The Truth About Budget Extenders
By Mike Connery on 04/27/2010 @ 12:18 PM
Yesterday the Democratic Majority Conference passed another round of budget extenders. The extenders are receiving the lion's share of media attention this morning, so it's worth taking some time to know what exactly is included in the extender, and why Republicans who vote against the extenders are not only hypocritical, but also working against the interests of the public, who rely on the jobs and services the extenders provide.
First, a look at what, exactly, the extender's fund:
- $2.57 billion mandated payments to schools for General Aid Payments not associated with the Executive’s delays of school aid payments.
- $2.5 billion for local providers of the Medical Assistance Program including:
- $1.45 billion for payments to Medicaid providers including:
- $900 million for medical services provided by State facilities operated by OMH, OMRDD and OASAS.
- $311 million for nursing home services.
- $261 million for managed care services.
- $234 million for long term care services.
- $172 million for hospital inpatient services.
- $137 million for pharmacy services
- $67 million for non-institutional and other spending.
- $30 million for outpatient and emergency room services
- $29 million for clinical services
- $12 million for transportation services
- $7 million for dental services
- $40 million for contracts approved prior to April 1, 2010 where payments must be made during the period from April 1, 2010 to May 2, 2010.
- $40 million for contracts approved in the period from April 1, 2010 to May 2, 2010 where payments must be made during the same period.
As is readily apparent, these are all vital services that New Yorkers rely upon, and represent thousands of jobs that are putting food on the table and a roof over the heads of New York families. Those who support this extender are supporting our troopers, guardsmen, corrections officers, nurses, and social service workers who care for our veterans, the homeless, and mentally disabled.
Which leads me to my next topic. Seventeen Republicans voted against the extender: DeFrancisco, Flanagan, Golden, Hannon, O. Johnson, Larkin, Libous, Marcellino, Maziarz, Nozzolio, Ranzenhofer, Seward, Skelos, Volker, Griffo, Winner and Young. Many of these Republicans have been in office for a decade or more. They had no problem voting for budget extenders when they controlled the chamber.
- 2008: 9 days late/ 2 extenders
- 2004: 133 days late/ 12 extenders
- 2003: 42 days late/ 5 extenders
- 2002: 42 days late/ 8 extenders
- 2001: 125 days late/ 12 extenders
- 2000: 39 days late/ 3 extenders
- 1999: 126 days late/ 19 extenders
- 1998: 14 days late/ 4 extenders
- 1997: 126 days late/ 10 extenders
- 1996: 104 days late/ 14 extenders
- 1995: 68 days late/ 10 extenders
Plainly, Republican opposition to the budget extenders isn't about taking a principled stand. It's about showboating for voters and shirking tough decisions. It's playing politics with people's lives and jobs. New Yorkers deserve more.
What Danny Liedka Really Believes About Dave Valesky
By Mike Connery on 04/23/2010 @ 01:26 PM
It tells you something about a person's character and convictions when someone isn't willing to stand behind their words. It tells you even more when that person actually pretends to be someone else to hide their words.
Earlier today, Liz Benjamin reported that East Syracuse Mayor Danny Liedka sent a dishonest attack into Senator Valesky's district. The attack - a letter - was printed on letterhead made to look like it was issued from Valesky's office and it was written as if it was a personal letter from the Senator. It was even signed "Dave."
The message was quite different from another letter sent out by Liedka's office almost exactly one year ago. In a letter to the editor sent to the Syracuse Post-Standard, Liedka rightly praised Senator Valesky for his extensive work to bring good government to Albany and serve his constituents.
Liedka actually put his name on that letter. I think we all know which one represents an accurate depiction of Senator Valesky and his record.
To the Editor:
Your editorial suggested state Sen. David Valesky, D-Oneida, no longer deserves his title of poster boy for reform because he didn't prevent a closed budget process in Albany. As leaders of municipalities within his district, we intend to keep up his poster.
Since being elected in 2004, he has risen to the heights of the state Senate because of tenacious advocacy for his community and passion for good government. His is an example to emulate.
These are tough economic times that call for tough choices. Like you, our constituents look to Washington and Albany for leadership and direction. To suggest one person could influence an entrenched Albany political institution is misleading. If Sen. Valesky could have, he would have.
