Albany Is Taking New Budget Proposal Seriously

By NICHOLAS CONFESSORE

Published: March 10, 2010

 ALBANY — State lawmakers reacted with cautious interest on Wednesday to a broad proposal from Lt. Gov. Richard Ravitch to tackle New York’s staggering long-term budget deficit, but suggested that it would most likely require changes to win legislative approval.

Some lawmakers cited concerns over provisions that would allow the state to borrow as much as $2 billion a year in short-term loans to ease the transition to smaller budgets. Others said they were concerned that the proposed review board would trample on the constitutional prerogatives of the Legislature.

“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result,” said State Senator Diane J. Savino, a Democrat from Staten Island. “If we continue to handle the state budget the way we are, we’re going to be revisiting this, doing this budget dance every year — where the sky will fall, and the children will die, and you know, the special interest groups will always think that we can’t possibly do it.”

To Read More: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/11/nyregion/11ravitch.html