Long Islanders claim to be so educated, so well-read, and so up-to-date? How could our elected officials come up with ideas like this?
Nassau County recently initiated a three-year wage and benefit “freeze” (not even a cut) to help “balance” our budget.
The Appellate Court is now about to rule that the plan was not only illegal, but that we will now owe an additional $230 million dollars in back pay and benefits. Just what we need.
Suffolk County, facing a $250 million dollar “shortfall,” is still trying to unload the John J. Foley Nursing Facility and its $1 million per month cost.
Its just another one of their one-time, short-term fixes. Long Island taxpayers, please choose your favorites: We do not have any deficit problem. It’s just a right-wing scare tactic.
According to Sen. Gillibrand, no drastic cuts have to be made now.
Albany and Washington will always bail us out. Try and get that in writing.
As Sen. Schumer said: just increase our taxes some more.
As Congressman Tim Bishop voted, raise the deficit, and finally,
Let’s just sell off everything that’s not “green,” starting with Northern Boulevard and the Meadowbrook Parkway.
If you still think that any of these ideas might actually work, think again.
Detroit, that iconic American city, home of the Pistons, the Red Wings and the Tigers, the birthplace of our automobile industry, and once, one of the wealthiest cities in America, is totally broke and on life-support.
I lived there from 1966-1968 and it was a fabulous town. This is how bad things are in Detroit now after they ran up a $14 billion-dollar debt.
Since 1960, Detroit’s population has been reduced by two-thirds.
It’s unemployment rate is 20 percent.
One half of all property owners are delinquent in their taxes.
Their manufacturing base is long gone.
Their violent crime rate is legendary.
Their school system is a national disgrace! Since 2005, they have closed 130 schools. In 2010, they closed 40.
Political corruption is second only to Chicago.
Their middle class resides elsewhere.
Gov. Rick Snyder has tried everything.
He gave Detroit’s Mayor Dave Bing the power to redo all labor agreements. (No sense fighting those unions.)
He refinanced 33 million of their debt.
He even tried a $104 million-dollar bailout based on deficit reduction.
He “marginally” reduced the workforce.
Wages were cut by 10 percent,
Pension costs were slightly lowered (don’t touch those union pensions).
He froze the cost of living raises (a la Nassau County?) and they still have some of the highest taxes in the nation.
But, it was too late. Detroit now has only two options: bankruptcy or a state-appointed manager with unlimited, dictatorial powers.
Ever hear of Kevyn Orr? You will. He is the brilliant, nationally known Washington D.C. bankruptcy attorney, who saved Chrysler in 2009.
He is now Detroit’s new financial manager and he is their last hope. He alone has the power to sell city assets, break municipal labor contracts and renegotiate terms with Detroit’s creditors. And he still said that Detroit may turn out to be the “biggest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history.”
Wake up Long Island. Are you sure that this can’t happen here?
Dr. Stephen Morris
North Hills
