Nov 14, 2009 3:00 pm US/Eastern
NY Senate Coalition Vows To Kill School Aid Cuts
ALBANY (CBS) ―
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Gov. Paterson proposed a $5 billion plan to reduce New York state's deepening deficits with across-the-board cuts over two years. He gave the address Thursday, October 15, 2009.
CBS
A new coalition of upstate and suburban Democratic senators say they will refuse to vote for any midyear school aid cuts sought by Gov. David Paterson.
If it holds, the coalition of seven Democrats would kill the chance of disruptive midyear school aid cuts in any deficit reduction package.
Paterson says the cuts are needed to address a $3.2 billion deficit.
Senate Republicans are uniformly opposed to Paterson's proposed 4.5 percent aid cut.
Democrats have a 32-30 majority.
Senate and Assembly Democratic leaders also oppose the cuts, but continue negotiating all possibilities.
On Thursday, Paterson said he doubted school aid could escape a cut because it is a major part state spending, and said leaders were about three-quarters of the way to addressing the deficit. The biggest single item is the $500 million Paterson has already trimmed from executive branch agencies. They wouldn't disclose the rest.
On Wednesday, CBS 2 found many New Yorkers already reeling by additional taxes and state fees they find unnecessary.
New York lawmakers have come up with more ways to make you pay. And as CBS 2 HD found out taxpayers feel like they are being nickel and dimed.
New York drivers are suffering from an intense case of road rage over the state's latest attempt to deplete their pocketbooks, issuing new license plates at a cost of $25 a pop.
"Twenty five bucks? Just for license plates? Oh, that's not a good look, definitely not a good look," said Kai Yuen of Flatbush.
"I feel they're trying to get money out of us any way they can," added Freddy Rojas of Williamsburg.
And its not just new plates. New York drivers have really been taken for a ride this year, forced to pay a $50 surcharge to renew their car and truck registrations, $16 more for driver's licenses and a new 5-percent tax to rent a car.
"I think that's ridiculous with the amount of fees that we're already being charged," said John White of Williamsburg.
Governor David Paterson and members of the Legislature had no qualms about the new fees when they added them to the budget last spring. They even issued a picture of the new gold and blue plate on Tuesday, trying to justify the new fee by claiming the new plate's reflective surface is safer.
But voter anger has them saying humina, humina, humina.
"If I can find a way to replace the $129 million hole it will place in our budget then I'll reconsider it," Paterson said.
But there's nothing the governor can do about the new 5-cent deposit on water bottles that went into effect Sunday as part of the "bigger better bottle bill." That has voters angry, too.
"I think it stinks. It's a lot of money for people to lay out. It's gonna force people to go into New Jersey to buy their product," said Bon Fonti of Suffern.
"My honest opinion … this state is, it's outta hand, too many Democrats," said James Fegan of Hell's Kitchen.
And while the state said the bigger bottle bill is an environmental initiative it's also a huge money maker. Unclaimed bottle deposits have already netted the state some $2 billion and counting.
Ten other states already require a deposit on bottled water and more states are considering it. It's not just to reduce litter but as another source of cash in these tough economic times.
(© 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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