This'n'That; December 17th[Kennedy;NY Budget]

Kennedy On Western NY "Campaign Swing" Do ya 'spose that the next co-senior Senator's Tuesday was spent trying to find a driver that knew where Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo are? Aw, hail, I forgot!!; royalty travels by private, executive jets and use local stretch limosines. Ms Kennedy is spending the day speaking with the executive-type waifs on a swing through Upstate and Western New York. Earlier today she met with Matt Driscoll, the Mayor of Syracuse, this afternoon she's to meet in private with Rochester Mayor Bob Duffy and US Rep "Geeze-Louise" Slaughter-at an "undisclosed location" at an "undisclosed time." I presume that she's then going on to Buffalo. I'm thinkin'..... she's already been "annointed" and this is just a "meet-the-exalted-designate" trip. The media almost constantly derided Governor Sarah Palin for being unqualified for the vice presidency. Surely the same criteria will reveal Caroline Kennedy as less-than-unqualified!!! Oh, My GOD..... He REALLY IS Nuts!!! As a general rule, I don't cuss a whole lot.....but....I'm finding myself saying more and more...."Cheese'n'Rice!!!" When David Paterson replaced the state's philanderer-in-chief, I had hope. Hope that the obscene mis-management and tax-and-overspend policies would be a thing of the past. "Cheese'n'Rice!!!" I shudda knowed better!!! Now, wudd'n'cha think that a state that's "up-to-it's-ass-in-alligators" would figger out a way to "drain the swamp??" I just realized it.......that's a pretty accurate description of the state's government campus in Albany!!! There's really nothing new in either the budget, itself or in the prevailing governing philosophy. "Cheese'n'Rice!!!" I wasn't able to track down the actual text of the 2009-2010 NYS Proposed Budget but I did find a synopsis, they call it the Briefing Book. One has to wade through all the flowerdy prose to find that there's much that's increased; that spending isn't reduced to any significant level. "Cheese'n'Rice!!!" [Better gitcha a beer cuz this is kinda "windy...."] I. Tax Reforms and Actions: ***Restructure Clothing Exemption ***Extend NYC Personal and Credit Services Tas Statewide ***Extend Sales Tax to Entertainment-related Spending ***Extend Sales Tax to Transportation-related Spending ***Limit Itemized Deduction Limitation for Millionaires ***Limit Capital Improvement Exemption ***Repeal the Sales Tax Cap on Fuel ***Extend Sales Ta to Cable and Satellite Television and Radio ***Repeal Bad Debt Provisions ***Reform the Cigar Tax ***Standardize Tax on Flavored Malt Beverages ***Eliminate Underutilized Tax Credits ***Restructure the Insurance Tax ***Treat Coupons Consistently ***Increase Sales Tax on Luxury Goods ***Treat Gain from the Sale of Partnerships as income. ***Amend the Definition of Presence in New York. ***Expand Tax on Nonresident Hedge Fund Income. ***Address Abusive Tax Avoidance. ***Expand Definition of Affiliate Nexus for Internet Sales. ***Close Digital Property Taxation Loophole. ***Disallow Utility Definition as Manufacturers. ***Change Filing Requirement for Overcapitalized Captive Insurance Corporations. ***Eliminate Exemption for Large Cooperative Insurance Companies. ***Increase Beer and Wine Tax Rates. ***Increase Auto Rental Tax. [[Total Tax Reforms=26]] "Cheese'n'Rice!!!" II. New or Increased Fees ***Increase Feed Tonnage Fees. ***Increase [3] Food Licensing Fees. ***Establish Seed Dealer Licensing Fees. ***Increase and Expand New Statewide Central Register Fees. ***Increase [3] Civil Service Exam Fees. ***Establish a Local Fee