Cuomo Says Finances Collapsing

In comments made to reporters today outside of presentations being made by the regional economic development councils, Governor Andrew Cuomo indicated that the state's finances are much worse then expected.

“We are looking at a number of deficit reduction initiatives now that we could undertake, because there’s no doubt that the numbers are collapsing and the numbers are collapsing quickly. We haven’t come up with a plan of action yet but we have options … I’ll be discussing those options with the legislative leaders, formally, informally certainly, and depending on what the discussions bear, the possibility of a special session.”


Deficit reduction initiatives? Interesting - made outside the start of presentations where regions of the state are competing for $200 million. And, as usual, upstate/downstate rivalries for school and health aid have begun and will continue. But what will these deficit reduction initiatives be? You can bet people with little representation will be impacted. Let's hope that vulnerable populations - people with disabilities, the sick and the weak, kids in need will be spared more cuts. Many people aren't aware that programs supporting people with disabilities have already taken 15% cuts over the past year. That's major and people are struggling to figure out how to make more adjustments and reductions. 


Some people are saying that the 'millionaire's tax' will happen. That it's inevitable and something has to be done to increase revenue - which brings us to drilling for natural gas and the process known as hydrofracking. Fracking has been a controversial issue in the Finger Lakes and the Southern Tier of NY and a regulatory review by the Department of Environmental Conservation was extended. Ahh but some are suggesting now that the aforementioned tax and the revenue that would be generated by gas drilling could be the answers to the states financial difficulty. Now for the other revenue enhancing item that hangs out there - Casinos. Don't be surprised to hear of an increased effort to allow Casinos in NY. Not an issue of right or wrong, just the facts that are out there. You see, there are endless ways to force things to happen that otherwise would take years of debate when you're going broke.


So hold on to your hats, wallets and keys to the car as elected officials convince us of what's best for us and in the process determine who gets what. Advocacy has never seen a more important time.