Document:New York Press Release 2 February 2007 Libertarians Charge Spitzer Lacks The Guts To Make Real Cuts

Libertarians Charge Spitzer Lacks The Guts To Make Real Cuts

LIBERTARIANS CHARGE SPITZER LACKS THE GUTS TO MAKE REAL CUTS Albany, NY 2/2/07: Libertarians greeted Gov. Spitzer’s first budget message with a mix of praise and criticism. Libertarian State Chair Richard Cooper, a Long Island executive, praised Spitzer for not jumping to increase spending on a wide range of programs but charged “Spitzer lacks the guts to make real cuts.” In particular, Cooper criticized one agency. “The Empire State Development Corporation is one of the principal engines of legalized theft in New York, taking money from taxpayers, dispossessing property-owners and uprooting businesses and residents in cases such as the Brooklyn Nets Arena. We call for its abolition for reasons of justice and fiscal sanity. We support all cuts in state spending, borrowing and taxes.” Cooper studied history and public finance at Columbia. Former Libertarian State Chair William McMillen, an Albany area retired accountant, commented “How can the Governor be sure that a balanced budget can be achieved while at the same time promising new tax exemptions and property tax relief through the STAR program? He can’t, but what would a budget presentation be if it did not contain promises of more programs and greater accomplishments and less taxes for somebody. The fact is the budget as presented increases overall spending by 6.3%, double the rate of inflation, and to accomplish that the governor is hoping to raise taxes by eliminating some benefits and presumed inequities.”

“The Governor has proposed a net increase in Education spending of 1.5 million, with much of the increase directed toward improving the quality of education in those areas where it is much needed. In doing this, the governor wants to scrape the school aid formula that has been in place for many years, a result of the gridlock that exists in the state legislature. Doing away with this formula is a good thing, although I doubt if the governor will do anything more than trim around the edges.” However, McMillen worries that Spitzer is duplicating the Bush-Kennedy No Child Left Behind fiasco.