for Hiring a Public Retiree. ***Increase Public Management Intern Placement Fee. ***Expand Insurance Fingerprinting Fee. ***Establish [2] Security Guard Training Fees. ***Increase Nuclear Power Plant Fee. ***Increase [11] Motor Vehicle Registration Fees. ***Increase [3] Motor Vehicle License Fees. ***Reissue License Plates. ***Establish a Fee for MV-278 Certificate. [MV-278=5Hr PreLicensing Course Completion Certificate] ***Increase [3] State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Fees. ***Estabish New Marine Fising License. ***Establish Trout and Salmon Stamp. ***Increase DEC Education Camp Fee. ***Increase Physician Fees. ***Establish EArly Intervention Parent Fee. ***Assess Early Intervention Provider Fee. ***Restructure Clinical Lab Fees. ***Increase Certificate of Need Fees. ***Increase [9] Asbestos Fees. ***Increase [2] Boiler Fees. ***Establish Explosives Fees and Penalties. ***Increase Real Property Transfer Fee. ***Increase [8] Parks Administrative Fees. ***Establish Horse Entrance Fee. ***Increase[16] State Licensing Fees. ***Increase Surcharge on Auto Insurance. ***Establish Processing Fee for Paper Tax Returns. ***Establish Bad Check Fee. ***Establish Installment Payment Fee. ***Establish Tax Preparer Fee. ***Increase Highway Use Tax Renewal Fee. ***Increase Cigarette and Tobacco Retail Registration Fee. ***Establish Non-LLC Partnership Fee. [[Total New or Increased Fees=88]] "Cheese'n'Rice!!!" III. Charges and Assessments for Specific Sectors ***Increase Utility Assessment. ***Reinstitute Hospital Assessment. ***Reinstitute Home Care Assessment. ***Increase Hospital Surcharges. ***Increase Covered Lives Assessment. ***Extend the Covered Lives Assessment. ***Establish Physical Procedure Surcharge. ***Increase Insurance Assessment for Public Health Programs. ***Establish Timothy's Law Insurance Assessment. ***Increase Insurance Assessment for Tobacco Control and Early Intervention. ***Extend Insurance Assessment. ***Third Party Administrator Fee. ***Additional Sales Tax on Soft Drinks for Health Care Programs. [[18% on non-diet; "Obesity Tax"]] [[Total Charges and Assessments for Specific Sectors=13]] "Cheese'n'Rice!!!" IV. New or Increased Fines ***Allow Civil Penalties for Non-Housing Cases. ***Remove Cap on Surcharges. ***Increase [2] Vehicle Safety Fines. ***Establish Uncertified Crane Operation Penalty. ***Increase [3] License Suspension Fees. ***Increase Food Safety Violation Penalties. ***Automated Speed Enforcement Cameras. [[Total New or Increased Fines=10]] "Cheese'n'Rice!!!" V. Other Revenue Actions ***Expand the Bottle Bill. [[include non-carbonated beverages and other containers]] ***Reform the Empire Zones Program. ***Allow the Sale of Wine in Grocery Stores. ***Expand Tax ollections. ***Reciprocal Vendor Offset. ***Increase Prepaid Sales Tax Rates on Cigarettes. ***Allow Decals for TMT Carriers. ***Increase Prepayment to 40%. ***Pari-Mutuel Tax Extender. ***Eliminate Quick Draw Restrictions. ***Extend VLT Hours of Operation. ***Allow for Additional Multi-Jurisdictional Lottery Games. ***Lottery Prize Fund Investment. ***Authorize VLTs at Belmont Park. [[Total Other Revenue Actions=14]] VI. New or Expanded Tax Credits ***Expand the Lo Income Housing Tax Credit Program. ***Create an Enhanced Research and Development Credit. ***Expand the Qualified Emerging Technology Company Credit. [[Total New or Expanded Tax Credits=3]] "Cheese'n'Rice!!!" Whew!!! Whadda Loada CRAP!!! "Cheese'n'Rice!!!" Tomorrow [if I have time; if it don't snow!!] I'll try to explain some of the more obscure items as well as I can. Til Nex'time........