GET READY!!! More Taxes & More $ for Paterson's Staff & Travel

AP: No One Is Safe From NY's Wide Reaching Budget
Proposed $131.8B Tax-And-Spend Plan Has Critics Howling
Mar 31, 2009
Marcia Kramer NEW YORK (CBS) ―

Get ready to pay up.

The budget crisis in New York is so dire lawmakers are planning tax hikes on some of life's necessities, as well as some simple pleasures.

From bottled water, to beer, cigars and electricity, the cost could be going up for all of these and more.

Governor David Paterson said the new state budget is shared sacrifice, but its a tough sell.

If you live in New York City and suburbs there is only one thing you can do in reaction to the new state budget – gasp.

"This is not a happy budget," Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith, D-Queens, said.

No kidding. Critics said there are so many taxes and fee hikes the average family of four in our area can expect to shell out an additional $5,000 -- for now.

"I would like to tell you that this budget brings to an end our fiscal crisis, but I can't do that. That would be intellectually dishonest," Paterson said.

The budget puts an added income tax on households earning over $300,000 to raise $4 billion.

"The rich are going to do their fair share in trying to close this budget deficit and now all those that were yelling for them to do it need to do the same," Paterson said.

And they will.

The details of the new budget include:

* Essentially flat state school aid. Aid to public schools would increase about $1.1 billion, according to Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, and eliminate the $700 million cut Paterson had proposed in December. But that results in almost no increase for schools that have gotten bumps of billions of dollars from lawmakers pressured by school districts back home. School aid will total more than $21 billion, one of the highest per capita levels in the nation. But school advocates expected $1.5 billion more this year, even after Paterson's cut was restored, under a promise by the state following a court decision it lost for not providing a sound basic education for years.

"There are going to be layoffs of teachers and other educators," said Billy Easton, executive director of the Alliance for Quality Education, a union-allied advocate for public schools. "There are going to be cutbacks of programs and kids in districts that are already underfunded, the problem is going to continue ... and that's a travesty of justice."

The last time school districts received far less state aid than expected local property taxes were subsequently increased by an average of 10 percent.

* About $3 billion of taxes and fees, from motor vehicle registration charges to public college tuition and other costs that would affect everyday life for most residents.

* No more tax rebate checks to residents, although the STAR exemption program and NYC STAR credit will continue to provide $3.3 billion in property tax relief.

* A bigger bottle bill. A nickel deposit would be required of bottled water, to go along with carbonated drinks. The state will get about $115 million of the unclaimed deposits, with bottlers keeping the rest under a last-minute deal worked out with lobbyists for the Coca-Cola Co.

* Taxing little cigars often called cigarillos at the same 46 percent rate applied to cigarettes, instead of the 37 percent rate now.

Meanwhile, Paterson had proposed more than $1 billion in cuts from health care in his mid-December budget to the Legislature. He sought to force more funding to be moved from traditional and expensive hospital care to more efficient community-based and preventive programs. The Legislature restored about 69 percent of funding to hospitals, 73 percent to pharmacies, 60 percent to home care programs and 43 percent to nursing homes.

The Legislature also restored:

* $340 million of critical funding to New York City, Silver said.

* Funding for teacher training centers and adult literacy and bilingual education programs.

* $125 million more to the State University of New York, for a total of $2.5 billion in funding; and $86 million more to the City University of New York, for a new total of $1.4 billion.

* $49 million in cuts to community colleges.

* Almost $50 million to the Tuition Assistance Program, which provides financial aid to college students.

The Legislature also created a $50 billion program to provide low-interest loans to residents attending college and rejected a proposal for a gas tax.

New Yorkers can't even begin to fathom what they've been hit with.

"You know it's a really difficult situation. There are no clear solutions. It just seems to tax too much," said Upper West Side resident Jamie Kalfus.

Critics, like Senate Minorty Leader Dean Skelos, R-Long Island, slammed the Legislature for secretly negotiating a $10 billion increase in spending at a time of fiscal crisis.

"These numbers are absolutely staggering, and the height of irresponsibility on the part of the Democrat leadership in this state," said Senate Minority Leader Dean Skelos (R-L.I.). "The public should be outraged."

But Gov. Paterson vigorously defended the secret negotiations.

"Nobody wants to publicly, other than governors, who are charged to do it, put their issues on the table. That's part of what negotiations are about," Paterson said.

By the way, Paterson has a $20 million budget for his staff and half a million dollars budgeted for travel.

