New York: A Preview of Things to Come

The incubator of all bad liberal ideas, New York state, is in even worse shape than thought now that the hapless Governor David Paterson has admitted the state faces a $47 billion deficit, which is $20 billion more than estimated just three months ago.

Naturally, Paterson is going begging to the federal government for help.

Gov. Paterson grimly declared yesterday that New York faces a historically unprecedented four-year, $47 billion budget deficit, $20 billion higher than projected just three months ago - and will need some form of federal bailout.

"In order to address these issues, as New York is really the epicenter of the national crisis of finance, we're going to need federal assistance," said Paterson , as he presented a six-month report on the state's current budget.

He is slated to testify before the House Ways and Means Committee today, "I will encourage our colleagues in government in Washington of the importance of stabilizing New York's economy, as it is a vital engine in the production of economic development in our national economy," Paterson continued.

That vital engine has been hemorrhaging jobs for several decades now, upstate New York from Albany to Buffalo is an economic basket case and the state government continues to play fast and loose with the number of state employees they continue to add to the payroll.

With the state’s finances souring, Gov. David A. Paterson in July took an important step to control the spiraling costs of government: a hiring freeze for state agencies.

But since the July 30 freeze was declared, 31,684 people have been hired by agencies, according to a Buffalo News analysis of payroll records provided by the state comptroller’s office.

The records do not include hiring at hundreds of state authorities whose payrolls are not maintained by the comptroller.

The numbers suggest the difficulties a governor can run into when trying to wrestle with personnel costs, since, no matter the economic challenges, public colleges still have to hire professors, mental health facilities still need nurses, and the transportation department still must have bridge inspectors.

But critics say the numbers also show a state unwilling to make serious sacrifices to close worsening budget gaps by going after one of the biggest cost centers of government: payroll.

“Clearly, it’s not a hard freeze,” said E. J. McMahon, director of the Empire Center for New York State Policy, a conservative think tank.

Talk about growing government during difficult economic times. Now, just multiply this exponentially and you'll get a taste of what we're in store for under the Obama-Reid-Pelosi-Frank federal government.

It won't be pretty.

Some suggest cutting the fat and holding down taxes, but that's a pipe dream.

Any hope of this ever coming under control is sheer fantasy. The productive are leaving the state in droves and those left continue voting for Democrats across the board. They ought to just be done with it and rename the Empire State the Welfare State.

Thanks to Instapundit for the link.