Related stories?

NY Daily News Columnist Bill Hammond chronicles some of the lowest of the lowlights of NYS government in 2008. And we continue to elect these people....why?
http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2008/12/30/2008-12-30_in_2008_albany_pols_were_even_more_of_an-2.html

This Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin editorial raises an interesting idea by suggesting that NYS raise the cost of fines for illegal activities as a means of closing the budget gaps. See story above.
http://www.pressconnects.com/article/20081230/OPINION01/812300313/1005/OPINION

Senate seats and budgets

Are we finally coming to the realization that too much experience in political life ought to be viewed as a liability rather than an asset?
http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081218/OPINION/812180304

Johnathan Tasini weighs in on Governor Paterson's budget proposal with a slightly more strident voice.
http://www.workinglife.org/blogs/view_post.php?post_id=1850

Budgets and Politics

This Saratoga Today article by Adam T. Rossi asks upstate leaders if their region is adequately represented.
http://www.saratoga.com/today/2008/12/whos-working-for-upstate.html

According to Elizabeth Benjamin in this NY Daily News Blog, most New Yorkers favor an increase in taxes for state residents earning more than $2000,000 a year.
http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/

This NY Times article by Danny Hakim and Jeremy Peters offers a sneak peak at the Governor's doom and gloom executive budget scheduled to be released December 16.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/15/nyregion/15budget.html?_r=2&hp

Politics and budgets take center stage

Looking at the top two stories below you have to wonder; will the millions of upstate residents have a voice and will the economy of the counties north and west of the Hudson ever get the attention needed to stem the decline of the past 20 years?


There seems to be both good and bad in NYS Senate deal, according to this NY Times article.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/05/nyregion/05senate.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&ref=nyregion&adxnnlx=1228491817-CSvzRe4AKmqu1MidX7DYYg


Could this op-ed piece in the Times Herald Record be intended to help position Rep. Carolyn Maloney as Hillary Clinton's replacement?
http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081205/OPINION/812050324

This story from Karen DeWitt says that the public employee Unions are trying to be positive , for now, in the discussion about possible state budget cuts.
http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wxxi/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=1431478&sectionID=1