Comments on: Almost 90% of the Budget is State Mandates

By: hank

hank — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:27:25 +0000

Restored cultural-tourism funding by $279,405 to provide parity to all organizations and maintain the quality of these services for county residents.

What do county residents gain from cultural-tourism funding?

Restored the Cornell Cooperative Extension Service appropriation amount at $280,250, which the County Executive recommended zero funding for in 2009. This allows for Cornell Cooperative to accept New York State grant funding.

Is this the County co-op extension? Or is it part of Cornell University?

If it’s part of the University, when did Cornell become broke? Why do they need funding from the State OR the county?

By: mike hudson

mike hudson — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 06:29:47 +0000

at least they have great architecture.

By: Timothy Domst

Timothy Domst — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 06:25:02 +0000

Why doesn’t the legislature do what the city does with the unions, just raise taxes to give ECMC all the money they want, then claim that they are “saving” money by avoiding a costly lawsuit?

By: Timothy Domst

Timothy Domst — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 06:20:04 +0000

I don’t care how much the “insiders” use it, cultural is not a noun.

By: Prodigal-Son

Prodigal-Son — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 03:12:11 +0000

This is all political posturing, right?

The CE can veto funding increases, but not cuts. So the Leg cuts Collin’s pet projects, adds their own, and plays hero with keeping out the tax increase.

But once the budget is passed, its up to Collins to actually balance the budget throughout the year. So the Leg can assume whatever they want for revenue projections, and when Collins still has to raise taxes in the middle of the year, he takes the blame. Classic.

By: Starbuck

Starbuck — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:21:46 +0000

Russell, I later noticed Mark had replied to my number question in that previous thread. He explained part of what I didn’t understand, but not quite all. I asked a follow up there.

By: indabuff

indabuff — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 23:43:42 +0000

Did someone say adult supervision?

By: Mike In WNY

Mike In WNY — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 23:42:13 +0000

The Dems were criticized on the Channel 4 news by both Collins and Polancarz for relying on overly optimistic revenue assumptions.

Unfortunately, it looks like it will be up to the Control Board to hold the children accountable.

By: Starbuck

Starbuck — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 23:13:23 +0000

Maybe “they used the same numbers” means both the CE and Leg wrote up their budgets using the digits 0 to 9.

I agree with Chris but county abolition seems very unlikely in NYS. County govts are too convenient to the state pols to force spending without having to collect taxes for it, and too popular with party bosses for local patronage, power to choose candidates, etc.

By: Ward

Ward — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 21:23:03 +0000

Shorter Pundit — I read it so you don’t have to.

Collins = R = Bad.
Keane = D = Would have been better.
Whatever.