Assemblyman Steve Hawley joined his GOP colleagues in the Assembly Minority Conference in providing Gov. David Paterson a list of proposed spending cuts.

The cuts, if accepted, could save the state $3.5 billion.

"The Governor has asked each conference to present cost-saving ideas and for years we have had a list of ideas ready and waiting.  This is the third set of common-sense cost-saving solutions we have presented to the Governor and other legislative leaders.  Our plan has no new taxes or fees, these are not proposals for new revenue; the state does not need new revenue, it needs to stop spending the same way families and businesses are already doing,"  Hawley said in a statement.

The proposed cuts include:

• Eliminate $130 million in unspent pork barrel accounts in both houses;
• Reduce redundancy in state agencies
• Eliminate undispersed contracts.

Full press release after the jump:

This morning I discovered the art work of Jim Parker. He's an Upstate artist.

While none of his subjects seem to touch on Genesee County, I wanted to share this finding because I'm as fascinated by the style and quality of his work as I am by the subject.  

Billie and I have enjoyed what little exploration we've been able to do of New York. It's a beautiful and historic state full of charming rural scenery and buildings. 

Among Parker's favorite topics for painting are villages, landscapes and buildings from Upstate counties in the 18th and 19th centuries.  These paintings can really feed the imagination because so many of the buildings he paints are still standing, or buildings like them are still standing all over he state.

This morning I heard the news of the new open burn policy effective Oct. 14. Here is the link from the DEC Web site regarding the new regulations.

What do you think about the new policies?

Here is the press release

Fighting 29th reproduces this graph from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, which shows the 31 percent of the state's budget for 2009 covered by federal stimulus funds.

New York predicted that without changes to its revenue structure or spending programs, available funds in fiscal year 2010 (the 12-month period beginning April 1, 2009) would fall about $17.9 billion or 26 percent short of what was needed to balance the budget. In addition, New York’s FY2009 budget was projected to be short $2.2 billion due to declining revenues and rising costs.

The federal recovery law is providing New York $6.2 billion in federal funding that it is using to help close its budget gap. This includes $5 billion in additional federal Medicaid funding, $876 million in education-related State Fiscal Stabilization Fund money, and $274 million from the “government services” component of the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund.

If there's a state regulation that you find burdensome or unnecessary, here's your chance to complain about it and possibly get rid of it.

Gov. David Patterson has signed an executive order forming a committee of top advisers to review state regulations and eliminate any that are outdated or overly burdensome to business.

Agencies are already required to conduct lengthy reviews of new procedures and regulations before they become final. But under the new order, they will also be required to review such rules after they are put into effect.

Officials will be required to invite public comment on whether any existing rules and regulations — no matter when they were enacted — are “unnecessary, unbalanced, unwise, duplicative or unduly burdensome.” The committee would then reconsider rules that have generated the most criticism.

The first round of review will involve seven departments and agencies, including those responsible for environmental, health, liquor and labor regulations.

Some groups, such as labor unions, have previously opposed the governor's office taking on such sweeping power.

The state Department of Health and federal officials are girding for more cases of the H1N1 flu strain, from talking about quarantines to issuing guidelines for schools.

The state has also allocated more financial aid for county health departments dealing with H1N1 outbreaks.

Alan Bedenko notes that New York blew it in 1997 -- under terms of the state constitution, there should have been a vote to determine whether a constitutional convention should be convened.

But it's not too late. No year is too late. The Legislature can put the question on the ballot any year, like, say, this November.  That's Bedenko's suggestion.

So what reforms would you like see included in a new state constitution?

Would it surprise anybody that New York has a tax that raises tens of millions of dollars that doesn't go to its intended use?

The buck-twenty you pay every month on your cell phone bill to pay for 9-1-1 service isn't supporting the intention,  according to the Buffalo News.

Genesee County Sheriff Gary Maha is quoted:

“Basically, they’re using that money as general revenue,” said Genesee County Sheriff Gary T. Maha, whose office oversees 911 operations. “We have not seen any of that money.”

With these startling numbers:

The surcharge — raised in 2002 to $1.20 per month — has generated about $600 million over 15 years, but just $84 million has gone to the municipalities that operate 911 centers, the State 911 Coordinators Association found.

New York has lost more than 160,000 manufacturing jobs and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand wants to do something about it.

That's noble, but her four-point plan doesn't address the major issues causing the swift decline of manufacturing jobs.

The main factors leading to closed plants and reduced workforces are trade imbalances, large chains forcing manufactures to reduce costs unreasonably, and New York's burdensome regulatory environment and high taxes.

Gillibrand's calls for manageable health care for small businesses and the self-employed, upgraded rail infrastructure, transition manufacturing to clean engergy production and expand a government program called manufacturing Extension Partnership.

