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Thread: Alan's Ideas...

  1. #1
    Member buffalopundit's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Save Us View Post
    So what is your answer for WNY and NY?

    We have to find a way to mobilize enough people to vote to overcome special interests and unions that "buy" politicians. That is not even considering the downstate dilemma.

    Also I am quite perplexed as to how California (read liberal bastion) passed a budget closing a 26 billion debt in theory NOT RAISING TAXES?
    What can that state teach NY?

    your thoughts please
    I talk about my answers for WNY and NY on my site every week. I'm not going to re-hash here everything I have come to stand for. But to nutshell it for you:

    1. Abolition of Erie County Government. All we need is a clerk, a sheriff, a comptroller, and a professional county manager.

    2. Unicameral, nonpartisan, part-time Albany legislature modeled after Nebraska's model. No party caucuses, $12,000/year in pay, short sessions, one house, any member can move a bill through the process, no "three men in a room" type scenario.

    3. Transparency and accountability at all levels of government, with strict rules to enforce it.

    4. Some modicum of autonomy for NYC with respect to certain programs such as Medicaid. If NYC wants the whole kit & caboodle, that's fine because it can pay for it. But NYC has to compete with other world-class cities. Places like WNY have to compete with less ritzy places like Cleveland, Toledo, Erie, etc. We should have the autonomy to do that effectively with lower taxes, fewer regulations.

    5. 5 - 6% flat sales tax statewide. 0% tax on clothes up to $200.

    6. Some form of public financing of elections to prevent unions, business, and other special interests from having undue influence over politicians.

    7. Abolition of electoral fusion, which has become little more than a highest-bidder, pay-for-play den of unfairness and graft.
    This website makes money off of a depraved and idiotic conspiracy theory.

  2. #2
    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    I like his ideas...

  3. #3
    Member Save Us's Avatar
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    How does something like this come to fruition? Without force.
    It seems to make a lot of sense to me.

  4. #4
    Member CSense's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by buffalopundit View Post
    I talk about my answers for WNY and NY on my site every week. I'm not going to re-hash here everything I have come to stand for. But to nutshell it for you:

    1. Abolition of Erie County Government. All we need is a clerk, a sheriff, a comptroller, and a professional county manager.

    2. Unicameral, nonpartisan, part-time Albany legislature modeled after Nebraska's model. No party caucuses, $12,000/year in pay, short sessions, one house, any member can move a bill through the process, no "three men in a room" type scenario.

    I know you didn't state everything, so how do you feel about school districts (consolidation)?

    I agree with 3-7 but have questions regrading 1 & 2.

    1. Abolition of County Government. Basically it looks like all you've done is eliminate the ligislature. You moved from an elected CE to a county manager. How does that person get appointed?
    2. Although a unicameral model would be an improvement over our existing "chaotic model", it would still be controlled by NYC (see Shelly Silver). I understand that it is currently not legally allowed (seek to overturn), but I'm in favor of a Senate apportioned by land area. Pragmatically, a unicameral body would be our best chances at being realized but not the ideal.

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    Quote Originally Posted by CSense View Post
    I know you didn't state everything, so how do you feel about school districts (consolidation)?

    I agree with 3-7 but have questions regrading 1 & 2.

    1. Abolition of County Government. Basically it looks like all you've done is eliminate the ligislature. You moved from an elected CE to a county manager. How does that person get appointed?
    2. Although a unicameral model would be an improvement over our existing "chaotic model", it would still be controlled by NYC (see Shelly Silver). I understand that it is currently not legally allowed (seek to overturn), but I'm in favor of a Senate apportioned by land area. Pragmatically, a unicameral body would be our best chances at being realized but not the ideal.

    You brought up both of my concerns with this. NYC runs this state and would never sign on UNLESS they remained in control!
    "I know you guys enjoy reading my stuff because it all makes sense. "

    Dumbest post ever! Thanks for the laugh PO!

  6. #6
    Member DomesticatedFeminist's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dougles View Post
    You brought up both of my concerns with this. NYC runs this state and would never sign on UNLESS they remained in control!
    That's why nyc shouldn't be part of ny state.
    “Two percent of the people think; three percent of the people think they think; and ninety-five percent of the people would rather die than think.”

  7. #7
    Member Linda_D's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by buffalopundit View Post
    I talk about my answers for WNY and NY on my site every week. I'm not going to re-hash here everything I have come to stand for. But to nutshell it for you:

    1. Abolition of Erie County Government. All we need is a clerk, a sheriff, a comptroller, and a professional county manager.
    Do these officials form the "county legislature" as well as the "county workforce"? What about county parks? Are you going to sell them off to the highest bidder? Highways? Do they get dumped on the towns? What about waste disposal since most counties now operate one or more county landfills rather than leaving it up to towns?

