Paterson's next tax target!

[slm76.livejournal.com]

I think Gov. Paterson is determined to tax everything in New York State. My husband was looking at the Holiday Valley ski resort website when he saw a link to the Stop the Ski Tax website.

Upon further investigation, we've discovered it's not just ski resorts Paterson wants to tax.

Want to go camping this summer as a cheaper vacation? Paterson wants to tax it.

Think the movie theaters are already expensive? Paterson wants to tax them so they'll be more expensive.

The swimming pool, the shooting gallery, the bowling alley, Paterson wants to tax those too.

Of course, this is already on top of the 18% additional sales tax on non-diet soft drinks. This is to pay for the likes of MedicAid. MedicAid expenditure in NY is twice the national average. This might be due to some of my husband's repeat patients, such as the woman who keeps claiming her back and legs hurt but is seen frequently at the gym!

He wants to increase the basic welfare grant. The average state employee's salary will continue to increase. Right now, the average salary is more than what my physical therapist husband makes.

New York Budget Presentation

Early reports suggest Rudy Giuliani may run against Paterson in 2010. Whoever runs, however, stands a very good chance at winning. Especially if Paterson continues in this vein.

Democrats - yet again thinking taxation is the answer to everything!

Comments

[lazypadawan.livejournal.com]

And I thought it was bad in CA! Shhh, don't give Sacramento any ideas...

Now, will Gov. Paterson tax cocaine and hookers too?

[slm76.livejournal.com]

In that case, I wonder if we can back-tax certain NY officials ;)

[autumnjoy.livejournal.com]

I've written my state senator and assemblyman about this, and I'd strongly encourage any other New Yorkers to do the same. I've read through the whole briefing book on this proposed budget and it has made me really angry.

The taxes and fees are going to drive even more businesses out of New York state. Farms seem to be targeted particularly, and upstate New York is filled with dairy farms.
And so much of it doesn't even make sense! He wants to tax non-diet soda to discourage people from drinking them (to "help fight obesity which results in higher risk for diabetes and heart disease"), while at the same time taxing gym memberships. He wants to expand the state health care insurance program, but cut funding and add fees/taxes to the hospitals, doctors and nursing homes that provide health care services.

And I know the state has a big deficit that needs to be addressed but... he wants to severely slash funding to teachers and schools, but there's eight million dollars available to build the "Walkway Over the Hudson River?"

If anyone's interested, this (http://publications.budget.state.ny.us/eBudget0910/fy0910littlebook/index.html) is a good breakdown of the proposed budget, and here's a really good list (http://publications.budget.state.ny.us/eBudget0910/fy0910littlebook/RevenueActions.html) of all the new and increased taxes that Paterson wants to make.