“Today is the day that we draw the line in the sand, and I say that we should collect before we cut,” Kruger told reporters in the broadcasted conference. “We should collect the taxes due before we cut the services.”
The theatrics were part of a long week in Albany in which major players couldn’t even agree on the extent of the state’s budget crisis. The governor insists the state is facing a $3.2 billion budget shortfall, while state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli said the figure is much higher — closer to $4 billion. On Tuesday, Senate Democrats disputed both figures — implying that less than $3.2 billion would be needed.
Paterson later warned that the state could run out of money by the end of next month. But legislators disputed even that claim — arguing that reserve funds could carry the state well into next year.
“It’s raining,” state Sen. Toby Stavisky (D-Flushing) said, urging the governor to consider tapping the state’s “rainy day” funds.
Lawmakers observing the negotiations said the major point of contention is whether to enact potentially damaging mid-year cuts to education and healthcare. New York’s spending in both areas is among the highest in the nation.
“Cuts may be unavoidable,” state Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Howard Beach) said. “We’re just saying no mid-year cuts to education now and no healthcare cuts at this point until we can figure out next year’s fiscal situation.”
But finding alternate reductions has been difficult — health and education spending make up nearly 60 percent of the state’s budget.
The governor has remained reluctant to seek deeper cuts at other government agencies and has bristled at new revenue gathering proposals, state lawmakers said.
“It’s very difficult when the governor won’t budge — when the governor refuses to consider taxing the Native American sales on cigarettes or refinancing tobacco bonds, which are two items that we suggested,” Stavisky said. “When Dr. No says no to everything, then it becomes very difficult. Negotiation has to be a little give and a little take.”
The Democrats insist that large cuts can be avoided by tweaking inefficiencies and consolidating state resources — including a proposal to streamline procurement procedures among state agencies.
“You don’t need one agency with a separate purchasing agreement and another agency buying the same product — you might as well pool your resources and get reduced rates,” Stavisky said.
Addabbo believes the governor should also pick a winning racino bidder at Aqueduct Race Track — which could inject at least $200 million into the state’s coffers within a month.
“We should have made this decision a long time ago,” he said.
Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers have stayed largely on the sidelines, offering contradictory criticism of both the governor’s proposed cuts and Democrats’ spending.
“By failing to cut government spending it is clear that Senate Democrats and other Democrat leaders haven’t gotten the message,” Senate Minority Leader Dean Skelos (R- Rockville Centre) said last Thursday after weeks of criticism among Republicans over the governor’s proposed education cuts.
|
|
