- He assumed office after a rapidly ascending, but personally corrupt politician, was caught with his pants down,
- He makes legislators in Albany very uncomfortable at times,
- His is legally blind,
- He is a governor, and
- He has great vision regarding the fiscal well-being of his state.
He is New York Governor (D) David Paterson.
He asks NY legislators to cut $5 billion from the state's budget over the next two years in an effort to head off a ballooning budget gap.
Paterson calls this a time of uncommon difficulty. He asked the state legislature to balance New York's $80 billion budget.
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Carl Kruger, a Democrat from Brooklyn, calls Paterson's forecast of budget gaps hysteria.
To which Paterson replies, I guess they're against the cuts, but I guess they're also against governing. Without cuts, the state risks having to borrow money precipitously or closing institutions.
I gave them six weeks to give me suggestions as to how to reduce the deficit, referring to an request earlier this year. And they're just saying, "We're not reducing it, we're not cutting."
They are not eager to rapidly increase taxes in New York either. They have already done that on the wealthiest in the state--and some of those citizens just moved to another state. (And it's not just in New York that the millionaires who feel the pain of excessive taxation are re-locating!!)
I suspect this legislative-governorship face-off is going to be a very difficult ride. Nonetheless, I have to applaud Governor Paterson for trying. We need leaders like this who have the courage to lead us through unpopular courses, and help us get a handle on out-of-control state and federal spending--before it's too late.
Yes, even the blind can have acute vision!
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