Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Ouch! 47 ways to tax New Yorkers

The slight recent uptick in approval ratings for Governor Steamroller is likely to be erased following the Tuesday’s announcement of the 2008-2009 state budget. It’s a whopper, with 47 separate fee increases, expensive mandate formula shifts that will hurt counties and school districts even more, reductions in state aid and cuts to the popular STAR program.

Despite the onset of a recession, nearly four dozen fee increases, shifts in costs to local governments and wild times on Wall Street, the state budget will still increase by a pretty sizable rate of 5.1 percent.

Still waiting for Day One? Don’t hold your breath…this budget feels more like a third-term Cuomo offering.

Senate Republicans including Senator Joe Bruno knocked the budget proposal and even Democrat Assembly leader Shelly Silver offered little support for his party’s governor. The helpful Assembly Republicans have calculated what the Steamroller’s second budget will cost average New Yorkers. [CC]