Missing from the media blitz on healthcare funding was a little noticed item in the Assembly budget which apparently made it to the Governor’s desk- $200,000 for a study of options to achieve universal healthcare in New York. This could be a historic first step.

And the correction of some of the STAR inequities are good- but upstate cities are at a disadvantage due to the failure of STAR to deliver benfits to landlords (and tenants). City dwellers are more likely to rent and STAR seems to ignore these New Yorkers, thereby excluding upstate city dwellers from the STAR windfall. Another missed opportunity.

Finally, on the revenue side, there was much hope about Spitzer’s proposal to close corporate loopholes. Did the REIT loophole(where businesses like Walmart avoid millions in taxes by paying rent to a subsidiary and then deduct the rent payment) get closed? Did NY become the 18th state to adopt combined reporting?

New York citizens seem to have become so conditioned to dysfunction in Albany that they hardly notice.
It’s like those that live next to a river that floods each year, “That’s what’s happened as long as I can remember. What do you mean some people don’t go through this each spring?”

The 7% increase in spending continues with the tradition of spending two to three times the rate of inflation. Shameful, and irresponsible. If there were a 7% population growth, I could buy into it. But instead, people are leaving NY as fast as empty moving trucks arrive.

Plus, the behind-closed-doors bargaining that will keep the special-interest’s cash flowing was unrestrained. As usual, our bloated Albany lobbying organizations delivered to their owners. Lobbyist’s job security is assured for another year.

Where are voters that can spare 15 minutes a year to call each of their legislators, and demand accountability?

I guess they are in other states.