SARATOGA
TODAY
Friday, August 6, 2010
State Passes Budget, Finally by Melissa Downer Saratoga TODAY One-hundred-twenty-five days overdue, New York State finally has a budget for the 2010-2011 fiscal year. Though not the latest-ever budget, this one is the third latest with the record being the 2004-2005 budget being passed on August 11, 2004. On Tuesday, August 2, lawmakers passed the legislation that will add new taxes on clothing by eliminating a sales tax exemption on clothing purchases less than $110 on October 1 with an expectation that it will raise $330 million for the state. There will now be a four percent sales tax on purchases under $110. Other tax hikes include sales tax for
online hotel reservation sites and cutting the amount of charitable tax deductions over $10 million by half. The $136 billion budget passed by a 32 to 28 vote, with a spending increase of 2.4 percent over last year’s budget. Governor David Paterson’s director of Communications Morgan Hook issued the following statement: “Today the state finalized a budget that closes a $9.2 billion budget gap. This was done primarily through spending cuts and with no borrowing. Additionally, for the first time in State history, we have taken action – through a FMAP (Medicaid) contingency plan, which was championed by the Governor – in anticipation of a loss of federal revenue, and put spending cuts in
7 place to fill the gap. Governor Paterson has spent the last eight months fighting for the fiscal health of New York on behalf of all New Yorkers. A fiscally responsible budget will help our State turn the corner on this economic crisis, and put us on a path to recovery.” The state will also increase its share of revenue from video lottery terminals and will also allow gaming organizations to extend their hours. Though Democrats praise the budget, Republicans are not so pleased. Local leaders expressed similar objections: “In my opinion, this is one of the worst budgets the legislature has ever passed. It will put an extra $4 billion in taxes on state residents when it is fully implemented, but still does not address the most important problems which are spending and Medicaid costs. Even
the Comptroller has expressed the opinion that the revenue projections utilized were wildly optimistic. The biggest issue remains the process, because the budget was not done in an open bipartisan discussion; this is why I joined every Republican in the Senate in voting against it” said State Senator Hugh Farley. “The only thing real about this budget is that it’s real bad. It’s especially devastating to Upstate with an unfair level of cuts to projects, human services along with more taxes, that’s why I voted against it,” said State Senator Roy McDonald. “This isn’t the right way to do business, the budget was concocted in a back room, with only one party and one geographic location represented, New York City. With complete disregard to the people and the process, a handful of legislative leaders doing the budget in a back room is completely disgraceful.”
According to Assemblyman Jim Tedisco, (R,C,I-SchenectadySaratoga): “This year’s late budget was devised in secret by a ‘Tri-ocracy’ of ‘Three Men in a Room’ – the Governor, Assembly Speaker and Senate Conference Leader, and does nothing more than kick the can down the road for future generations of taxpayers. They have kicked the can down the road so much it has rusted out and continue to leak huge amounts of taxpayer dollars.” He added, “It’s time for Upstate and Long Island Assembly Majority members whose districts are most impacted by high property taxes to demand that tax cap legislation move forward just like it has in the Senate. Real reform, both fiscal and legislative, will come when rank and file legislators rise up and retake the Legislature from the clutches of the Tri-ocracy.”
Mayor Makes Public Saratoga Springs 2011 Capital Budget by Arthur Gonick Saratoga TODAY Prior to the Saratoga Springs City Council meeting on Tuesday, August 3, Mayor Scott Johnson presented a look at the proposed 2011 Capital Program at a public hearing. A total of eleven projects were ranked in order of priority, with the total increase to the debt limit at $1,199,000. The projects in ranked order are: (Requesting Agency / Project Name/ 2011 $ Total) 1- Public Safety (DPS) Workplace Violence Program Building Security Repair $36,000 2- DPS Blood Borne Decontamination and Cleaning Facilities $64.000 3- DPS Lake Avenue Fire Station Roof
$120,000 4- Public Works (DPW) * Beekman Street Infrastructure Improvement and Replacement $800,000 5- DPW Vacuum/ Sewer Cleaning Truck $225,000 6- DPS Civilian Fingerprinting Equipt. $19,000 7- DPW Canfield Casino Rehabilitation $300,000 8- DPW Public Works Garage Rehabilitation $175,000 9- DPW City Building and Facilities: Repair and Upgrades $100,000 10- DPS Reflective Sign Project $110,000 11- DPS Brush Truck
$ 50,000 * The Beekman Street Infrastructure Project will be paid for by the Water Fund and is not part of the total debt limit increase. Two other projects which are dependent on external funding were also named. The Mayor’s Department has scheduled Phase 2 of the Waterfront Park Property
Redevelopment if $800,000 in grant funding is obtained. The Recreation Department has scheduled $25,000 in Capital Improvements to the East and West side recreation fields subject to School District funding. Projections on funding needs through 2016 were also included in this presentation, although they will not be formally submitted until
before the individual budget year and thus might be changed. There will be two more public hearings (Wednesday, August 11 at 12:30 p.m. and Tuesday, August 17 at 6:45 p.m.) before the Council votes on this Capital Program on September 15. The Council is required to vote on the entire budget by November 30.