Your editorial noted the senator's discouragement over the process, and that he didn't point any fingers. Having known Sen. Valesky over the years, we can assure you finger-pointing isn't his style. Rather, he fights tenaciously for good government and his community.
John Becker, chairman, Madison County Board of Supervisors
John Heindorf, mayor
North Syracuse
Chet Dudzinski, supervisor
Town of Cicero
John Klink, supervisor
Town of Owasco
Mark Tetley, supervisor
Town of Manlius
Dan Liedka, mayor, East Syracuse
Would Senate Republicans Prefer a Government Shutdown?
By Mike Connery on 04/20/2010 @ 01:26 PM
Yesterday the State Senate voted to pass budget extenders that will fund the essential functions of government and protect vital services on which millions of New Yorkers depend. The budget extenders allow the state to continue paying our troopers, guardsmen, corrections officers, nurses, and social service workers who care for our veterans, the homeless, and mentally disabled. They provide funds for Medicaid, Social Security, and Unemployment.
Without these extenders, the state cannot function, and New Yorkers already struggling to make ends meet with take yet another hard hit. This is a big deal, with an immediate impact on the lives of hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of the state's residents. So it's worth noting that 16 Republicans - as they have so often since they lost the majority - said 'No' to a functioning government, 'No' to services for their constituents, and 'No' to paying the first responders we rely upon in emergencies by voting against the budget extenders.
Here is the list of Republicans who voted against yesterday's bill. It's a wall of shame if ever there was one:
- John DeFrancisco
- John Flanagan
- Martin Golden
- Joe Griffo
- Kemp Hannon
- William Larkin
- Ken LaValle
- Tom Libous
- Carl Marcellino
- Michael Nozzolio
- Michael Ranzenhofer
- James Seward
- Dean Skelos
- Dale Volker
- George Winner
- Catharine Young
Here's my question. With so many New Yorkers struggling, and the state facing one of the biggest fiscal crises in recent memory, does this gang of 16 really think shutting down parts of the government and letting vital services lapse is a good idea? I wonder if their constituents would agree with their answer.
Property Taxes and Upstate Republican Dissatisfaction
By Mike Connery on 04/19/2010 @ 04:09 PM
One more thought on the Siena Poll released this morning. As I noted earlier, the poll showed that upstate Republican voters are significantly more frustrated with their incumbent Senators than are downstate Democratic voters.
If one had to venture a reason for this, they could do worse than to look at this piece from yesterday's Democrat & Chronicle: Upstate Shoulders Lion's Share in Taxes.
Live in Westchester County and you pay the highest property taxes in the nation, with a median of $8,404 a year.
Live in upstate New York, and you also have an unenviable distinction.
Sixteen upstate counties — including Monroe, Orleans, Erie and Cortland — pay the highest property taxes compared to home values in the country, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
In all, New York's local taxes are 79 percent higher than the national average, a 2008 state report found.
Property-tax levies grew 60 percent between 1995 and 2005, more than twice the inflation rate, the state Comptroller's Office said.
Let's give that a second to really sink in. During just 10 years of Republicans' 44 year rein in the State Senate, property taxes increased by 60 percent.
Given that Republicans just unanimously rejected a Democratic budget resolution that would have provided $500 million property tax relief, I'd say upstate Republican voters have a lot to be angry about.
New York Senate Dems Hits Republicans on Taxes and Budget
By Mike Connery on 04/16/2010 @ 05:26 PM
Yesterday was tax day, and once again hard-working New Yorkers sent too much of their tax dollars to Albany.
While New Yorkers continue to pay more than their fair share, Republicans are sitting on the sidelines, running from decades-long record of taxing, spending and borrowing away the financial stability of our state. To add insult to injury, they are refusing to participate constructively in the current budget process, and trying to blame Democrats for their own mess.
New York Senate Dems are determined to hold Republicans accountable for these actions.
Today we launched a series of robocalls into the districts of 14 Republicans who are ducking and dodging their record on taxes while the people of New York foot the bill. Calls were placed into the districts of Dean Skelos, Steve Saland, Hugh Farley, Roy McDonald, Owen Johnson, Kemp Hannon, John DeFrancisco, Tom Libous, Joe Robach, Michael Ranzenhofer, Ken LaValle, James Alesi, Frank Padavan and Joe Griffo.
