Common sense prevailing?

[300miles]

Saw this on wben tonight and thought this is exactly what should be happening. Instead of swinging the axe with a blindfold... take a step back and do it right. Hopefully this will show some people in govt do have some common sense?


Legislature GOP Calls For Amendments To Cuts
http://www.wgrz.com/news/news_articl...?storyid=26575

[lyn1639]

They can amend the cuts, but they also said they plan on raising our property taxes by 40% because of an anticipated $60 million gap next year.

[dtwarren]

That $60 million dollar gap would have been there even with the 1% sales tax increase.

[NoCtUrNaL]

We could solve this whole budget mess by buying a huge ship and filling it up with all our prisoners and Medicaid recipients and having it anchored far enough off shore to no longer be considered part of NY.

Let them apply for statehood.

[300miles]

At a news conference at County Hall, Ranzenhofer suggested partly automating the auto bureaus instead of closing three out of four as now planned.

And public employees need to consider giving up a day's pay per month, he said. "Everybody would take off one day a month."

Ranzenhofer, Cusack and Marshall say they and everybody else have to give up something for the greater good. In response to a question from Rich Kellman, all three said they would take a 10% pay cut. "I think that's a very good idea," Ranzenhofer said.
...
Over the weekend, Ranzenhofer and Cusack talked with Lynne Dixon. "The zoo took a plan where they'll be closed two days a week, open five days a week," said Ranzenhofer. "We want to take a look and see if you can do that with the auto bureaus, parks and some other services."
...
"There are ways to think outside the box," according to Elise Cusack. "Privatizing golf courses, looking at certain days being open and others not."

Cusack said they've also discussed furloughs. "Why haven't we pursued that further. Everything has to be on the table. We definitely need unions at the table, we need administration at the table, we need everyone."
...
Olivencia suggested assessing usage fees for docking boats at Isleview Park and for using county beaches.
...
But Ranzenhofer said the budget is a living, breathing document that provides a footprint for the year. He's confident adjustments can be made throughout this process that won't be as painful.
Their next scheduled session is March 4th. But he said he'll ask the chairman for a special session before then.

Both he and Cusack say they don't regret their decision to hold firm on no sales tax increase. "I've never second guessed," said Cusack. "This is a great opportunity for us to reform, to rightsize government, to get it on the right path."

"This is a revolution we've never seen in Erie County," she said. And one that some lawmakers believe still doesn't have to be so painful.