EDITORIAL: Let’s cut the deficit

Opinion

November 15, 2009

Anonymous The Niagara Gazette Sun Nov 15, 2009, 12:54 AM EST

New York is on track to become the next California ... and that’s not a good thing.

Once again, the state Legislature has failed to act on deficit-reduction measures. This week, they met briefly in special session only to ignore the governor’s Oct. 15 budget cuts.

It seems the Senate and Assembly want to hang the governor — at our expense.

“I can’t explain the dynamic of the Senate because nobody can,” Gov. David Paterson told reporters in Albany. “I wish they would start thinking about the people of New York and what’s right for the people of New York. ... They’ve got to get in there and reduce this deficit.”

Well, they have another chance this week as Paterson set two more extraordinary sessions.

Will the state Legislature finally act on a looming $10 billion deficit? Unlikely. See, our elected officials are bowing to powerful public interests.

This is what the voters need to remember come election time.

Think things are bad here

The Pew Center on the States reported last week that 10 states are barreling toward economic disaster — that’s a staggering 20 percent of the nation.

The analysis, “Beyond California: States in Fiscal Peril,” urged lawmakers and governors in those states to take quick action to head off a wider catastrophe.

In case you’re wondering, the other states are: Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island and Wisconsin.

How New York didn’t make this short list is anyone’s guess.

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