Voters in each of those districts received a call informing them of their Senator's record on the budget and taxes, and asking them to call and ask their Senator to work with Democrats to resolve our state's budget crisis.
You can listen to a few of those calls below:
Dean Skelos
Kemp Hannon
Owen Johnson
Senate Republicans bear the brunt of responsibility for landing us in our current fiscal straits. They owe it to their constituents, and to all New Yorkers, to engage in good faith negotiations to help fix their mess.
We're not going to let them run from their record any longer.
Ed Note - We're still in beta and working out the hiccups, and this post was accidentally deleted from our system on Monday April 19th. A new copy was uploaded on Tuesday April 20.
Ed Cox Must Be Joking
By Mike Connery on 04/15/2010 @ 05:52 PM
It's hard to tell whether NY GOP chairman Ed Cox is living in a Republican fantasy world, or the NY GOP press shop is recruiting writers from The Onion. There's no other way to explain this press release, sent out late in the day, that attempts to pin 44 years of Republican tax increases on the Democrats:
Albany NY ... April 14, 2010 - Today, hardworking New Yorkers across the State do their civic duty and submit their taxes to Albany and Washington. Unfortunately, beyond the necessary services our taxes are intended to fund, they're paying more and more for government programs of dubious legality or value.
The taxes in New York are among the highest in the country. New York's taxpayers can no longer afford to be shackled with the debt that Democrats in control of government are accruing. Every day we see promises made by the current Democrat leadership in Albany and Washington to relieve the burden that hardworking families face, only to discover that such promises are hollow. Democrats have tried to disguise new taxes as fees for everyday activities such as using one's cell phone.
Our hard earned money has been squandered by these Democrat leaders on legislation and earmarks for their friends in special interest groups, in return for campaign help and contributions. Electing fiscally conservative Republicans, who understand the virtues of reducing spending and lowering taxes, is the only way we can reverse our trajectory and take control of our finances.
Lest we all forget, here are a just a few stats outlining Republicans' role in creating the enormous tax and debt burdens shouldered by our state:
- Under Republican rule during the Pataki-Bruno years from FY 1996 to 2008, the state budget grew nearly 100%.
- In 1996, the overall size was $62 billion; by 2008, it was $121 billion.
- Despite a strong economy, the state’s debt load grew dramatically under Republican control, nearly doubling between 1997 and 2008, from $31 to $54 billion.
- This debt stems largely from the Republicans’ refusal to hold public authorities and corporations accountable, which we now do as a result of the Public Authorities Reform Act of 2009.
- Also during this period, the debt load attributable to each and every man, woman and child in New York soared from $1,774.56 in 1997 to $2,675.70.
- Not only did Republicans turn a blind eye to accruing debt, but they also committed the state to poor loans agreements, resulting in a doubling of the state’s annual debt service: from $3 billion annually in 1997 to $5.8 billion in 2009.
- Since 1977, New York has had the highest combined state/ local tax burden in the nation for every year but three.
- New Yorkers pay almost twice the national average for local taxes.
With a record like that, Cox must be crazy - or incredibly desperate and disingenuous - to think New Yorkers would believe a word of his statement.
Joe Bruno and his lackeys in the Senate Republican conference raised taxes hundreds of times and doubled state spending in just 14 years. That's why the Republicans have continually lost Senate seats for years, why even Republican voters want to throw Republican Senators out of office, why Democratic enrollment is surging, why Republican fundraising is lagging, and why fewer than 30% of New Yorkers want the Republicans in charge of the Senate.
There is a party dedicated to restoring fiscal responsibility in Albany, but it's not the Republicans.
Quinnipiac Poll Spells Trouble for Republicans
By Mike Connery on 04/15/2010 @ 04:26 PM
Here's some bad news for Republicans hoping to ride a wave of anti-incumbent sentiment back into the majority in the state Senate. A new poll from Quinnipiac shows that while anti-incumbent sentiment is higher than ever, that dissatisfaction is disproportionately directed towards the NY GOP.
Voters also want 50 - 39 percent to clean house in the State Senate, including voting out their own State Senator. This is the strongest anti-incumbent sentiment ever measure in New York. Democrats want to stick with their Senator 51 - 38 percent. Anti-incumbent feeling is 57 - 30 percent among Republicans and 59 - 32 percent among independent voters.