The Sky is Falling on Gov. Paterson

The numbers pretty much speak for themselves here. It looks to us like Republicans in NY-20 should have tried to make their race more about Gov. Paterson then Obama. Both leaders are on their way to dwarf Bush's historic all-time-disapproval levels. But Paterson is such an obvious target because pretty soon if you ask 100 people in New York what they think of the Gov, 101 will tell you they hate him.

Gillibrand's Latest Flip-Flop Won't Be Her Last

What's with Kristen Gillibrand and guns?

A few weeks ago she put her foot in her mouth when she noted to the press that she had a few rifles under her bed... then her spokesman said they removed them. Kristen had a record of being pro-gun, but she has quickly been backed into a corner, not only with that recent fumble, but also on a key legislative vote this past week in Washington.

Some liberal reporters have called it a "turnaround," but in a stunning maneuver that would make an olympic gymnast blush, Kirsten Gillibrand has switched her position on gun rights in an effort to redefine her political worldview (and to appease liberals downstate including potential challenger Carolyn McCarthy, a radical opponent of the 2nd Amendment).

In sorting though all the madness this week, I read of Gillibrand's latest flip-flop in The Politico, a Washington, DC based paper. They said it best, "She's not sticking to her guns."

More here:

Gillibrand votes against DC guns

She's not sticking to her guns.

"New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand -- who signed a Supreme Court brief supporting a decision to roll back the District of Columbia gun ban last year -- has voted against a bill that would make it harder to restrict firearms in the district.

The pro-gun measure, which passed 62-to-36 earlier today, would prevent DC's government from imposing tough new restrictions on weapons of all types, including semi-automatic weapons."

And in the comments section of the story we found this gem from an anonymous observer: "Reid and Schumer got ahold of her and now she falls in line like an obedient comrade."

Looking back one has to wonder whether Governor David Paterson regrets that he didn't actually pick a principled leader to represent the state of New York in the US Senate, or did he know all along that Gillibrand would just take orders from the liberal Democratic playbook at the get-go?

Bowling for Socialism?

Bowling for Socialism?

Gov. Patterson's latest is right out of the Michael Moore playbook, except this time it's the Democrats who want to tax all the bowlers of New York State. So much for trying to promote economic development in the North Country! Now the Gov. wants to tax us for knocking down the pins. Bowling has always been a favorite past-time for Americans. It is one of the first sports known to man, invented by the ancient Egyptians.

Here is the story in the Daily Gazette titled,Bowlers rallying to battle Paterson “fun tax”

A few quotes from the piece here:

"The already struggling owners of local bowling alleys across the state are warning their businesses are at risk from Gov. Paterson’s plan to start charging sales tax on admissions. The new tax could even jeopardize the state’s ability to attract national competitions for the sport, as New York would become just one of a handful of states charging the tax. (In this region, only Vermont charges tax on bowling fees.)

'Most of the businesses are family-owned and we are an industry already hard-hit by many state mandates, such as the smoking legislation, and by competition with gaming centers,' said Kathy Leitgeb of the NYS Bowling Proprietors Association. 'We have heard many people say they would quit bowling if there was a sales tax on their games.'

The 'fun tax' is one of more than 140 new taxes and fees that Paterson addede to his budget proposal that will cost an average New York family more than $3000 a year."

First the Democrats pass a trillion dollar federal spending bill, now they tax us to death on all things fun in New York. What's next? Why to drive out small family-owned businesses from Upstate New York. Rumor has it that some members of the NYSBPA are considering moving to another state now. That'll sure help put us into further debt and lower our tax base on the state and local levels.

This should for certain count as a STRIKE against New York Democrats!!!

Golisano's 5 Point Plan for a Responsible New York

Tom Golisano, the billionaire political guru of Western NY has created a PAC that will be distributing money all throughout NY this cycle based on the following 5 principles:


■ Property tax reform.

■ A responsible budgetary process.

■ Campaign and election reform.

■ Ending unfunded mandates.

■ Government transparency.


This is great news to us... we here at UGOB think that those are fine principles to commit to and build support for. That is why today the UpState Good Old Boys are endorsing Golisano's vision for a Responsible New York, which is also the name of his new PAC.


Too bad for Darrel Aubertine that he doesn't fit the bill on any of these measures.

First off, David Renzi, his opponent, committed himself to a property tax reform publicly while Aubertine stood silent.

As for responsible budgetary processes, we never saw Darrel do much of anything in the Assembly to address the issue, except for doing his part to commit to continuing the unfunded mandates dilemma facing the NY State and the federal government.

