Baffling Budget Bumblings

On November 24, about one dozen county residents dished out a heavy load of criticism for Democrats in the County Legislature. Residents gave a big thumbs down to puzzling Democrat attacks on the 2009 county budget, which doesn't raise taxes, and a proposal by Democrat Legislator Kevin Harrington, who proposed spending millions of the county's rainy day fund.

That would be normally be bad enough, but if you have ever encountered Democrats in the County Legislature, you know they have a capacity to make things much, much worse for themselves.

In a news article published November 23 in the Troy Record, Harrington's proposal was spelled out. Harrington proposed taking money out of rainy day funds, which are being held to ward off future cost-shifts by Democrats who run state government. Under Harrington's plan, more than $2 million would be grabbed to correct issues with state equalization issues. This is just dumb, as speakers pointed out to Harrington and his Democrat buddies at the November 24 hearing.

That was news to Democrat Legislator Brian Zweig, who said on November 24 that Democrats were actually trying to "increase" the county rainy day fund. This means that Zweig apparently doesn't have time to fit in a reading of the Troy Record or Times Union in between regular updates from www.change.gov or the Huffington Post.

Kind comical, no, a lot comical, that two members of a six-member caucus don't know what they proposed – an increase or decrease in the county rainy day fund? Even funnier is the fact these two budget experts apparently sit next to each other on the legislative floor.

A post on YouTube captures the Democrat's county budget bumbling better than we can.

Democrats can't get their notes on the budget straight, but agree that they don't want any speakers at any legislative meetings that don't agree with them. In a bizarre press release, Democrats insulted residents who came out and offered comments on the budget. For Democrats, it's not censorship, it's change. For residents, it's insulting that elected officials would attack residents who offer comment on something as important as the county budget.

What's special is that the Democrat press release, dated November 25, includes a third version of what Democrats want to do with the budget. Three days, three different versions of the truth and an unprovoked attack on the public – good work, legislative Democrats!