Editorials
By now, the whole world knows the details of New York State Governor Elliot Spitzer’s immoral dalliances.
As the State’s Attorney General, Spitzer gained a reputation as a no-nonsense, hard-nosed crime fighter. In 2004, he broke up a Staten Island prostitution ring with supposed ties to the Gambino crime family. Eighteen people were arrested. Two of them were charged with falsifying business records, promoting prostitution, and money laundering.(*)
This week, Spitzer admitted his involvement with a prostitution ring, but has yet to be charged with a crime. His admission and published records of the money he spent paints him as a person who promoted prostitution. According to published reports, he is being investigated for money laundering, wire fraud, and a violation of the Mann Act.
If he is guilty of any of these crimes, he could go down as one of history’s biggest hypocrites.
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The Shame
There are many shameful aspects to this story.
One that hasn’t been covered much is; this story is diverting attention away from the pitiful state of New York State.
New York State is one of the highest taxed States in the Nation.
Exorbitant taxes are forcing businesses, the highly educated, and wealthy residents to flee the state. The business, brain, and wealth drain increases the percentage of residents who need government assistance to survive. This proportionate increase in the less fortunate exacerbates the need for more tax revenues.
Thanks to the fiscal profligates we elected to State office, New York State is facing a $4.6 billion dollar budget deficit.
The proposed budget shifts twenty seven million in current costs – costs that used to be picked up by the State - to County governments. Yet the budget still carries a $4.6 billion deficit.
In order to close the deficit, the State is contemplating increasing taxes on the State’s wealthiest citizens; probably the only group left with available discretionary income. If approved, this move is sure to increase the flight of the wealthy from New York State.
Just as the price of gas is breaking all time record highs, the state is contemplating eliminating the sales tax cap on gasoline. To further increase the cost of driving, they are also thinking about increasing the State’s auto insurance fee.
The State is also mulling over a proposal to double the tax on cigarettes, a move that’s destined to drive more smokers to the reservation to purchase tax free cigarettes, further decreasing tax revenues.
Not one, single, solitary elected official has the audacity or clear-sightedness to suggest that the State reduce the size and expense of State government.
This is just a short list of the nightmares that haunt New York’s finances.
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The Embarrassment
The most embarrassing aspect of the Spitzer scandal is that we, the citizens of New York State, are allowing it to distract us from the real issues – the pitiful state of New York State.
While New York sinks into a financial quagmire, we are focused on the absurd amounts of money Spitzer paid a group of organized criminals for sexual favors.
While the Assembly and Senate devise counterproductive solutions to our fiscal woes, we speculate on what Spitzer’s “unsafe” sexual proclivities are.
While New York burns, we fiddle with prurient and lustful thoughts about the lifestyle of Ashley Alexandra Dupre, Spitzer’s overpriced whore.
~
There’s a trite old saying that’s somehow apropos.
“In life, keep your eye on the donut, and not on the hole.”
In this case, the donut is the stale, moldy, and maggot infested state of New York State’s finances.
Elliott Spitzer is the hole.
~
(*) 18 Arrested in Lucrative Prostitution Ring Out of Staten Island, by William K. Rashbaum, The New York Times, April 8, 2004
© Copyright 2008 by Speakupwny.com
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