The reporter is a bit confused. Medicaid is only one of the components of the Public Health Insurance system in NYS. There are quite a few others, like Child Health Plus, Family Health Plus, Long Term Care, etc. The actual Medicaid proportion is 50% Federal, 25% State and 25%. Each public benefit health program has a different proportion of Federal/State/County proportional cost. This money from the Federal Stimulous will assist hospitals and the Health Insustry in NY not directly change the costs of Public Health Insurance faced by the upstate NY counties. There is of course significant opportunity now to try to fix the problems of the costs of public benefit health insurance programs. But that must be addressed after an understanding of evolution of the various programs.
Often we crticize local government seemingly because it seems the right thing to do, or it sells newspapers. let me buck the trend and offer somme accolades to my Village of Scotia nd the abilities of its elected officials and public sector workforce. I arrived home to fuind that I had no water pressure. Ironically I can fix watches, old radios, cameras, but when it comes to things like that I'm clueless. Well I called our emergency dispatcher and she sent someone from the Scotia DPW. He figured out the problem and suggested a solution that worked quite well. This happened after most governments close, in the evening. I would like to express my appreciation to the Village of Scotia Department of Public Works.
What concerns me is that the quality of our NYS education. I speak with bias because I'm a graduate of the public school system and CUNY. My concerns are the disparity of educational results between even bordering scgool distrixts and even the size of school districts. We never forget the quality educator in our lives, be it public school or college. Why do other States achieve better results by spending less? Is it because NYS is a hodgepoge of local warlord school districts. I am not interested in hearing about "local control," because that was answered when NYC succesfully consolidated in 1898 and now drives the NYS economy. What's left of it of course. Nor am I interested in the "fiscal conservatives" who often receive salaries and benefirs that are paid for directly by our massive taxes and user fees. I am interested in comparing NY with other states that seem to achieve better results at significantly less cost to the tax base.
This is a remarkable situation. Should the United States Government and some of the know nothings destroy the American auto industry and force millions of Americans out of work? They should well consider the consequences. Certainly the American car manufacturers have been running a business like a bunch of jerks, but there are millions that will suffer and inaction will turn this recession created by Bush into something close to a depression. Of course name one country, China, Japan, ROK, etc that soes not financially support their car industry?
Before the paranoia about "mandates," perhaps we may learn what mandates are being referred to. I'd like to know the evolution of these mandates and what they do before I join the herd to trample them. I like libraries, indigent people receiving necessary medical care and social services. And please no attempts at upstate vs. downstate diversions.
How does NYC have an effective central dispatch for law enforcement and all emergency services, with repeaters in various couties? Of course Schenectady is 2% the size of NYC so it must be more complicated. Let's stop the nonsense, remove the duplicative delivery of vital emergency service delivery. Our governmnent will only become more efficient and better serve the over-taxed. The answer is simple NYC consolidated it's government in 1898, and upstate NY maintains multiple taxing entities and fragmented governments. Each fighting for a piece of a dwindling tax base. Our greatest export is talented and creative individuals often following graduation from our remarkably excellent State University System.
The usable babling about cut this and cut this. The problem is not too much government but rediculous government. Spitzer was correct in his first State of the State. There is too much duplication in NYS government. Let's just open up the windows and see why there are so many different unelected taxing entities, sewr, fire, water, etc. If the elected officials are unable to govern without these secret entities than find those that can. I live in a village, that is in a town, that is in a county. Each offers the same services and service delivery! Problem is that the entire county is the size of one NYC neighborhood. The last time I looked the major export of the village, town, and county was opportunity followed by our most talented. If some magical force came from the heavens and caused the intergration of government it would be a moment of magic. This is not even a political issue. Now that our very minority republicans are using the baiting of upstate vs downstate to beg for votes, ironically omitting that for the previous years they were in power and actually causing many of the problems NYS now faces.
Now that the Republicans in power for the past 12 years are finally gone leaving the State in a mess we are now being inundated with supposed leaders, like the Assembly Minority Leader, and soon Senate Minority Leader offering 'solutions" to the mess we've gotten into due to their 12 years of control. My solution to looks at the problems and not try to turn upstate aganist downstate. Didn't we learn ater 911 that the downstate economy drives the upstate economy? Of course it would be nice to actually develop an upstate economy and end our greatest NY export, talented and creative people. Seems they never learn, but enjoy being downstate more than upstate. My approach would be more fundamental, let's look at all state workers. and golly gee as their new wiz kid Sarah says, and see what we do. You'd be surprised to learn that the problem is that the state workers who are talented are pit aside by the contracts they signed in the past 12 years causing duplication of state services in many critical areas, like Transportation, Health, etc. Next just how many patronage positions are there in NYS? Hard to believe but the Civil Service Laws call for merit and fitness for each appointment and period of probation. Especially in the Legislature what exactly do these political hires do, and at what cost to the taxpayer? Just morning food for thought!
This is rather simple. For reasons unknown to most people the former State Governor decied ro move one private corporation to another county. He actually made it profitable for this historical manufacturer of baby foods and related products to do this. It was never the intent of this manufacturer to do this. This action was encouraged to the extent that an IDA from the receiving county used public money to effect this gubernatorial edict. Of course the fellow that got this impulse is gone but the ramifications remain. The rampifications did not include any mitigation of the affected Canajoharie. Now it is time to be responsible and accept responsibility for a problem that should not be.
Posted on February 13 at 7:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The reporter is a bit confused. Medicaid is only one of the components of the Public Health Insurance system in NYS. There are quite a few others, like Child Health Plus, Family Health Plus, Long Term Care, etc. The actual Medicaid proportion is 50% Federal, 25% State and 25%. Each public benefit health program has a different proportion of Federal/State/County proportional cost. This money from the Federal Stimulous will assist hospitals and the Health Insustry in NY not directly change the costs of Public Health Insurance faced by the upstate NY counties. There is of course significant opportunity now to try to fix the problems of the costs of public benefit health insurance programs. But that must be addressed after an understanding of evolution of the various programs.
On Editorial: Dish off dispatch in Ballston Spa