Of course, health care costs are a major obstacle to small business start-ups, and providing adequate transportation to get goods to market is a reasonable role for government, and while clean energy is a noble idea, if the free market rejects it, what right does the government have to force the issue?

Gillibrand can't do much about Albany, but she is in a position to impact trade issues as well as anti-competitive practices of multinational chains such as Wal-Mart and Home Depot.

Full release after the jump:

The numbers for New York's economy don't look good:

• Economic indicators have dropped 13 of the past 14 months
• Unemployment stands at 8 percent.
• Housing sales were down 21 percent last month.

And those are just the transitory, economic fluctuations that should be reasonably expected in a dynamic system.

New York, especially Western New York, suffers from longer-term economic trends that must be addressed whether we want to improve our standing in short-term fluctuations or build a strong economic foundation.

The New York State Association of Counties, which put out a press release prompting this post, jumps right to the conclusion that what is needed is more government, more stimulus, more taxpayer dollars.

Can the government really spend New York out of its current problems?

The government's power to spend money is mind boggling, but what really creates jobs and growth are private businesses making investments and taking risks.

Some of what is needed in New York is to clean up the mess in Albany, reduce the state regulatory burden and lower taxes.

But even with its faults, New York, especially WNY, has a lot going for it.  Genesee, in particular, has access to inexpensive power, reliable rail and road transportation, a stable workforce, inexpensive housing, plenty of land and water, respected school systems and a great natural environment.

There's no reason jobs can't be created here.

But growth won't come from government programs.  What WNY needs is a resurgence of entrepreneurship -- daring men and women who want to start businesses right here at home.

The biggest struggle WNY faces is how to convince business-minded people to take up the challenge of starting new companies.  And again, I'm not sure a government program is the answer.  People need to come to this conclusion on their own, but how to get the ball rolling ...

WNY was built by daring entrepreneurs, and only entrepreneurs will save it.

Full NYSAC press release after the jump:

This may come as no surprise, but many of your neighbors are thinking about leaving New York, according to a poll conducted by Siena College, according to the Buffalo News.

As much as 20 percent of the state's population would like to move or is thinking about, according ot the poll. Only 16 percent said they have no intention of moving.

How many people would follow through on the threat is unknown, but the poll, according to critics, depicts a clear frustration many have with state and local taxes that fuel a high-tax reputation across the nation.

“It absolutely should be of concern to the governor and state leaders,” said Steve Greenberg, a spokesman for the Siena poll.

The Buffalo News reports this morning that a group of Western New York State Assembly Democrats "rebelled" against party bosses by voting "no" on a slate of budget bills.

But how much of a rebellion is it when the outcome is predetermined?

And 23 Democrats — nearly a quarter of the party’s conference — voted no on a massive bill involving health care spending.

What’s going on? Why would so many Democrats buck their leadership on such a crucial matter?

One answer is because Democrats control the Assembly with a highly secure 109-41 margin, leaving plenty of wiggle room to let some members avoid making a politically uncomfortable vote without affecting the overall outcome of a bill the leadership wants passed.

So some Democrats who might face a backlash back home get to play it safe and "buck" party leadership. Does it really make a difference? We still get stuck with this loser of a budget.

We just received the following statement from Assemblyman Steve Hawley. 

I did not know until I read it here that the proposed budget shifts money from local governments to the state, which as Hawley points out, is going to only mean increased local taxes (or severe cuts in services).

I've tried to keep my comments on the budget as non-partisan as possible.  The shipwreck of a budget could have just as easily been produced by a GOP-controlled Albany -- maybe not the same, but I have no confidence the Republicans could do any better. That said, I think it needs to be said: Local Democrats tend to be pretty active commenters on The Batavian. It's noteworthy, then, that in two days of raising the budget issue on The Batavian, none of the usual Democratic stalwarts have stepped forward to defend Paterson, Smith and Silver.  Maybe my noting this will bring forth some sort of intelligent defense. I would love to hear it. But I suspect strongly that any common-sense Democrat also recognizes this budget proposal is exceptionally indefensible.

Hawley's statement follows the jump:

Albany Watch reports on Gov. Paterson defending the "three men in a room" budget:

“None of this makes sense,” he said when asked if the new taxes and fees make sense in the face of the state’s economic woes. “We don’t want to tax the wealthy, we don’t put these taxes in to raise fees, we don’t want to hold our school budgets at zero increase at a time when our children need education. We don’t want to in any way jeopardize anyone’s ability to get health care.

“We don’t want to lay workers off. It’s a response to a crisis.”

Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith, D-Queens, said “this is not a happy budget” and defended the need to negotiate the budget behind closed doors, saying “Difficult times call for different approaches” but that transparency is still important.

