If there was ever any doubt that the Taxpayer Protection Act was anything more than a political ploy, look whats going on now. Suddenly the TPA as we affectionately refer to it, isn’t in effect until 2009 according to the County Administration. This even though the TPA was approved by the Legislature in June of 2007, ratified by voters on Election Day and filed with NYS (what you need to do to make a law effective) on November 16, 2007.

TPA which limits yearly non-mandated budget spending increases in the operating budget to no more than the Consumer Price Index of the previous year. When this Act came up for a vote, Democrats tried to force the Republicans to identify what would be included and what wouldn’t be included. The answer we got, well if the expense isn’t mandated then its non-mandated. Very nice.

Now here we are with a Taxpayer Protection Act, a 2008 budget pending for a vote and non-mandated expenses way higher than the Consumer Price Index for this year. Why — because in that budget we have a 90 million payment to municipalities to even out the money taken from them in the Medicaid intercept that according to the budget director is a non-mandated expense (even though there is an agreement) because its not mandated by the State or Federal Government. So now what…. is your heading spinning yet? Wait hold on because now we are told…..not a problem, its not in effect year.

At Ways and Means Committee Thursday we are told, oh no, this isn’t in effect until 2009. We need 2008 as a baseline, besides the Budget was out before this was voted on so it couldn’t be based on the TPA. Gotcha, now we know why the County Executive gave us her budget early.

Why is all this a problem? Well I guess if you are going to pass laws, and then send them to the voters for referendum you ought to be following those laws. Instead it is one political layer on top of another, a teetering house of cards the Taxpayer Protection Act, on top of the Medicaid Intercept, on top of the Budget Due Date legislation, all poised to fall with one puff of air. Add to that the moving definition of what is mandated – oh wait, that expense is mandated e.g debt service which wasn’t mandated before but now is; but that expense is not … 90 million to the city and towns. I guess it all depends on who is mystically and magically creating the Budget at the time.

Bottom line … on a practical level what is the danger? There is the possibility that someone could sue to enforce the TPA, or even worse the County could suddenly decide it can’t pay the municipalities their share of sales tax revenue under Morin-Ryan because of the Taxpayer Protection Act — leaving the “sharing partners” high and keeping all the sales tax revenue. A windfall for the County, at the expense of the City, Towns and taxpayers.

This is government by manipulation, budgeting with smoke and mirrors and just plain wrong on so many levels.

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One Response to “Taxpayer Protection Scam…..”

• » I Guess “Taxpayer Protection” is in the Eye of the Beholder. . . » DragonFlyEye.Net says:

  December 10, 2007 at 6:37 am

  [...] Taxpayer Protection Scam….. Carla Palumbo ~ Carla PalumboIf there was ever any doubt that the Taxpayer Protection Act was anything more than a political ploy, look whats going on now. Suddenly the TPA as we affectionately refer to it, isn’t in effect until 2009 according to the County Administration. This even though the TPA was approved by the Legislature in June of 2007, ratified by voters on Election Day and filed with NYS (what you need to do to make a law effective) on November 16, 2007. TPA. . . Continue » DragonFlyEye.Net is now mobile! Try it today from your mobile phone! More Headlines City agency approves Upper Falls Plaza sale || Democrat & Chronicle: BusinessMySpace celebrity hacker downs hacking forum | The RegisterMedicare Cuts Payout on 2 Cancer Drugs – New York TimesGet the Feed [...]

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