Jul 1, 2009 2:49 pm US/Eastern
Constituents, Local Leaders Furious With Albany
Inaction Could Lead To Slashed Daycare Programs, Increased Bus Fares, 900 Nassau County Layoffs
Wednesday Is D-Day For Westchester, Long Island County Budgets
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
As the circus continues in the New York state Senate, local leaders and their constituents are getting angrier and angrier.
From increased bus fares in Westchester to slashed daycare programs in Nassau County, the inaction in Albany could cost all New Yorkers a great deal.
Westchester County Board of Legislators member Michael Kaplowitz began collecting names on Wednesday morning of fuming constituents who are fed up with the dysfunction in Albany.
"This is not a partisan issue," Kaplowitz told CBS 2. "This is a good government issue. This is a costly issue and this is a requirement and necessity that legislators go back and legislate."
In Westchester, along with Long Island, Wednesday marks D-Day for county budgets. Since the state didn't act by midnight Tuesday on a number of measures, a rolling cascade of draconian cuts to social services could begin with as many as 900 worker layoffs in Nassau County, including 250 police officers.
Thomas Suozzi, a Nassau County executive, said that this battle cannot continue any longer.
"It's incomprehensible that these guys cannot just sit down and say we'll fight about the leadership battle later," Suozzi said. "Let's just get it together and pass this important and urgent legislation."
Nassau is handcuffed until the Senate approves the $65 million bond authorization to pay for an early retirement program.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg is equally furious at the chaos in Albany and said in a written statement Tuesday: "The $60 million the Senate cost us today could potentially mean layoffs that would hurt families when they can least afford it and will certainly mean cuts to services that every New Yorker needs."
All across the New York City area voters are vowing to remember all this dysfunction and uncertainty when these politicians are up for reelection. Many are saying maybe it's time to rethink the way the whole state government is structured.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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