Here’s what happens in three weeks

Leg accomplishes nothing and no one is surprised

The theme of the day around the WBP is irony.  Yesterday the NYS legislature convened for a “special session.”  I believe it was so-called due to the fact that everyone participating could be mentally classified as special.

Were any cost savings found to help close the state’s nearly $4 trillion budget gap?  No, but time was taken out to notice Sandy the Elevator Operator on her last day of service.  Congrats Sandy, enjoy your cushy retirement with guaranteed health care and pension that you paid nothing towards.

Both the Assembly and Senate did manage to pass a Mandate Relief Bill, one of the Governor’s programs that does not provide savings as much as the concept of savings being possible one day through the facilitation of municipal consolidation and sharing of services.

The wonderful stroke of irony came today from the state government of California.  California is broke, the state is literally unable to pay its bills and fund its budgets and programs.  This is the same situation NY will find itself in in three weeks if (and likely when) our state legislators fail to act.

How did California rectify the situation?  From the Sacramento Bee:

Effective today, the amount of state income taxes withheld from California workers’ paychecks will increase 10 percent.