Great writeup over at wben.com.
http://www.wben.com/news/fullstory.php?newsid=10483
This really isn’t that hard to fix.
Overall Spending
According to DOB’s updated first quarter forecast, 2008-09 State Operating Funds spending is expected to total $80.5 billion, an increase of 4.5 percent compared to the prior year. All Funds spending is expected to total $121.3 billion, an increase of 4.5 percent. General Fund spending is expected to total $56.2 billion, an increase of 5.2 percent.At the time of budget enactment, State Operating Funds spending was expected to total $80.9 billion (5.0 percent increase), All Funds spending was expected to total $121.6 billion (4.8 percent increase), and General Fund spending was expected to total $56.4 billion (5.6 percent increase).
Ok, so we’re spending 4.8% more than last year. 4.8% of 121.6 billion is 5.83 billion dollars. There ya go, go back and yank out the extra funding and tell all these agencies you get the same amount you got last year. Boo fucking hoo, no raise for you during hard economic times. Welcome what most of the residents of the state are dealing with in the real world.
Then, if you really want to make some progress, you take back that 4.8% increase and make major cuts on top of that, since we all know damn well NY spent too much last year too.