In the past, on something like the state budget, I would write a post describing what I would do, or what our “leaders” should do. But I’ve had a shift of views recently, and will now base my writings on the assumption that it is hopeless, and our elected officials and those who back them will keep taking and taking until the rest of us have nothing left to lose. Thus they have no reason to care what the rest of us have to say. If it is otherwise, Patterson, Silver and Bruno are free to contact me, and I will go to Albany and tell them what they ought to do and why they ought to do it in person. In the meantime, what I will say is that the budget is a three-year decision.
Money will be collected this year based on Wall Street bonuses and corporate profits “earned” last year, but next year and the year after those bonuses and profits will disappear. We know that now. We face a very, very bad economy in 2008 and 2009, which hopefully will turn around in 2010, and that would not benefit the tax base until 2011. So any sacrifices that are suddenly required after the November elections, or in the next fiscal year (when NYC’s saved up money runs out) are not, in fact, suddenly required. And if sacrifices are postponed, it is only to ensure that those with very good deals can create some “facts on the ground” that “cannot be changed” requiring more of them. Anything that happens in the next three years is the result of decisions already made, and decisions being made now. Not circumstances beyond people’s control. They should, but won’t, pass a three-year balanced budget.
People need to plan for the collapse of social institutions — the transit system, the education system, the Social Security system, the health care system. It’s inevitable. They can do whatever they want, and don’t care.