EDITORIAL: Fix the fiscal mess

Opinion

November 20, 2009

Anonymous The Niagara Gazette Fri Nov 20, 2009, 11:09 PM EST

Another week ... the same fiscal mess.

Once again, New York state’s lawmakers failed to agree on ways to close a $3.2 billion fiscal deficit.

Unlike last week, they do appear to be negotiating.

But by caving to powerful special interests, state lawmakers aren’t protecting anyone. They are hurting New York’s taxpayers (read voters).

The Senate’s Democratic and Republican leaders were unified against any cuts in school aid, which advocates said would result in layoffs and higher local property taxes in the spring.

“It’s not going to happen,” said Sens. John Sampson, the Democratic leader, and Dean Skelos, the Republican leader, in unison to reporters on Thursday.

Ok, so what’s the alternative?

Gov. David Paterson said cuts to school aid and health are critical because they represent 55 percent of the state budget.

Like it or not, some tough choices are going to have to be made.

It’s no small wonder that a Marist College poll on Wednesday found voters overwhelmingly blame the Legislature for inaction so far, more than three times as many who blame Paterson.

The governor’s been sounding alarms about the state of New York’s economy for a while.

The Legislature has failed to respond.

What will it take for state lawmakers to finally cut the budget?

Maybe New York will have to go the route of California, which is facing $20 billion deficits for each of the next five years.

Legislators will return to Albany on Monday to hammer out a deal ... unless party bosses reach a consensus first ... but don’t hold your breath.

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