Today the state legislature will vote on another funding extension for our late budget. This would reportedly cut millions of dollars from mental health and social service programs. How many little league fields will still get their new backstops from the smiling senator in the newspaper while we dump more fragile, ill, vulnerable people on the streets?
Are we willing to give up our backstop or should only Clifton Park or Syracuse give up their backstops? Do we "need" or "deserve" a backstop while other places are just wasting tax payer dollars? Or should I just shut up and take the backstop, because if we don't, someone else will?

I think Obama is trying to bail out the states and is asking for $50 billion. Hopefully, NYS will get some of this for schools and healthcare, providing Patterson doesn't decide to spend it on something else. Funny thing, NYS can't pass a budget but they still have time to act on bills. Notice the departments he wants to shut down. Hurting the people who need the money in order to live. What a mess this state and country are in. Along with the mess in the Gulf and all the destruction of wildlife, it makes you want to cry.

Not taking the money would put our community at a disadvantage in relation to other communities who will take the money. Therefore, it is the duty of the town board to get all of the state and federal money that they can.

It is the responsibility of the state and federal governments to allocate funds responsibly and frugally. That is where the failure occurs. It's easier to promise the world now than to promise hard times for many years. We all know that fiscal responsibility is what we need for the ultimate health of the economy, but no one gets elected on that message.

Our state and federal governments need an overhaul. The system as it works now, rewards irresponsible behavior. Until that is fixed, we will continue to see our money and our resources fly out the window.

When at a State level cutting Medical, Mental Health and Social Service programs, Where do the Directors of these agencies go with their hand out? I’m going to guess the Local Municipalities City Mayor, County Executor or County Board of Supervisors. It is there where they would possibly have to do a presentation on how the agency effectively allots their moneys, where else they get funds from, and try to prove they have no wasteful spending.

Now when doing state level cuts where SHOULD the money go back to –AND- Where DOES it go?

In my opinion it SHOULD come back to the taxpayers, I suspect however it DOES go to some State Senators pork barrel accounts.
The way I read Governor Patterson is that he attempts to cut spending, on State level, to send back to the Taxpayers; However it always seems to get intercepted by the State Senators and their wastefulness.

The State representitive of certain areas need their pork, Example: The Town Of Malta has a large population, thus alot of NYS taxes are paid by us. (or without paying NYS taxes we would be self sufficient) The town of (lets say for arguement sake) the Town of Essex population doesn't pay in as much NYS taxes, (thus without paying NYS taxes could not be self sufficient) therefor the balance of the population is off, there for the Senator of Essex needs to help his people, so he uses the taxes that Malta people paid in to help his town. I don't think it is all pork, some monies are put to good use. A GREAT EXAMPLE IS UPSTATE TAX PAYERS ARE TAKING CARE OF NYC. There is alot of waste there because there is little or no control of the monies going into NYC.
As of not taking to backboards and showing an example to the rest of the state, Mr. Klotz, take the backboards. Anything that is related to our children, directly or indirectly should be taken. Do I smell a bar-b-q coming up.

If I'm interpreting this correctly as Per Article III of The New York State Constitution, Pertaining to the NYS Senators per population, they will get redistricted to have an equal # of constituents every Federal Census (going on right now), Gerrymandering will surely be the next hot topic. Unfortunately it doesn't appear that land mass is taken into account, Senator Betty Little has 1/3 of NY and probably a smaller Pork Barrel account than one of the many State Senators located in the City.

What I am saying is I would prefer the moneys be closer to home, Upstaters have less control over wasteful NYC spending than they do in their specific locale. If something is out of Whack in Saratoga, It would be easy for a concerned citizen to investigate and speak to the County board of Supervisors. Reduce the State wide entities and Let the smaller vicinities have the funds and take on more of the burden/responsibilities to open up said entity in its place.

One Local President/CEO of a Large business once told his directors "Do not expect to be building your own castle's in my Kingdom ". Pertaining to (the kingdom of) NY I would like to see the quite opposite happening. It would be much easier to hold the orchestrator(s) of (the Castle of) Saratoga into account for local discrepancies.

I did read of a Bar B-Q aswell, Pastor, maybe an off-topic/community promotion or reminder could be done by the entities involved.

http://www.dos.state.ny.us/info/constitution.htm

Since you asked, there is a Malta Rotary Chicken Barbecue this Saturday from 4 to 6PM at St Peter Lutheran Church, just across from the Malta Drive in, if that's what you mean.

Thank you for mentioning the time of the Bar-B-Q
I hope to see everyone there.
The Malta Ridge Fire Station's Griffy chicken was very good, this past Saturday.
Hope the Rotaries is as good.

Speaking of the state of NY politics, check out this interactive map showing the migration patterns of Americans in 2008.

THere is a huge exodus of people out of New York State.

Click on any county to see comings and goings.
http://www.forbes.com/2010/06/...ve-counties-map.html
Map: Where Americans Are Moving

Hok,
That is the most AWESOME (and scary) map I've ever seen. It is amazing!

Another awesome (probably more scary) map:
http://cohort11.americanobserv...multimediafinal.html

Yikes! Guess you're pretty safe if you grow corn for a living.