Friday, March 16, 2007
A BUDGET TOO FAR
New York Post MICHAEL R. LONG
Mike doesn't like much of either budget proposal...but he picks the "lesser" of 2 evils.........check out the response below to this conservative party "endorsement"............andy
March 16, 2007 -- THE Conservative Party this week released to the press my letter to Gov. Spitzer essentially stating our disappointment in his budget and in what the Republican state Senate majority added to his budget.
Let me be perfectly clear: Both proposals spend far too much. Neither considers how New Yorkers will pay the bills when they come due.
Neither plan considers how New York's overburdened taxpayers will pay for the increased spending.
New York is hemorrhaging money; someone must apply the pressure to stop the hemorrhaging.
The state's health-care programs are out of control. Do we pay too little to those who are entrusted with the care of our sick and elderly? Of course. But if you want to increase their paycheck . . . you have to make the cuts in other places. Hospitals that are not productive must be closed.
Hiking taxes on businesses will only lead to less employment - and less employment with no change in state spending means higher taxes on those who stay here.
Competition in the marketplace produces lower prices for consumers; competition in schools will produce better students, better teachers and better results.
I'm a lifelong New York City resident, and all of my working years have been in retail as a small business owner. I've seen the results when the state and city continue to spend far too much money: Government spending forces me to raise my prices, because my taxes are increased. I can't hire more workers because the amount I have to pay in taxes can't be absorbed in the price I charge my customers.
Government spending must be cut, and Gov. Spitzer's proposals, while still spending more than New York taxpayers can sustain, at least head in the right direction. If the proposed health-care reforms are enacted, there's a better chance that future budgets - which spend our money - will no longer grow at three times the rate of inflation.
We must give Spitzer the opportunity to make some very necessary changes in the way things are done in Albany. For many years, the Republican majority in the Senate has been the ally of New York taxpayers in holding back unreasonable spending. However, we can no longer depend on them. We must depend on ourselves.
We must speak out and demand that elected officials remember it is our money, not theirs. We must hold all their feet to the fire and have them produce a budget within our means.
As a good parent must sometimes do, we have to cut off the credit cards and make them live within our means.
Michael R. Long is the chairman of the state Conservative Party
Spitzer, Not A Democrat? (thanks Liz B Capitol Confidential)
Jennifer Cunningham, senior advisor to (and political mastermind of) SEIU/1199, responded thusly to state Conservative Party Chairman Mike Long’s abandonment this morning of Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno and praise of Gov. Eliot Spitzer:
“When New Yorkers elected Eliot Spitzer, we voted for a Democrat who we thought held firmly Democratic principles like supporting healthcare and public schools.”
“Now, as he’s accepting the kudos of the New York State Conservative Party, we have to wonder: Who will the governor stand with next in order to pass his wrongheaded budget?”
UPDATED: Spitzer spokeswoman Christine Anderson e-mailed over this response:
“Ms. Cunningham’s comments speak of remarkable hypocrisy considering the many republicans 1199 has endorsed and funded over the years.”
“Their latest hit joins a long line of deceptive rhetoric that continues to demonstrate they’ll stop at nothing to block the Governor’s reforms that could lead to health coverage for all children.”
Mike doesn't like much of either budget proposal...but he picks the "lesser" of 2 evils.........check out the response below to this conservative party "endorsement"............andy
March 16, 2007 -- THE Conservative Party this week released to the press my letter to Gov. Spitzer essentially stating our disappointment in his budget and in what the Republican state Senate majority added to his budget.
Let me be perfectly clear: Both proposals spend far too much. Neither considers how New Yorkers will pay the bills when they come due.
Neither plan considers how New York's overburdened taxpayers will pay for the increased spending.
New York is hemorrhaging money; someone must apply the pressure to stop the hemorrhaging.
The state's health-care programs are out of control. Do we pay too little to those who are entrusted with the care of our sick and elderly? Of course. But if you want to increase their paycheck . . . you have to make the cuts in other places. Hospitals that are not productive must be closed.
Hiking taxes on businesses will only lead to less employment - and less employment with no change in state spending means higher taxes on those who stay here.
Competition in the marketplace produces lower prices for consumers; competition in schools will produce better students, better teachers and better results.
I'm a lifelong New York City resident, and all of my working years have been in retail as a small business owner. I've seen the results when the state and city continue to spend far too much money: Government spending forces me to raise my prices, because my taxes are increased. I can't hire more workers because the amount I have to pay in taxes can't be absorbed in the price I charge my customers.
Government spending must be cut, and Gov. Spitzer's proposals, while still spending more than New York taxpayers can sustain, at least head in the right direction. If the proposed health-care reforms are enacted, there's a better chance that future budgets - which spend our money - will no longer grow at three times the rate of inflation.
We must give Spitzer the opportunity to make some very necessary changes in the way things are done in Albany. For many years, the Republican majority in the Senate has been the ally of New York taxpayers in holding back unreasonable spending. However, we can no longer depend on them. We must depend on ourselves.
We must speak out and demand that elected officials remember it is our money, not theirs. We must hold all their feet to the fire and have them produce a budget within our means.
As a good parent must sometimes do, we have to cut off the credit cards and make them live within our means.
Michael R. Long is the chairman of the state Conservative Party
Spitzer, Not A Democrat? (thanks Liz B Capitol Confidential)
Jennifer Cunningham, senior advisor to (and political mastermind of) SEIU/1199, responded thusly to state Conservative Party Chairman Mike Long’s abandonment this morning of Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno and praise of Gov. Eliot Spitzer:
“When New Yorkers elected Eliot Spitzer, we voted for a Democrat who we thought held firmly Democratic principles like supporting healthcare and public schools.”
“Now, as he’s accepting the kudos of the New York State Conservative Party, we have to wonder: Who will the governor stand with next in order to pass his wrongheaded budget?”
UPDATED: Spitzer spokeswoman Christine Anderson e-mailed over this response:
“Ms. Cunningham’s comments speak of remarkable hypocrisy considering the many republicans 1199 has endorsed and funded over the years.”
“Their latest hit joins a long line of deceptive rhetoric that continues to demonstrate they’ll stop at nothing to block the Governor’s reforms that could lead to health coverage for all children.”
