Enough is Enough New York State! Straighten Out Your Act or We're ALL LEAVING!

Today I happened upon this letter from one of the NY State Assemblymen, Ken Blankenbush, talking about being in session this week and negotiating the budget. Such a nice letter --filled with sadness for our current outlook.  Read it and weep: (his spelling mistakes are his not mine.  You can see the link to his blog in the heading)

March 15, 2013 

Legislative Column from Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush  (R,C,I-Black River)

With little over a week remaining for budget negotiations, I am concerned that this year’s enacted state budget will lack the provisions necessary to help revitalize our economy and grow jobs. All across the state, families and communities are struggling with pressing concerns: how do we put food on the table and what kind of future are we building for our children?

All throughout these budget negotiations, I have put these concerns at the forefront. It’s imperative that any available public dollars are put toward improving our economy and providing relief to our communities, job creators and working families.

While the governor continues to tout his plan to revitalize upstate’s economy, I have yet to see one that will truly help our small towns, cities and rural communities here in the North Country and Mohawk Valley. His plan lack details, gives a considerable amount of economic development control to political appointees instead of business leaders and shows a fundamental lack of understanding as to what our upstate economy needs.

 A real plan to revitalize our upstate economy must entail substantial relief from the state’s burdensome regulations and taxes, as well as a renewed focus on incubating start-up companies that promote innovation and best fit our region’s model for growth, as opposed to basing our economic future on weekend jaunts away from the city.  Governor, we are going to need more than whitewater rafting and a casino to help our upstate families and businesses, and I can’t help but feel this budget is missing a chance to deliver good jobs and opportunity to our communities.

 Albany’s proposal to cut nearly $5 million in local farm aid programs is more proof that downstate politicians have little understanding of our values and economic needs. In upstate New York, agriculture is a cornerstone of our economy, a catalyst for jobs and economic growth.  While I appreciate the governor’s proposal for specialized shops for farmers to sell their goods, both his budget proposal and that of the Assembly Majority shortchange our farming communities and place further strain on our already fragile economy.

 During the final week of budget negotiations, I will be working with my colleagues from both parties to restore cuts to our farmers, repeal the new energy tax on businesses and families and enact policies to foster economic growth and job creation for our region. If the governor and lawmakers are serious about showing the world that New York is truly “Open for Business,” then we need to pass a budget that benefits our entire state, not a few select interests.

And then I decided to take it upon myself to help him with ideas for cuts that don't include infringing on the citizens of this state.

Now READ THIS AND WEEP!  

Hey, Mr. Blankenbush, I can help you fix the budget! Why not start here:

1 - Time to just end the department of education. Do you like paying taxes SO HIGH that you are working three jobs or choking to death? Do you ever wonder why the salaries of school administrators are so high? What do they do exactly? Paid on Taxpayer dollars? It's funny, but when I graduated High School in 1977 the Department of Education didn't exist. That's right --I managed to graduate without this giant entity started by Jimmy Carter in 1979!
Look below --it is absurd! And this is just long island!!

Salaries of School Administrators on Long Island



2 - Now, how about we move on to legislative pay? How is it that in a state like New Hampshire where there is NO STATE TAX, legislators get paid $200 every two years to do their job? Why is it in New York that winning a political position is like a lottery win? 

Salaries of NY Legislators

3 - Let us now move on to the police and fire departments --ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

Salaries of Police Department and Fire Department Employees

4 - THESE SALARIES ARE INSANE! This is taxpayer money!!!

New York State Payroll

DO I need to continue?  Are we just going to keep taking it and taking it?

My parents are in their 70's and they live in a nice home that they own --only paying the taxes on their home is killing them. They are not alone!  All over long Island we have people trying live a modest life whom are being destroyed by the taxes they are forced to pay. We now have a  2% tax cap that was supposed to relieve some future stress for those in this state --only this tax cap seems to have been a ploy to insure that the taxes WOULD go up 2% every year!

And what are all these taxes for?? Exorbitant salaries, pensions and perks!

This has to stop. Something has to change or Long Island will become a ghost town --  People are walking away from homes --they just can't afford to stay here. Young people see no future and either live with their parents or move out of the state.

Lets get real New York.  We're tired of being duped.