    Quote Originally Posted by buffalopundit View Post
    2. Unicameral, nonpartisan, part-time Albany legislature modeled after Nebraska's model. No party caucuses, $12,000/year in pay, short sessions, one house, any member can move a bill through the process, no "three men in a room" type scenario.
    This is a good idea. Ever since the SCOTUS decided that one person/one vote had to be the rule in every legislature, having a bicameral legislature became redundant. There are like 210 or so legislators, 150 and 60+. Go with a 105 districts based on population, part-time, and even half pay would be a major cut. Limiting monies for legislative staff to a percentage of legislative pay would be another major cut.

    I think term limits would be worth it as well.

    I'm not sure that you can dictate procedures to a legislative body, so I don't know if the rest of your stuff can be accomplished.

    Quote Originally Posted by buffalopundit View Post
    3. Transparency and accountability at all levels of government, with strict rules to enforce it.
    I'm not sure what "transparency and accountability" really mean. They seem to be popular catch words.

    Quote Originally Posted by buffalopundit View Post
    4. Some modicum of autonomy for NYC with respect to certain programs such as Medicaid. If NYC wants the whole kit & caboodle, that's fine because it can pay for it. But NYC has to compete with other world-class cities. Places like WNY have to compete with less ritzy places like Cleveland, Toledo, Erie, etc. We should have the autonomy to do that effectively with lower taxes, fewer regulations.
    You do realize, I hope, that the real drag on Medicaid for the non-NYC counties is middle-class seniors transferring their assets before entering nursing homes? Non-NYC counties -- especially upstate -- have a much higher percentage of elderly than NYC, and a much smaller tax base. Your plan doesn't deal with that.

    I would prefer that NYS take over all Medicaid funding. I would make the time span longer between the disposition of assets and eligibility for Medicaid (currently it's two years, I would like to see it gradually increased to 7-10 years, perhaps with a formula to balance time/need with the value of assets); this would encourage more people to get long-term care insurance.

    I would also like to see Medicaid require the use of generic drugs unless specifically prescribed (with a modest co-pay for name-brands) as well as the use of standard medical protocols that private insurers like BC use to determine whether to approve payment for medical procedures.

    Quote Originally Posted by buffalopundit View Post
    5. 5 - 6% flat sales tax statewide. 0% tax on clothes up to $200.
    If counties were forbidden from charging sales tax, this would be good -- provided that the state shared revenue with the counties. Otherwise, this is bad since the current state sales tax is 4% with no tax on clothing items up to around $125 in value. Not only are sales taxes regressive as well as volatile, shorting the county and local governments would force them to increase the other big regressive tax, property taxes. The state should rely on the state income tax, which would bring in much more from the wealthy in and around NYC. I would prefer the state sales tax to drop to around 2%, let the counties have sales taxes up to 4%, with no sales tax on clothes up to $200.

    Quote Originally Posted by buffalopundit View Post
    6. Some form of public financing of elections to prevent unions, business, and other special interests from having undue influence over politicians.
    Public financing of elections hasn't prevented special interests from having "undue influence over politicians" on the federal level so I don't see how it's going to stop it on the state level. Besides, "special interests" are always people advocating for policies or legislation that somebody doesn't like.

    Quote Originally Posted by buffalopundit View Post
    7. Abolition of electoral fusion, which has become little more than a highest-bidder, pay-for-play den of unfairness and graft.
    This seems to me to be an infringement on political rights. People have a right to join (or not join) a political party, and political parties have a right to endorse the candidate that appeals to them. I have voted for major party candidates on their minor party lines because I wanted to make clear that I liked what that minor party stood for.
    Last edited by Linda_D; July 21st, 2009 at 01:14 PM.

  8. #8
    Member Linda_D's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DomesticatedFeminist View Post
    That's why nyc shouldn't be part of ny state.
    Without NYC and its metro, the "state" of "Upstate" would be a financial basket case. "Upstate" would be fighting Mississippi and New Mexico for "poorest state in the Union".

    The NYC metro not only has the most people, it also pays the most taxes into state coffers by far. Instead of cutting off our collective nose to spite our collective face, it would be much smarter to recognize that the two parts of the state are very different in terms of wealth, needs, etc, and that legislation needs to be written to take that into account. There already is state legislation that's specific to NYC or the Adirondaks or to rural areas or to big cities or small cities. We need to do more of that when it comes to designing revenue and program bills.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Linda_D View Post
    Without NYC and its metro, the "state" of "Upstate" would be a financial basket case. "Upstate" would be fighting Mississippi and New Mexico for "poorest state in the Union".

    The NYC metro not only has the most people, it also pays the most taxes into state coffers by far. Instead of cutting off our collective nose to spite our collective face, it would be much smarter to recognize that the two parts of the state are very different in terms of wealth, needs, etc, and that legislation needs to be written to take that into account. There already is state legislation that's specific to NYC or the Adirondaks or to rural areas or to big cities or small cities. We need to do more of that when it comes to designing revenue and program bills.
    Do you have any proof of this? NO! because it's not true! Since the Wall street crash NYC and NYS has lost almost 30% of it's tax revenue!