Then comes campaign/election reform... here is where Darrel stood silently as the leader of his party, Barack Obama, flip-flopped on his promise to take public financing for the presidential election. We called him to task on that issue several days ago and got no response. Then again why would he respond when the mainstream media fails to ask the tough questions. Darrel, do you support Senator Obama's position to forgo public financing for the general election and ruin any chance of meaningful future election reform? Someone should ask him that flat out. He doesn't have a good answer. Just look at how much money he took from Albany for his special election -- he has been paying those favors back for some time now and will continue to pay them back until he gets called to task.

On the issue of ending unfunded mandates Darrel gets an F (minus). We don't even need to get into the mess he and his party have created for unfunded mandates in state government. He is an accomplice of the worse kind as far as unfunded mandates go in Albany.

Last, we come to government transparency... well Darrel, you hired your sister (illegally) for your government office. That moment really brought out the nepotism in you. Then you lied about being offered the NYPA job by Governor Paterson. Darrel does not past the smell test on any of these issues.

Mr. Golisano, with that said, we endorse your plan and we hope you look straight past Mr. Aubertine with your 5 million plus bankroll if you really hope to fix state government in New York and correct these obvious problems in our government. Thank you for your service and commitment, please don't let us down. The people are counting on you!

Since When Did Conservatives Decide to Start Endorsing Pro-Aborts like Scozzafava?!?

Photo above (L to R): Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, Laura Meyers, chair of the Western New York Chapter of Planned Parenthood Advocates of New York, JoAnn M. Smith, a member of Planned Parenthood Advocates Board of Directors, and Senator David Paterson


This week the St. Lawrence County Conservative Party made its political endorsements. We weren't suprised when we saw several Republicans listed, but then... we saw RINO, DeDe Scozzafava. Shocking, I know!

Puzzled, we wondered to ourselves why in the world would the St. Lawrence County Conservative Party and our friends, Hank Ford and Judy Wendt, put themselves in such an awkward position by endorsing Scozzafava, who is the pure pedigree of a RINO. They are sure to lose all credibility among their base.

My friends, I assure you that this is politics at its finest hour.

Did the conservatives feel compelled to endorse RINO-DeDe for her radical views in favor of same sex marriage? Was it her conservative voting rating in the 30s, 40s, and 50s? No it couldn't have been because the last time I had a math quiz anything below a 65 was an F...

Or better yet, was it for this quote our ol' gal DeDe signed onto that really encouraged our conservative friends??? -- "I promise to insure the rights of all women in New York State to control their own reproductive lives, including the right to safe, legal abortion." What I am trying to say is that the conservatives endorsement of DeDe is repulsive and embarrasing. It would be like Hillary Clinton pushing Dick Cheney for Obama's VP, over herself. HA!

But this endorsement brings us to a more serious subject that needs to be opined upon. Many in UpState NY don't know that RINO-DeDe has worked tirelessly to kill the unborn while in the NYS Assembly. And while the NYS Republicans should be proud that only 5 Assembly members of its GOP delegation have signed onto this blood-stained document for the National Organization of Women, it is true that DeDe was one of 5 Republicans in a body of 150 Assembly members who pledged to promote pro-abortion policies. Someone should tell her how many abortions happen each year in her hometown of Gouverneur.

That might shock her...

Perhaps that is why the St. Lawrence County Conservative Party was so inspired to make their ringing endorsement of DeDe this week (But we here at UGOB sincerely hope that is not the reason why they endorsed Scozzafava. Because if it is, the conservatives are sure going to have a lot of angry grassroots people in their ranks.). Then again, it could be that the Conservative Party believed DeDe EARNED their endorsement. After all, Pro-Abort DeDe sure earned the endorsement of Planned Parenthood Advocates of New York, a radical pro-abortion group that supported Clinton, Spitzer, and now Obama. And according to Project Vote Smart site, Scozzafava believes that "abortions should always be legal." She even won a 100% pro-choice rating from Planned Parenthood, a true feat in and of itself.

So now it seems that the oneous is on the Jefferson County Conservative Party...

It is our hope and prayer that they will not tango with their "so-called" conservative friends to the East when they make their endorsements public next week. If the Jefferson County Conservative Party withheld its endorsement from Scozzafava, it would send a real clear signal that conservative social values are important in UpState New York and that the Conservative Party still means something. Heck, maybe the county Republican Parties could learn a thing or two from a move like that. Here's to hoping...

We also hope that Mike Long might chime in and let Mr. Ford in on the secret that pro-abort, RINO DeDe ain't no conservative.

