Archive for November, 2008

Recovery means a hand from D.C.

By Malcolm A. Smith

Gov. David Paterson’s proposals for significant cuts to the state budget are a prudent acknowledgment that our nation’s economic problems and the continuing crisis on Wall Street will force big changes in the way we do business in Albany.

We’re going to have to slash state spending. We’re going to have to find unprecedented new efficiencies in government administration.

And we won’t be able to avoid cuts to some programs that provide valuable services. There’s simply not enough money available to pay for everything state government has funded in recent years.

But most of all, we’ll need bigger and stronger state-federal partnerships than ever.

Purchase of Turkish carpet takes taxpayers for a ride?

By Rick Karlin

Amid crisis, state pays $21,000 for mansion rug

Gov. David Paterson’s energetic response to the state budget crisis has been the hallmark of his tenure, but even as he was ordering state agencies to cut their spending and warning of even tougher times ahead, his Office of General Services was buying a $21,000 custom-stitched 10-foot-by-15-foot antique carpet for the governor’s mansion.

Paterson makes small dent in lowering deficit

By James T. Madore and Juliann Vachon

Unable to reach agreement with lawmakers on the budget deficit, Gov. David A. Paterson said yesterday he would act unilaterally while preparing next year’s fiscal plan.

“There are some ways that I can still undertake, and will, to try to save the state further money,” he said in Washington.

“But we’re talking about a few hundred million dollars, perhaps topping out at a billion dollars. The problem is that there are 14 billion dollars to go,” he added.

Political gridlock persists

By Irene Jay Liu

Gov. David Paterson may have sounded the alarm on the state’s fiscal crisis, but it was drowned out Tuesday by partisan bickering and political rhetoric from state leaders, who did nothing to address the state’s looming $1.5 billion budget deficit in what was supposed to be a special session.

The governor and legislative leaders failed to reach an agreement on the $2 billion spending cuts that Paterson requested for this year in anticipation of the scheduled session, and said he does not expect the Capitol to address the issue until January, when Democrats will take control of Senate for the first time in 40 years.

Instead of the planned legislative session, the governor and leaders of the Senate and Assembly participated in a public meeting in front of the assembled media — an hourlong piece of political theater during which all participants voiced grievances, pointed fingers and argued over the reasons why they were not able to act, all the while acknowledging the severity of the problem that brought them there in the first place.

No budget fix as Gov. Paterson, pols only bicker

By Kenneth Lovett and Glenn Blain

A special fix-the-budget session fizzled Tuesday as Gov. Paterson and legislative leaders fought and bickered, but did nothing to remedy the fiscal crisis.

“If it looks like a dysfunctional government and it acts like a dysfunctional government, it may actually be one,” a frustrated Paterson said shortly before the brief session.