(2007-01-31) Spitzer Budget

Eliot Spitzer is proposing the next New York State budget. After talking for months about the need to rein in spending, the governor had to reconcile his campaign promises to substantially increase funds for education and lower property taxes, while also moving to make Health Insurance available to all of the state's children and increase aid to distressed municipalities.

The governor's plan for Property Tax cuts is aimed at the Middle Class, adding $6 billion over three years to the existing School Tax Relief program, known by the acronym STAR. Benefits under the plan decrease for upstate households with incomes exceeding $60,000 and households in New York City and its suburbs with incomes exceeding $80,000.

A couple days earlier he spoke more about Healthcare Reform.

His "distressed municipalities" plans are a crucial aspect of his plan to restore New York state economically, especially upstate... He said the distressed municipalities receiving the new aid will be expected to develop multi-year performance plans that must be approved by the state. They will be expected to target the increased aid for programs that will improve the fiscal health of communities, including developing Economic Development initiatives and making cost-saving investments in technology, Spitzer said. (argh, Rural Development)