IN THE NEWS


Scanning the TU today and yesterday, one finds numerous
stories, and 2 editorials worthy of comment.



S1.6B deal closes deficit (2/4, pA1) and editorial : Stimulus or
not, cut the budget (2/4 pA12).

From the article we learn that the "deal" does not include
cuts in spending for healthcare and education.It relies on
some line item budget trimming, transfer of funds to the
state general fund from other state agencies and authorities
increasing SUNY tuition and
increasing state taxes on health insurers.

The latter will be passed along to New Yorkers in the form
of higher premiums for their private health insurance
policies.

This , in effect, is a state tax increase on New Yorkers.

The editorial is spot on. The Legislature (and Governor)
must put the "state's fiscal house in order once and for all."
The editorial cautions against relying on an estimated 16
billion dollars in federal stimulus money that may go to
New York, and doing nothing to correct the fiscal problem.
The stimulus money will be a one shot fix, followed by a
worse fiscal crisis in subsequent years, if the state budget
imbalance is not restored by real budget cuts, now.

What can be done?

1. Address the illegal alien drain on state and local
budgets.

End the sanctuary city/state status of New York.
Require prof of U. S citizenship, as a condition for
employment, education, medicare eligibility, food
stamps, Heap, SSI and all social services, including
public housing.
The Legislature and Governor must report the
cost of New York City and State being a sanctuary
for untold millions of illegal aliens.
The annual cost to California is estimated to be
10 billion dollars annually.

What is the cost to New
York taxpayers? We deserve to know. The Legislature
and Governor must act to eliminate these costs
from state and local budgets.

Do this and it will not be necessary to round up
and deport illegal aliens. They will quickly return
home to their countries of origin voluntarily.

2. True reform of the social service system. Weed
out abuses, wastes and incentives that encourge
recipients to be system lifers, and reward/promote
unlimited unwed pregnacies. See related TU
editorial, (2/3 pA10): Oh,baby,baby....

Scan the system for doubleand triple dippers
frequent name changes and stolen social
security numbers to collect benefits in
multiple New York communities, as well as
neighboring states.

These are just two moves which if vigorously
conducted would probably not only balance
the New York State, and many local budgets
producing budget surpluses which
would avoid further, state tax increases
as well as annual school and municipal
property tax increases for local governments
for years to come.

-------------------------------

City of Albany:

1. School feeder plan debated (2/4 pA5)

Students who live within a half mile
of Hackett and Myers Middle schools
will attend those schools.

The decision of which elementary
schools shall "feed" to two middle
schools will be addressed at the
Feb 12 meeting of the School Board.

Livingston Middle School was closed.

Come on School Board make the big
leap that will be best for kids, parents
and stability f neighborhoods -

*eliminate middle schools and return
to a K-8 neighborhood school system!

...............

2. 'Ghost ticket' subpoena sought
(2/3/ pA5.)

Common Council Member Corey Ellis
wants to subpoena police union leader
over the issuance of "ghost tickets"
that carry no fine for parking around
City Hall.

Ellis supported by Council Members
Smith and Calsolaro.

These 3 Council Members represent
troubled city wards where crime and
blight are rampant.

All three are part of the Far Left
cabal that seeks to gain control of
City government in the 2009
election.

Stop harassing the police. Clean
up your own wards, which you
represent!
###

Joe Sullivan