If DeDe will support the slaughter of innocent young children for cheap political points then next thing you know we might see her public support for Obama & Co. That would be an interesting dilemma for the Conservatives in St. Lawrence County. Wouldn't it? Anyways, DeDe's new trophy should go nicely on the wall with the one her brother Tom won by cheating everyone through his Seaway Valley Capital gig.

PS - DeDe... if you read our blog please clarify for us what you mean by the words you support a woman's right to an abortion. For example, is this what you mean? -- As it is described by an abortionist in the US Supreme Court: "The doctor grips a fetal part with the forceps and pulls it back through the cervix and vagina, continuing to pull even after meeting resistance from the cervix. The friction causes the fetus to tear apart. For example, a leg might be ripped off the fetus as it is pulled through the cervix and out of the woman. The process of evacuating the fetus piece by piece continues until it has been completely re-moved." (US Supreme Court, Gonzales vs. Carhart, April 18, 2007, describing the D&E procedure).

Is this what you mean by an abortion procedure that you believe should be legalized in New York State? Is this what you mean by an abortion?

OK, okay... ok. I know that words can't adequately explain what you mean by your support for abortion so maybe this will help.

St. Lawrence Conservatives - please let us know... is this something you want to endorse next time around?

At Least He is a Better Liar Than Spitzer

Unbelievable. Unfathomable. Incredible. Inconceivable. ... ... ...


The latest reversal in stories by the Watertown Daily Times this week as they relate to the Darrel Aubertine saga was something else I'll tell ya. Here is how it played out from the start...
On Saturday, the Times prints a positive piece about how Aubertine is such a man of the people that he turned down a high paying energy job. They made Aubertine out to be some sort of populist-hero from the Obama generation. Aubertine's office is quoted as saying:

"'I was offered the opportunity to serve as NYPA chairman last week,' Sen. Aubertine said. 'I'm certainly very, very flattered to not only have been considered, but to have been offered the position. After discussions with my family and friends, my decision was to keep my commitment to the people of the 48th Senate district.'"

Then comes his politician spin (i.e. "We need to stay focused on the issues at stake in the this session of the legislature and not let this story distract us... [because I lied and I don't want people to think about me lying...]").

We also find out days later that it was all a lie and that Aubertine was never really offered the NYPA job. The LUV-GOV2, Gov. David Patterson, responded in today's WDT print regarding Aubertine's alleged refusal to take the job or that it was even offered by Patterson's administration. The story goes on to say:

"Conflicting reports emerged Monday afternoon over whether the governor tried to lure a north country state senator into his administration.

In a press conference at the state Capitol, Gov. David A. Paterson said emphatically that he did not offer Sen. Darrel J. Aubertine, D-Cape Vincent, a job at the New York Power Authority.

'That's a good question,' the governor said in response to a reporter. 'I didn't offer him a job. I don't believe anyone in my office did. That's his (Aubertine's) interpretation.'

So did the governor mean to suggest that the senator was lying?

'Didn't I say 'interpretation'?' Gov. Paterson replied, insisting he didn't know why Mr. Aubertine would have gotten the impression he had been offered the position.

'The same reason you got the idea that I said he was lying, when I said it was his interpretation. He misunderstood, I guess,' Gov. Paterson said. 'But I don't know the reason. I haven't actually seen Darrel in the month of June or the month of May. I haven't seen him in a long time.'"

So here we learn that Aubertine lied about being offered the job in the first place.

Here is what people need to know.... Not only is Aubertine at odds with NYS Senate Ethics for illegally hiring his own sister, he is also a liar. And a bad liar at that. I guess we should give ol' Aubertine some credit though; at least he can cover it up better than his old pal, Eliot Spitzer.

Meanwhile, the Watertown Daily Times fails to mention his competitor on the GOP side. So we'll name him here... David Renzi. Renzi comes from a fine family in Watertown that has made its name in medicine, law, and business. We have quite a stark contrast in candidates for the 48th Senate District this year. On the one hand we have Aubertine, who is a piss-poor representative that breaks the same ethics laws he votes for, who lies about being offered a cozy job in order to make himself look good, and who has a poor relationship with the current Democratic Governor. On the other hand we have a fresh, young, vibrant leader named Renzi who comes from a respectable family. Renzi is ready and able to make the tough, but important, reforms in Albany that will benefit our community.

The choice is patently clear to all of us here in the North Country. David Renzi is our guy for the 48th New York State Senate seat come this November!

Have a great day and please tell your friends to check out the Good Old Boys on the web at: www.upstategoodoldboys.blogspot.com.