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Editor, The North Country Gazette:
Earlier this month, the State Legislature protected every New Yorker by passing a budget that rejected Governor George Pataki's proposed $1.3 billion in health care cuts. The enacted budget also provided critically needed new funding for emergency rooms and nursing homes.
Governor Pataki vetoed all of this essential funding, defying not only the will of the Legislature, but the needs of New Yorkers. His action jeopardizes the ability of hospitals, emergency rooms, and nursing homes to meet health care needs in every corner of the state.
Last week, the Legislature once again acted on a bi-partisan basis to protect the 19 million New Yorkers who rely on our health care facilities, by overriding the Governor's health care vetoes -- nearly unanimously in both the Senate and the Assembly.
However, acting on his own and again defying the people of this state, Governor Pataki still refuses to release the money voted on twice by the State Legislature. His action is tremendously troubling because the people who rely most on our hospitals, emergency rooms, and nursing homes -- our children and elderly -- will once again be the ones who will suffer from his devastating cuts.
Governor Pataki has in effect deigned himself as the sole budget making authority in the State of New York. That is an approach quite inconsistent with the Constitution and the principle of separation of powers. That is why the Healthcare Association of New York State will commence legal action to require the Governor to provide these needed funds to hospitals and nursing homes.
If senseless health care cuts and vetoes are what Governor Pataki calls health care reform, no wonder New York is in critical condition.
Daniel Sisto
President
Healthcare Association of New York State
5-2-06
© 2005 North
Country Gazette
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