, which lead to high property taxes and drive New Yorkers and businesses out of the state.
Instead of boosting spending each year, we should utilize technology and incentivize savings by state agencies. We should reduce the size of the bureaucracy through attrition. We must refocus state resources on major state priorities rather than spending significantly on minor projects that are non-essential or local in nature. And we have to adhere to the state constitution’s ban on giving state resources to private entities.
The economists at the Upjohn Institute for Employment Research confirm, in a new report, that New York’s economic development programs are by far the biggest in the nation and that there is little evidence they are working. Still, these programs continue to grow. Despite billions spent on subsidy programs targeted at upstate, the growth rate upstate is a paltry 2.7 percent over the past six years while the national growth rate over the same period was 11 percent.
We should give the free market and free enterprise a chance by turning all, or at least some, of the billions we spend on corporate welfare into across-the-board tax relief for all people and businesses paying taxes.
The Municipal Facilities Program, a notorious pork pie for lawmakers to give taxpayer funds to favored constituents with limited oversight, was increased by an incredible $300 million to $1.9 billion. These expenditures always lead to corruption, waste and the perpetuation of a broken system of uncontrollable spending. And that means higher taxes, fewer job opportunities and a continued mass exodus of New Yorkers.
The budget is also going to spend $10 million for illegal immigrants’ lawyers to fight deportation. New Yorkers fund ICE as federal taxpayers. Albany shouldn’t ask them to also fund the lawbreakers.
Free college tuition for some, paid for by others is a bad idea. The cost of tuition will be shifted to middle-class taxpayers who will have to pay to educate their own children and the children of others.
This budget raises the age of criminal responsibility. Sixteen and 17 year-olds charged with crimes will be tried in family courts and face reduced penalties if convicted. Family courts are overburdened by their current workload. Raise the Age will also, for example, encourage drug gangs to use 16- and 17-years-olds as drug mules or for other criminal purposes.
The effort to have state procurement officials buy American-made products where possible was part of the governor’s budget proposals, but unfortunately didn’t make it to the final version. The budget also includes over $18 million to fund the enforcement of the Second Amendment obliterating SAFE Act.
http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/...get-deal-albany-its-most-deceptive/100367656/
Accordingly, and for the foregoing reasons, I voted against each of the 2017-2018 budget bills.
The budget process is deeply-flawed because of the continued “three men in a room” practice. There is no transparency behind budget negotiations. This fosters a secretive process, with details revealed and pushed through at the last minute.
State government continues to grow and, with it, the burden on taxpayers. This new budget will spend $162 billion. Texas’ state budget is $106 billion. Florida’s state budget is $92 billion. How can New York compete when our budget is 65 percent larger than that of more populous states? In addition, Albany levies unsustainable and unfunded mandates on school districts and local governments, which lead to high property taxes and drive New Yorkers and businesses out of the state.
Instead of boosting spending each year, we should utilize technology and incentivize savings by state agencies. We should reduce the size of the bureaucracy through attrition. We must refocus state resources on major state priorities rather than spending significantly on minor projects that are non-essential or local in nature. And we have to adhere to the state constitution’s ban on giving state resources to private entities.
The economists at the Upjohn Institute for Employment Research confirm, in a new report, that New York’s economic development programs are by far the biggest in the nation and that there is little evidence they are working. Still, these programs continue to grow. Despite billions spent on subsidy programs targeted at upstate, the growth rate upstate is a paltry 2.7 percent over the past six years while the national growth rate over the same period was 11 percent.
We should give the free market and free enterprise a chance by turning all, or at least some, of the billions we spend on corporate welfare into across-the-board tax relief for all people and businesses paying taxes.
The Municipal Facilities Program, a notorious pork pie for lawmakers to give taxpayer funds to favored constituents with limited oversight, was increased by an incredible $300 million to $1.9 billion. These expenditures always lead to corruption, waste and the perpetuation of a broken system of uncontrollable spending. And that means higher taxes, fewer job opportunities and a continued mass exodus of New Yorkers.
The budget is also going to spend $10 million for illegal immigrants’ lawyers to fight deportation. New Yorkers fund ICE as federal taxpayers. Albany shouldn’t ask them to also fund the lawbreakers.
Free college tuition for some, paid for by others is a bad idea. The cost of tuition will be shifted to middle-class taxpayers who will have to pay to educate their own children and the children of others.
This budget raises the age of criminal responsibility. Sixteen and 17 year-olds charged with crimes will be tried in family courts and face reduced penalties if convicted. Family courts are overburdened by their current workload. Raise the Age will also, for example, encourage drug gangs to use 16- and 17-years-olds as drug mules or for other criminal purposes.
The effort to have state procurement officials buy American-made products where possible was part of the governor’s budget proposals, but unfortunately didn’t make it to the final version. The budget also includes over $18 million to fund the enforcement of the Second Amendment obliterating SAFE Act.
http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/...get-deal-albany-its-most-deceptive/100367656/
