11/17
By Gerson Borrero
Let me be up front about budgets and how to balance them. I’m really not a numbers guy. Math was always one of my worst subjects. Balancing my own checkbook has been a lifelong undertaking, and I drive my wife loca with la tarjetita ATM.
However, this much I do know. New York, like many other states, is facing an uncertain financial future. Some call it a crisis.
My problem is I don’t know whose numbers to believe.
The Governor said we won’t have money in four and half weeks. The Legislature does not agree. The Comptroller has his own set of numbers. Independent fiscal experts have said that compared to states like California, New Jersey and Michigan, no estamos tan mal.
Who knows?
And yet the way cuts to our budget are being talked about you would think that we have elected barbers and hairstylists instead of politicians to represent us. No offense to barbers and hairstylists, of course.
Education, health, funding for every area you can think of and dollars to Community Based Organizations that deliver direct services in our comunidad are on the chopping block.
Albany politicians have to first agree on a real number before they go crazy with their scissors.
The Governor has already slashed 10 percent from all State agencies. So, how about if our legislators cut their budgets. While at it they can also slash the travel stipends they receive to get to and from their home districts during legislative sessions.
The State’s 247 thousand employees should give up two paid holidays for the next three years. And a reduction to those retirement pensions will help.
Hey, si estamos pelao’s across the board well-placed cuts that can avoid major layoffs should be considered. But let's do this accurately and intelligently.
That’s The Way I See It
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