    If you got rid of all the prisons (since 75% of the population comes from NYC) all of the State and SUNY office workers in Albany, not only would Upstate would be solvent we'd be able to lower taxes by leaps and bounds. Inturn, Upstate could charge NYC, BILLIONS to house their prisoners and without upstates NYC wouldn't have the "cheap" electric and water it does.

    Not to mention, NYC has a higer percent of people living off the govt than the rest of the state, between medicare/caid and welfare, we'd have even a bigger savings. Your statements ignorant and are that of one who is brain washed by the DEM propraganda of NYC.

    Lastly, don't forget it was UPSTATE that just gave the NYC MTA 3 BILLION OF OUR TAX DOLLARS!
    "I know you guys enjoy reading my stuff because it all makes sense. "

    Dumbest post ever! Thanks for the laugh PO!

  10. #10
    Member Linda_D's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dougles View Post
    Do you have any proof of this? NO! because it's not true! Since the Wall street crash NYC and NYS has lost almost 30% of it's tax revenue!

    If you got rid of all the prisons (since 75% of the population comes from NYC) all of the State and SUNY office workers in Albany, not only would Upstate would be solvent we'd be able to lower taxes by leaps and bounds. Inturn, Upstate could charge NYC, BILLIONS to house their prisoners and without upstates NYC wouldn't have the "cheap" electric and water it does.

    Not to mention, NYC has a higer percent of people living off the govt than the rest of the state, between medicare/caid and welfare, we'd have even a bigger savings. Your statements ignorant and are that of one who is brain washed by the DEM propraganda of NYC.

    Lastly, don't forget it was UPSTATE that just gave the NYC MTA 3 BILLION OF OUR TAX DOLLARS!
    Keep telling yourself that, sweetpea.

  11. #11
    Member CSense's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Linda_D View Post
    I would prefer the state sales tax to drop to around 2%, let the counties have sales taxes up to 4%, with no sales tax on clothes up to $200.
    That could work but what's with the $200 on clothes? I mean isn't that just a scam? I'll just buy clothing up to $200, then purchase another $200, and so on......

    Is this just another way to tax high end clothes that exceed a single item purchase price of $200?

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    Quote Originally Posted by CSense View Post
    That could work but what's with the $200 on clothes? I mean isn't that just a scam? I'll just buy clothing up to $200, then purchase another $200, and so on......

    Is this just another way to tax high end clothes that exceed a single item purchase price of $200?
    It's on a sinlge item less than $200, not your total purchase.
    "I know you guys enjoy reading my stuff because it all makes sense. "

    Dumbest post ever! Thanks for the laugh PO!

  13. #13
    Member buffalopundit's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by CSense View Post
    I know you didn't state everything, so how do you feel about school districts (consolidation)?

    I agree with 3-7 but have questions regrading 1 & 2.

    1. Abolition of County Government. Basically it looks like all you've done is eliminate the ligislature. You moved from an elected CE to a county manager. How does that person get appointed?
    2. Although a unicameral model would be an improvement over our existing "chaotic model", it would still be controlled by NYC (see Shelly Silver). I understand that it is currently not legally allowed (seek to overturn), but I'm in favor of a Senate apportioned by land area. Pragmatically, a unicameral body would be our best chances at being realized but not the ideal.
    School consolidation is the third rail of local politics, but it needs to be addressed. Some of the obvious ones should be merged - Amherst's, Cheektowaga's. Most areas in the country have a single, unified, regionwide school district. It's something that needs to be talked about.

    County manager - I dunno. Maybe let the comptroller hire him. All he'd be doing is making sure Albany money gets spent here properly.

    There is no perfect solution to any of this. These are just a few of the points that I think would address our underlying problems.
    This website makes money off of a depraved and idiotic conspiracy theory.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Linda_D View Post
    Keep telling yourself that, sweetpea.
    Thanks for the facts, i'll let you stick with your STUPID ASSUMPTIONS!

    And you also assume that if Upstate was on it's own we'd follow all the Stupid liberal NYC laws that i'm sure you love or live off of!

    Every mandate would be lowered or gotten rid of, NYSUT, CSEA and other UNIONS would lose their power, all the Authorities would be gone, govt empoylement would be cut by more than half, business in the tristate area would flock to the lower cost Upstate area. We'd make BILLIONS a year charing NYC to house their prisioners and educated their college kids!
    "I know you guys enjoy reading my stuff because it all makes sense. "

    Dumbest post ever! Thanks for the laugh PO!

  15. #15
    Member CSense's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dougles View Post
    It's on a sinlge item less than $200, not your total purchase.
    So then I'm partly right?

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