Do We Really Want to Return to 1926?

Fort Hamilton Station, NY ~ Michael R. Long, Conservative Party State Chairman, asked the question “Do we really want to return to 1926” regarding statewide proposal number 1 that seeks to return to the days of quid pro quo. 

The proposal is a power grab by the Members of the Legislature seeking to return to the days when the budget was decided by the members after much horse-trading.  Prior to the 1927 constitutional amendment that placed one person in charge of the budget; budgets were put together by the Members of the Legislature who sought to ingratiate themselves with their constituents.  The budget became bloated with pork as each traded to make sure their project was included.  Do we really want to return to that system?

Budget Reform is needed; however giving each individual member the incentive to reject the Governor’s proposed budget in order to include their pet project in their budget is not a way to reform the budget. 

A true budget reform could be achieved if the members were not held hostage by their respective leaders who dole out member items as a modern day quid pro quo. 

New Yorkers already pay the highest taxes in the nation thanks to the spending habits of the Legislature.  Public employees have far better benefits than those who work in the private sector and the public employees benefits are responsible for a good portion of the taxes paid by New Yorkers.  If this proposal passes, every Legislator will be beholden to even more pressure by public employee unions.  The fact that a balanced budget would not be required will further the pressure to give into special interest demands.  New Yorkers simply can not afford to go back to a pure quid pro quo system. 

New Yorkers live in the 21^st Century and do not want to return to 1926 and should reject this ill conceived idea.

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