Recently, some New Yorkers took to the streets to protest what they see as Draconian budget cuts. A look at some of the comments in this article is instructive.
"Governor Paterson, I wish you could have an open heart that we are going to suffer if this budget cut goes through," said China Lankford of Jamaica. [ One has to imagine that's Jamaica, Queens, otherwise it would seem pretty nervy.]
"You can't cut the budget the way it is and still have the quality we're aiming for," Altomare [a retired teacher] said.
"For those of you who prosper during boom time, we ask them pay a little bit more. Pay a little more so New York can avoid cutting the services that our most vulnerable need," United Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten said.
Ah, there it is. The last comment contains their demands:
They're asking for what they call "fair tax reform" -- raising state taxes for New Yorkers making $250,000 or more on top of the president's proposed hikes.
They want the state to follow the federal government's lead. Any New Yorker who makes above minimum wage is already contributing heftily to city coffers. New Yorkers are among the most heavily taxed and hardest hit in the nation. What is fair about asking people who already pay more than half of their income in federal, state and local taxes, not to mention the taxes built into their Con Ed and other utility bills, not to mention the 8 dollars the unfortunately addicted shell out for a pack of cigarettes to pay more. And here are these people who suck on the municipal teat in whatever form, since vulnerability has been turned into an industry in New York, demanding that yet more be taken. This way, the envy, covetousness, and mean-spiritedness of communism lies.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment