and maybe concentrate on other matters where the state can make some really big moves on saving money.” Along those lines, Rieber called for a district court system to replace the multiple -- and costly -- town and village courts. He also suggested the state take a look at the New York State Health Insurance Plan to save money. Late Monday, Cuomo and DiNapoli held a news conference in Albany where Cuomo announced a “heart attack” to the state’s finances. “The big drop in state revenues in January is the most serious fiscal shock our state has faced in years," State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli said. The SullivanTimes has reached out to Governor Cuomo’s press office for comment about AIM and asked if Monday’s bombshell announcement would impact any restoration of funding to towns and villages. At press time today, Rieber weighed in on the state’s shortfall announcement. “Certainly all these high earning individuals didn’t magically leave New York State in the last months of the year,” Rieber said. “Could it be possible that many of these high earners preferred paying taxes in 2019 in the hope that there might be a reversal of the tax code reflecting how much state and local taxes can be deducted? Earnings were high last year for many people particularly those in the markets. I would venture to say that revenues for the first quarter of 2019 will be quite higher and this ‘emergency’ shortfall will be a distant memory. I would hope that our state legislators stand fast.” Here is a chart showing Aid and Incentives for Municipalities (AIM) for the past two years
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