| I just caught this article in the bowels of today's Buffalo News. Not only does it include Assembly Speaker Shelly Silver expressing his support for legislative pay raises in Albany, but also focuses on local governments criticizing Governor Eliot Spitzer's budget.
First, Silver on the pay raises:
The State Legislature's top Democrat last week gave a spirited defense of efforts to raise the salaries of 212 state lawmakers and added that Gov. Eliot L. Spitzer is "not adverse" to backing a pay hike this year.
"I'm proud to say I support it," said Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver of Manhattan. Last month, lawmakers said Silver told colleagues that Spitzer would send a pay increase bill to the Legislature.
Asked if he thought voters would be excited about legislators backing a pay raise during an election year, Silver said, "I'm not shy about putting the issue out front." He said voters would be more angry if lawmakers pushed through a pay raise after the elections.
On a personal note: I posted a letter I wrote to Gov. Spitzer about these pay raises. I oppose them, especially when we're dealing with our share of economic problems upstate and the legislators we pay are part-time.
The possibility of pay raises have received bi-partisan opposition. I find it troubling, however, that the Republicans opposed to this raise have been quiet in their opposition - unlike when they were very noisy in regards to Gov. Spitzer's DMV policy change.
Now, local governments criticizing Spitzer's budget proposal:
Silver's remarks came after he and other state leaders appeared before a skeptical audience of county leaders from around the state, who say the governor's new budget plan hurts local finances. A year ago, Spitzer stood before the same group and told them the days of governors shifting costs onto counties to help Albany balance its books were over.
But on Tuesday, Spitzer acknowledged to the county leaders that this year he is "pushing back some costs to you." Angry local officials say Spitzer is trying to force about $80 million onto them; Spitzer insists the counties have a "net" win in his budget of more than $500 million. But $390 million of that is from a Medicaid cap already in state law.
County officials say the Spitzer budget will force higher property taxes if it stands.
High property taxes? Really? I know Orleans County's contingent was in attendance and they have no place to talk. Check out Orleans County's property tax rates which were set well before Spitzer's budget proposal. These counties are looking for a scapegoat with their own property tax problems. The state is the last place to go to point the finger. |