Elizabeth Benjamin, blogging for The Daily News, also carries a portion of Paterson's defense of the budget.

Genesee County's state senator Mike Ranzenhofer has put his name on a bill aimed at asking New York voters whether the state should be divided into two states.

Capitol Confidential has a few snarky comments about the bill as well as the full text.

I have a call into Ranzenhofer's office seeking comment.

This morning's Buffalo News story contains an exceptionally scary phrase:

Gov. David A. Paterson on Tuesday to threaten ... the prospect of billions of dollars in tax hikes on residents to help balance the moribund budget.

Paterson is also planning to cut more than 8,000 jobs from the 141,000 in the executive branch.

So is New York going to test just how high taxes can go before it completely kills the economy?

To a California boy like me, you would never think of New York being a hot spot for regional food.  That seems like a Southern thing, not a Yankee thing.

Now that I've lived her a while, I see that I suffered from a profound misconception. The rest of the nation may not know about New York's various delicacies, there there are plenty of specialty items throughout New York.

A TimesUnion.com food blogger started a conversation about NYS regional food, and our own Pok-A-Dot popped up in the conversation. Karen Seward leaves the comment:

Roast Beef on Weck from the Pok-A-Dot in Batavia
White Hot from Pok-A-Dot in Batavia
Pontillo’s Pizza in Batavia (they are now closed :-(

We should note, of course, that Pontillo's in LeRoy remains open and does deliver to Batavia.

Other regional foods mentioned:

• Buffalo: Anchor Bar Buffalo Wings
• Rochester Garbage Plate (Nick Tahoe’s was the 1st and is still the best)
• Utica: Greens Romano (Escarole sautéed in Olive Oil & Garlic, seasoned with Prosciutto, Bread Crumbs, Romano & Hot Peppers).
• Grape pie in Naples, NY.
• Cider donuts - I’ve lived all over the east coast and never saw one till I went to Goolds.
• Plattsburgh and North Country: Michigans (you’ll see these as Coney’s elsewhere, but they are very different from your standard chili dog)

What would you add?

If you had to pick a race statewide that could determine what party has the majority in the New York State Senate, look no further than the 61st Senate District. Democratic candidate Joe Mesi is taking on Republican Mike Ranzenhofer in a very close and hotly contested race.

Tonight, Mesi held a gathering in Batavia. At left it was I encountered when I pulled up to park for the event. What I didn't get on camera was the half-dozen Ranzenhofer supporters that decided they would stand in front of the event's venue - Main Street Cafe - holding Ranzenhofer signs. Apparently they decided that since the Democrats had been doing it for awhile in front of their headquarters, they would do it on the eve of the election.

But inside the event was a great atmosphere. At its peak, the event had 40-50 people. There were people of all ages in attendance for pizza, mingling with Mesi and a nice enjoyable evening before Election Day.

Mesi also addressed the crowd. You can hear the bulk of his remarks in this video:  

I remember first meeting Joe Mesi. That was nearly seven months ago. You could tell then that he was still learning. He was educating himself about the important issues and told the story that led to his candidacy. His brother lost his job at American Axle and that motivated Mesi to run for office.

Since my interview with Mesi, he has evolved into quite a candidate. His Plan for Change is pure genius. I say that because he put his platform into an easy-to-read booklet that was available at his campaign headquarters and handed out tonight at the gathering. Candidates usually use basic talking points on the stump or ramble on about what their policy positions are. Instead of doing that, Mesi decided to put his plans and his positions on paper for the world to see. That way, if there are any questions about where he stands, you can refer to the booklet.

So why should the people of the 61st Senate District elect Joe Mesi their state senator? Mesi is genuine. He truly cares about Western New York. This is where he built his life. This is where he became a heavyweight boxer. This is where he became a local star. And this is where he wants to stay, raise his own family and better the region that has given so much to him. He will be a great state senator for Erie and Genesee counties and he will represent them well.

In 1969, novelist Norman Mailer ran for mayor of New York City on a promise to make the city the 51st state and a platform of self-governed neighborhoods.

Bill Kauffman has a short piece on Mailer's campaign posted on First Principles.

There would be no inane happy-talk about the “family of New York” from Norman Mailer. He realized that “the good farmers and small-town workers of New York State rather detest us.” Rather indeed. “The connection of New York City to New York State is a marriage of misery, incompatibility, and abominable old quarrels.” His concern was properly with his own brawling grounds, but he did see a favorable fallout for we hicks as well, for going it alone could spark “the development of what has been hitherto a culturally undernourished hinterland, a typically colorless national tract.”

Yes, Niagara Falls, Cooperstown, Lake Placid, Susan B. Anthony, Grover Cleveland, Washington Irving, John Brown’s North Elba—we are cultural and scenic starvelings for sure.

What does WNY have in common with NYC?