ALBANY — There just isn’t enough money, and the need to cut the state budget is raising fears children may go hungry, local property taxes could rise further, and seniors could lose programs that allow them to stay in their homes.
Still, lawmakers confronting billions of dollars in deficits are likely to find that everywhere they turn, legions of interest groups, charities and state agencies will be holding their hats out.
Gov. David Paterson says $2 billion in spending must be cut from the more than $120 billion budget that ends March 31. It’s going to be a painful process for New Yorkers as lawmakers search for meaningful and recurring budget cuts.
The New York Conference of Mayors is warning New Yorkers that lawmakers could drive up local property taxes by trimming aid to cities that pays for essential services like law enforcement and sanitation, said Peter Baynes, executive director of the New York Conference of Mayors.
“In an economy crisis like this, that’s the last thing a property tax payer needs, is an increase in taxes,” Baynes said.
Municipalities don’t want to drive up taxes, but basic services must be paid for, said John McDonald III, mayor of Cohoes.
“We don’t have any more options,” he said. “When there’s a call for police, or there’s a fire, we still have to go. We can’t just elect not to go. We still have to pick up the garbage, we still have to plow the roads.”
Paterson has already warned charities that they will have to fill the void as some services are likely to be eliminated in New York’s budget cuts this year.
“What, unfortunately, will be the result is children going to bed hungry, or people out on the street,” said Dennis Poust, a spokesman for the New York State Catholic Conference. “We do everything we can to help. We’re the Catholic church, and we’re not going to abandon people, but the state cannot walk away from their responsibility here. We’ll keep our food pantries open until the food runs out.”
Poust said the tough economic times are hitting charities just as hard and the populations that tend to make donations can’t contribute as much as in good times.
Gov. David Paterson says $2 billion in spending must be cut from the more than $120 billion budget that ends March 31. It’s going to be a painful process for New Yorkers as lawmakers search for meaningful and recurring budget cuts.
The New York Conference of Mayors is warning New Yorkers that lawmakers could drive up local property taxes by trimming aid to cities that pays for essential services like law enforcement and sanitation, said Peter Baynes, executive director of the New York Conference of Mayors.
“In an economy crisis like this, that’s the last thing a property tax payer needs, is an increase in taxes,” Baynes said.
Municipalities don’t want to drive up taxes, but basic services must be paid for, said John McDonald III, mayor of Cohoes.
“We don’t have any more options,” he said. “When there’s a call for police, or there’s a fire, we still have to go. We can’t just elect not to go. We still have to pick up the garbage, we still have to plow the roads.”
Paterson has already warned charities that they will have to fill the void as some services are likely to be eliminated in New York’s budget cuts this year.
“What, unfortunately, will be the result is children going to bed hungry, or people out on the street,” said Dennis Poust, a spokesman for the New York State Catholic Conference. “We do everything we can to help. We’re the Catholic church, and we’re not going to abandon people, but the state cannot walk away from their responsibility here. We’ll keep our food pantries open until the food runs out.”
Poust said the tough economic times are hitting charities just as hard and the populations that tend to make donations can’t contribute as much as in good times.
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