We were quite surprised at the amount of pork the new state budget contains, given the fact that the state is in the midst of an economic crisis.

Of the “touch choices” that Gov. David Paterson said that he and legislative leaders recently made appears to be the inclusion of about $170 million in pork-barrel spending.

The pot will be divvied up among lawmakers to be presented as “gifts” to municipalities, fire departments, libraries - and arguably less important entities - by lawmakers holding big checks and smiling for photographs.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver this week defended the pork, saying that because non-profits are being devastated in the poor economy, “We felt we had to continue providing income to them.”

Some of the organizations that receive these funds are quite important, but a state with such enormous financial burdens shouldn't be handing out checks to the Waterbury Roller Hockey League or the Doll and Toy Museum of New York City.

It's ridiculous for Silver to claim that by spreading around $5,000 checks that the state is somehow propping up desperate non-profits.

One of the top “reforms” sought by Democrats in recent years was to have the member items eliminated altogether or at least to have them distributed equally, so that all municipalities would benefit.

The Legislature hasn't yet unveiled a comprehensive list of its member items, but we expect to see both Assembly and Senate Republicans left with only scraps.

Our more immediate concern, however, is the amount of taxpayer money being spent here, regardless of who gets to dole it out. This is not essential spending. It's a huge amount of money that could have - and should have - been cut from this year's budget.

New York is in a financial crisis, and New Yorkers can't afford this pork.