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Editor, The North Country Gazette:
It's good to see Governor Pataki speak out against Proposal 1 on November's ballot ("Pataki Voices Strong Opposition To Proposal 1") http://www.northcountrygazette.org/articles/101905Proposal.html Eliot Spitzer has done the same, as well as former Gov. Carey and Mayor Koch, but it may not be enough. If the voters mistakenly vote for Prop. 1, thinking it is meaningful reform of Albany's dysfunctional legislative process, all accountability for state spending will be lost, and we might as well give up trying to control spending or reduce the state's sky-high taxes and debt. That's how serious this issue is, and yet most voters don't even know what Prop. 1 means.
Since 1996, our legislature has added $12.2 billion to executive budgets, even adding $3 billion in the two post-September 11th years, totally ignoring that we were still reeling from terrorism and mired in a recession. Giving budget-making authority to any legislature, let alone this one, would be a recipe for fiscal disaster. That's why Gov. Carey took one look at the amendment and called it a "power-grab.and a purse-grab." Ed Koch said when he was Mayor of NYC he knew he could count on one person, the Governor, to look out for the entire state's best interests, and concluded, " to deprive [the governor] of a power which he currently has ... and give it to the state Legislature, would be nuts." Koch was right.
Giving 212 politicians the right to high-jack our $100+ billion dollar state budget would be nuts. Voters must say no to Prop.1, so that whoever occupies the governor's office can be held to account by the voters for bringing spending and taxes under control before we ruin our economy. It may be our last chance to take the "for-sale" sign off the Capitol and return state government to the People.
Mark Alesse, State Director
National Federation of Independent Business www.nfib.org/ny
NFIB is a small business advocacy organization based in Albany. 10-21-05
© 2005 North
Country Gazette
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