Quoted Text

Let 'millionaire' tax die out, Cuomo says
By FREDRIC U. DICKER in Albany and CARL CAMPANILE in NY
Last Updated: 1:29 AM, January 4, 2011
Posted: 1:29 AM, January 4, 2011

Read my lips: No new taxes -- and that includes levies on wealthy New Yorkers, Gov. Cuomo vowed yesterday.

Cuomo said he was against extending a "temporary" income-tax surcharge imposed on high-income earners in 2009 and set to expire at the end of 2011, despite having to close a massive $10 billion budget gap.

Cuomo indicated that renewing the surcharge would amount to a tax hike, which would violate his campaign pledge not to boost taxes.

"The old way of solving the problem was continuing to raise taxes on people, and we just can't do that anymore. The working families of New York cannot afford tax increases. The answer is going to have to be that we're going to have to reduce government spending," he said.

Democrats often exclude higher-income earners when they invoke the phrase "working families" during tax-policy discussions.

But Cuomo said working families includes higher-income earners.

"They work, too," he said, noting that his opposition to tax hikes is "across the board."

"My point is: What has been the knee-jerk response in New York? 'Well, expenses will continue to go up, but we'll raise taxes.' Those days are over.".....................>>>>....................>>>>...............http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/let_millionaire_tax_die_out_cuomo_VEe6iLvafTp2hL2ZG9IFLP

and his cutting his salary and the salary of his staff by 5% is also a good first step

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

and his cutting his salary and the salary of his staff by 5% is also a good first step

Good step but I would like to see the average federal workers income drop to that of the average private workers income. Federal workers usually average out about $10,000 extra than the same job done in the private sector. The big difference is when you look at the benefits and pensions gap between federal and the private workforce.

As far as taxes go this sounds good but I'll believe it when I see it.

Quoted from Henry

Good step but I would like to see the average federal workers income drop to that of the average private workers income. Federal workers usually average out about $10,000 extra than the same job done in the private sector. The big difference is when you look at the benefits and pensions gap between federal and the private workforce.

As far as taxes go this sounds good but I'll believe it when I see it.

Cuomo doesn't have any control over what federal workers get paid .... But I think he is preparing to
get some wage concessions from the state employees unions.   The first step is asking for a freeze in
state civil service pays.   Those negotiations are just starting and the success of the new Cuomo Administration will rest on whether he can achieve good results in the final contracts.

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

Cuomo doesn't have any control over what federal workers get paid .... But I think he is preparing to
get some wage concessions from the state employees unions.   The first step is asking for a freeze in
state civil service pays.   Those negotiations are just starting and the success of the new Cuomo Administration will rest on whether he can achieve good results in the final contracts.

Sounds good but I'm wondering how much could be saved if some jobs and certain roles were privatized. Not trying to bash all Unions but they aren't known for getting us the best bang for our buck if you know what I mean The concessions that are being talked about are pretty much vital, if they fail to reach some agreement jobs will need to be cut that's just the way it is.

Quoted from Henry

Sounds good but I'm wondering how much could be saved if some jobs and certain roles were privatized. Not trying to bash all Unions but they aren't known for getting us the best bang for our buck if you know what I mean The concessions that are being talked about are pretty much vital, if they fail to reach some agreement jobs will need to be cut that's just the way it is.

With the state facing a $12 billion deficit, I would hope that any reasonable and sound idea would be on
the table for discussion.    
My guess is that it would be easier to get the unions to agree to a wage freeze than to agree to privatizing
state jobs --- and getting them to agree to a wage freeze won't be easy.

I hope Andrew doesn't have any dirty vices.  We know what happend to the "steamroller" when he talked the tough talk.  He ended up with his own show on CNN.

It's only been a couple of days. Paterson sounded good in the beginning of his 'take over'. At this point in NYS's history, Cuomo has the opportunity of going down in history as either the 'best' governor or the worst. It will of course depend on how the media covers him.

Sandra Lee is still looking good as New York's First Lady ... and Andrew is doing well, too.

what i want to know how much is the deficit

it seems to climb as fast as gas prices

9million - last weekend
10million -monday
11million - this afternoon after the state of the state
and
12 million - last night  as reported by DVoR

maybe the deficit is based on the state's gas consumption

we could cut the deficite by    -  letting all state workers work form home

I'm giving cuomo and open mind here.......but listening to his speech today was empty at best. I thought NYS was in a state of financial emergency....yes? Yet he is going to form panels to come up with proposed solutions that are to report back to him in MARCH!!!!!!

I will say one thing.......he's not the 'speaker' his dad was!

Quoted from TippyCanoe

what i want to know how much is the deficit

it seems to climb as fast as gas prices

9million - last weekend
10million -monday
11million - this afternoon after the state of the state
and
12 million - last night  as reported by DVoR

maybe the deficit is based on the state's gas consumption

we could cut the deficite by    -  letting all state workers work form home

12 BILLION ... and that estimated figure has been out there for a few months .. although some
have said it is somewhere between  9 Billion and 12 billion.    
One of the reasons that there is a range of estimates is that it is based on trying to guess how the
economy is going to behave from April 1, 2011 to March 31, 2012 ---   also trying to anticipate how
much state spending will be or should be.      

I had dinner last week with some friends of mine who work in the financial industry in NYC and they had
a wide range of opinions on where the economy is headed in 2011.   So if the experts aren't sure .. the
politicians are certainly less sure than that.

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

and his cutting his salary and the salary of his staff by 5% is also a good first step

Cut the exhorbitant teacher salaries and their OVERLY GENEROUS pensions and health insurnace

I am all in favor of cutting he-she's salary by 90%  and eliminating his-her pension and benefits by 100%.

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

and his cutting his salary and the salary of his staff by 5% is also a good first step

WHAT A DANG HYPOCRITE YOU ARE DV!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How about cutting the taxpayers handouts to the millionaires downtown!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Huh???????  

You NEVER NEVER answer this question......WHY do you favor making poor people struggle more, why do you favor putting lower income people in jeopardy of losing their homes to taxes in order to pay the property and school taxes of the millionaires downtown?????

How can you cheer for the gov cutting the spending of tax dollars WHILE AT THE SAME TIME you are cheering for the uncontrolled wild spending on downtown by FORCED STEALING from the financially struggling families in Schenectady??????   And the money is NOT spend on anything that is a life susteaining necessity, gin mills and theaters are NOT AN ESSENTIAL VITAL SERIVCES