Gov.Paterson Comes Back To The Netroots Yet Again

David Paterson is having some serious trouble with his budget. He is trying to overcome a monumental task, that is a budget deficit of (allegedly) more than $50 billion over four years. States must balance their books, but the way they go about it is where it counts. Paterson has decided that the best way to is to cut services for those most in need and to tax them disproportionally on goods that they spend their small, individual budgets on. No one likes what he has to offer and he is trying his best to get a coalition together, even by attempting to utilize the "far left."

From The Albany Project:

I wanted to come here to The Albany Project and share a diary I have posted on Daily Kos. It's about the budget and the discussion that has taken place here at TAP and on Daily Kos.

As I outlined in the letter that is featured in a diary below this one, we are facing very difficult times here in New York and we are looking at all options to get the economy back on track. I, along with the Governors of other states, have requested specific actions that the new administration could take to help our states while helping the national economy as well.

I have asked for an open conversation and that has indeed happened. The budget process has just begun, and I want to keep the dialogue open so that together we can find solutions to this grave situation.

Click the link above to see more of what he has to say.

Nothing in there though has anything to do with making the wealthy pay their fare share and having the burden spread equally across the Empire State. He claims to know from his experience in Harlem and as a State Senator that it is hard to see the budget cuts and targeted (to the middle class save for a few luxury fees) taxes while the rich get off easily.

Paterson now says that he wants to wait to tax the wealthy at a later date, that, "...there is ample time for everyone in New York to pitch in to help close these deficits." Yeah, right Governor. Perhaps when the rest of us are left on the streets and the rich are just as well off as they were when this whole thing started. David Sirota says it best, the wealthy continue to dodge the taxman because they fearmonger the politicians and the public with threats of lost jobs, despite that the facts tell a different story. Paterson should know better and you know what, he probably does.

The question is then, why is choosing to play ignorant when the welfare of so many New Yorkers' livelihoods are in the balance?