Combined with the voter enrollment data coming out of NYPIRG earlier this week, this is bad news from some Republicans. Of the five districts in which the voter enrollment shifted to Democrats in the last two years, four of those districts belong to incumbent Republicans: Alesi, Hannon, O. Johnson and Fuschillo. The fifth district that flipped belongs to Brian Foley, where more Democrats on the rolls will help shore up his base of support.
Fewer Republicans on the voter rolls combined with a GOP base and swing electorate upset with Republicans will make for a challenging campaign season for Republicans and could tip the balance towards Democrats in a few races.
Skelos Demands to Attend Budget Meetings (Except When He Doesn't)
By Mike Connery on 04/14/2010 @ 05:01 PM
Just last week Dean Skelos was complaining that no one invited him or his fellow Republicans to budget meetings:
Minority leader Dean Skelos, R-Long Island, referred to a recent meeting between Sampson, Gov. David Paterson and Lt. Gov. Richard Ravitch at Peter Luger's steakhouse in Brooklyn. "I wasn't invited to that even for an appetizer," Skelos said.
Today, in response to an invitation from Leader Sampson to participate in budget meetings, Skelos is crying a different tune:
The stalemate over crafting a state budget is continuing in the Senate this morning with the latest episode centering on a leaders meeting and a rejection/call for conference committees.
Basically, Senate Democratic Majority Conference Leader John Sampson yesterday sent a letter to Republican Minority Dean Skelos inviting GOP leaders to a 1 p.m. meeting today.
The response boiled down to this: that’s a public relations stunt and why haven’t you convened conference committees like you are supposed to in which lawmakers from both parties discuss budget issues in public.
Republicans can complain about not being included in the budget process, or they can actively reject any constructive role in shaping the budget. They don't get to do both. Certainly not when our state is facing a fiscal emergency and the economic well-being of so many New Yorkers is on the line.
Earlier today I linked to an op-ed by Senate Majority Leader John Sampson calling out Republicans for their lack of ideas and good faith in this year's budget process. Sampson called Skelos and fellow Republicans "the Party of No Credibility," a play on the "Party of No." Seems like Republicans are all too happy to live up to those titles.
GOP: The Party of No Credibility
By Mike Connery on 04/14/2010 @ 12:01 PM
Majority Conference Leader John Sampson has an op-ed in today's Syracuse Post-Standard calling out Dean Skelos and do-nothing Republicans for their refusal to deal constructively with the state's budgetary problems.
In defending his conference’s habitual rejection of fiscally sound proposals, as well as his refusal to come forth with any offerings of his own, Sen. Skelos is continuing the negligent behavior that got New York into this mess in the first place.
During the Bruno-Skelos era of 1996 to 2008, the Republican Conference said “no” to an on-time budget 10 times, for total lateness of 819 days.
When they did manage to pass a budget, the document was hardly a model of fiscal integrity. From 1997 to 2008, outstanding state-related debt increased by 36 percent, from $33.1 billion to $51.6 billion. In other words, the annual bill for every man, woman and child in this state to service the debt increased from $166.16 to $276.14. Borrowing went up, property taxes skyrocketed and jobs left.
Despite this, when the Senate passed a resolution which — for only the third time in more than three decades — controlled spending, they again said “no,” along with their rejection of property tax relief for seniors and a restoration of funding for our state parks. And the very conference that included more than 300 new taxes in its last 10 budgets alone then said “no” to the Democrats’ rejection of $1.1 billion in new taxes and fees. When asked to provide an alternative plan, Sen. Skelos said — you guessed it — “no.”
While cloaking himself in the robes of “no,” one thing is clear: This self-anointed emperor not only has no clothes, he has turned the “party of no” into the “party of no credibility.”
Leader Sampson gets it exactly right. Looking back on their record, it's hard to take Republican indignation over the current budget troubles seriously. Senate Democrats are are the only ones in Albany willing to make tough choices on the budget, and one of the few proposing reforms that will fix a dysfunctional budgetary process. By contrast, Republicans are sitting on the side lines and playing the blame game.
