Angered by Governor Paterson’s moves to slash spending in education and healthcare, State Senator Carl Kruger proposed an alternative budget and blasted the governor for wantonly depicting a “doomsday scenario.”
From the New York Times:
Despite a deficit of more than $3 billion, Mr. Kruger has threatened to block any significant cuts to health care and education, the biggest spending areas in the budget. He has presented his own budget plan, which has startled even Albany veterans for its reliance on one-time maneuvers and financial gimmickry.
…
Where the governor would cut spending, Mr. Kruger and the Senate prefer one-time measures like restructuring the state’s tobacco bonds, a move that would increase New York’s debt burden. Mr. Kruger would also draw from the treasuries of public authorities to a greater degree than the governor and wants to increase gambling hours at gaming facilities.
And Mr. Kruger believes the state should set up a commission to study ways to make government more efficient, a step that could take years to show gains.
Kruger represents parts of Sheepshead Bay, Homecrest, Gravesend, Midwood, Mill Basin, Flatlands, Manhattan Beach, and Bergen Beach. In a power play over the summer, Kruger joined three other Democratic lawmakers and threatened to caucus with the Republicans, putting the Dems at risk of forfeiting their majority. He came out of the play as the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and has raised more than $2.1 million for his 2010 reelection bid – far more than any other state legislator.
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Mr. Kruger is just another tax and spend democrat…. There is a great article in The NY Post that discusses the type of people the policies like his “attract” to NYC.
Recession influx takes advantage of ‘welfare magnet’ NY
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/recession_influx_takes_advantage_B6FOZmNkTNo87CFaFuXZfO
The New York Post is a not a newspaper to be taken seriously.
That said, Krueger is merely grandstanding. Like many of the other politicians in this area he is merely ensuring some space in a real newspaper that is under an obligation to report what pretends to be news. They certainly are skeptical, but they’ll give it some spin anyway.
Krueger hardly needs $2.1 million to get reelected. Maybe he should donate that money to the state to help them out in this crisis.
Of all the news today about our Senator Kruger, I liked the article in “The Village Voice” best…
Senator Kruger is a brave leader hand carrying his letter to Governor Patterson. Once again, the Senator demonstrated he is not afraid to lead from the front.
I agree with the Senator, taxes on cigarette sales to non- Indians should be collected.
Take the lead again Senator Kruger. Demonstrate what a leader you are. Show our State Government and Police how to collect taxes on cigarette sales inside the reservations.
Don’t worry about upsetting the Indians. They are already at war up on the Canadian border.
Yeah, sure, NY should violate the sovereign rights of Native Americans. It’s an old American tradition and we haven’t lived up to it enough lately.
I think that Senator should personally try to collect the taxes from the Mohawks and other Native American tobacco sellers. Walk right onto the reservation, wheelbarrow in hand, and demand payment.
We’ll be waiting to hear about the results.