The Budget Hypocrisy of Tom Libous
By Mike Connery on 04/07/2010 @ 02:26 PM
When it comes to the budget, the record of Senate Republicans is littered with tax hikes and out of control spending. Over the course of twenty years the Party of Joe Bruno delivered an on-time budget only twice – not to mention that they practically invented the accounting gimmicks that helped set our state on the path to financial ruin.
That's why it was surprising to see Republican Senator Tom Libous attacking Democrats over the weekend for delays in what is widely acknowledged as the most difficult and complex budget process in decades. After twenty-two years in the State Senate, there is little in Tom Libous' record – or that of the GOP as a whole -that is in any way reflective of a concern for fiscal responsibility.
In 1988, when Tom Libous was first elected to serve the people New York, our state’s budget was $39 Billion. Under his less-than-watchful eyes, spending ballooned by 197% over the next two decades. By 2008, when New Yorkers had finally had enough and threw out Joe Bruno and some his other cronies, the budget had nearly tripled to a whopping $116 billion.
Out of control spending and late budgets represent only one side of the ledger. In addition to letting spending go virtually unchecked, Tom Libous and the Senate Republicans literally balanced the state's checkbook on the backs of everyday New Yorkers, creating the unbearable tax burden that now threatens to bankrupt so many in this state.
Between 1990 and 2008, Tom Libous voted for a whopping 504 new state taxes and fees, reaching into the the pocket books of hard-working New Yorkers and robbing them of $29.2 billion. We in this state pay almost twice the national average in property taxes and face the highest state and local tax burden in the nation thanks in no small part to Tom Libous and the rest of his Republican buddies.
That's no record to be proud of and it sheds an interesting light on Libous' newfound fiscal hawkishness. It would be one thing if Libous and the rest of the Bruno Republicans in the Senate spent even a fraction of the time they exhaust attacking Democrats on actually working to find real bi-partisan solutions to the economic crisis we face. Instead, it has become clear that they have chosen political rhetoric over substantive results.
Since the beginning of the budget process, Libous and Senate Republicans have demonstrated a tremendous talent for shouting "No!" but have shown very little concern for solving the challenges facing New York today. They still have not even submitted a budget proposal of their own and recently voted unanimously to reject a tough but fair budget resolution proposed by the Democratic Majority.
The Democratic budget is not perfect – our financial situation calls for very tough choices – but it is a significant step towards putting New York back on the fiscally responsible track. It provides real property tax relief for seniors and homeowners, rejects over $1 billion in new taxes, and holds spending under the rate of inflation for only the third time in thirty years.
New Yorkers have already put up with forty-four years of Republican deals, deficits and dysfunction in Albany. Its time for Tom Libous to stop slinging mud and help clean up the mess he created.
Dirty Tricks From Senate Republicans
By Mike Connery on 04/06/2010 @ 11:01 AM
Republicans were just caught red-handed lying to Nassau residents in Craig Johnson's district.
Constituents in Johnson's Nassau County district reported receiving an email around midnight on the first night of Passover last week from "nysobserver@gmail.com" with the subject line: "Property Taxpayers Alert!"
The email purported to highlight "Albany's property tax double-cross," in which the Senate passed legislation sponsored by Johnson that "allows school districts to increase school district spending and property taxes against the will of local voters."
...
The email not originate from everyone's favorite salmon pink weekly, as it turns out.
The "opt-out" link at the bottom of the missive reveals it came from none other than the NYSSRCC. (For the uninitiated, that's short for "New York State Senate Republican Campaign Committee).
Craig Johnson's spokesman, Rich Azzopardi, has it right:
"The Albany Republicans and their stooges know that they have no credibility with the residents of the 7th Senate District, so it's no surprise that they tried to hide their identity," said Johnson spokesman Rich Azzopardi.
"Fortunately, they couldn't mask their hypocrisy and classlessness, no matter how deep they try to hide in the shadows of the Internet."
It's no wonder Republicans would try to hide behind a dirty trick to hit Democrats on taxes. The Republican record on taxes is abysmal and nowhere is that more apparent than in Nassau County.
Between 1985-2009 property taxes rose by 320% in Nassau County. According to the Tax Foundation, Nassau has the 3rd highest property taxes in the nation, with a median property tax bill of $8,306. Voters won't soon forget that record, no matter how hard Republicans try to lie or hide from their history.
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