Frequent readers of my posts may recall this http://www.r8ny.com/blog/larry_littlefield/taxes_generational_equity_state_and_local_taxes.html portion of this http://www.r8ny.com/blog/larry_littlefield/taxes_generational_equity_part_one.html analysis last February. By preparing a tax return for a hypothetical Brooklyn retired couple with an income of $75,000, and a hypothetical working couple with a child who also had the exact same income of $75,000, I found that the older couple would have paid just $2,570 in state and local income and property taxes, or 3.4% of their income, in 2006. The young couple, despite having the cost of caring for a child, despite working rather than relaxing at home, despite having the same income, despite not having health insurance while paying Medicaid taxes so the older couple could have health insurance, despite having little wealth rather than a paid up home, would have paid $7,857 in state and local taxes, or 10.5% of their income, in 2006. The state legislature is now prepared to act to correct this obvious unfairness. By providing an additional $200 million in property tax breaks to – senior citizens.

I received a few calls on Monday in response to my 2 posts debunking the New York Post on the issue of drivers’ licenses and voting.

I pointed out to the callers something that the Post reporter apparently does not understand.

A New York State drivers’ license is not now and has never been proof that you are eligible to register to vote!

Like a rabid dog in the last throes of delirium, Senate Republican Leader Joe Bruno is flailing about, wrecking as much havoc as possible before the inevitable. Unfortunately, as always, a Democrat has once again come to his rescue, helping him to live on to face another inglorious day of singing about the virtues of self-reliance while he and his allies rob every last dollar from the public till, because they can. At the end of the film, the cop looks at Jack Nicholson and says “It’s Albany, Jake”.

The only difference between this year and all the others is that this time the Democrat providing Bruno with his life raft has not done it intentionally. Mario Cuomo used to throw Warren Anderson and Ralph Marino bouquets. Eliot thought he was throwing Joe Bruno a rock, but it turned out to be a rope, and now Joe’s hanging him with it. Only in Albany could a Governor catch a legislative leader of the opposite party using state helicopters for political purposes and end up turning it to the leader’s advantage. Now, to top it off, the Governor’s found a way for a man who should be making license plates to be making hay from them instead. It is to weep.      

Following up on Sunday’s misleading report about voter registration forms, Monday’s New York Post has another misleading story about the identification required to vote.

The Post states that – “at the polls, voters are asked to show some form of photo ID, like a driver's license, to prove their identity.”

As anyone who has voted in New York can tell you, this is not true!

A form of identification is required of some but not all first time voters – only new voters who registered under the Motor Voter Law.

Mayor Bloomberg to the Times in August 2006: “If we enhance the pension system, then we can’t afford to pay as much in salaries…if we enhance the pension system and salaries, we can’t afford to have as many employees or to provide as many services. And that’s what everybody is unwilling to face.” Mayor Bloomberg reported by the Times last week, after he agreed to allow teachers to retire at age 55 with just 25 years working: "Mr. Bloomberg said the changes would be 'cost neutral' to the city for the first five years and would save 'in the tens of millions of dollars' in following years.

There is a fence in Howard Beach Queens that separates the inside of JFK Airport from the outside. On one side of the fence is the Howard Beach Airtrain station. There, a subway rider can board the Airtrain to ride to the airport and freight terminals, to work or to travel. The cost is $5.00. On the other side of the fence, a driver parked in a parking lot can board the Airtrain to ride to the airport and freight terminals, to work or to travel. The cost is zero. Before the Airtrain existed, there was a shuttle bus for both the parking lots and the subway station; it was free to both. They eliminated the free bus when the opened the Airtrain. JFK is a big airport, so the Airtrain transports people two miles from the central terminal area to the subway for that $5.00. New York City Transit then transports them 10 miles to Manhattan, for a $2.00 base fare, but far less with discounts.

Sunday’s New York Post brought us the news that Governor Spitzer has decided that Department of Motor Vehicle offices can not require person provide a social security number before they are given a voter registration form.

Now if before anybody reading the Post is alarmed that Spitzer is now making easy for illegal immigrants and terrorists to take over New York by becoming voters, I feel obligated to inform you that there is now and has been an easier way.

Anybody, with or without a social security number can go to the New York State Board of Elections website and download and then print out as many voter registration forms as they want.

"Well, listen, there is no doubt that Noach Dear … has some history of not exactly being, uh, an advocate of gay rights — that's sort of putting it mildly…He is, however, a religious Orthodox Jew, and just like [for] any other religious group, whether it’s Protestants or Catholics or Jews … crossing over and embracing gays and lesbians is a very difficult chore for them. I can’t think of one elected official that’s religious that has that ability to do it….[Dear] has assured me that as it relates to gay and lesbian rights — and women’s rights — that he will be sensitive and responsive and that he will look upon each case … on its merits."

Back in 2004, Domestic Partner and I made an offer on a house in Windsor Terrace, which was accepted; to make the barely relevant short, the deal fell through. Quite often, I think back wistfully about the driveway and the high quality public school we forsook for proximity to the hip and trendy (and an indoor swimming pool every time it rains). But now I am grateful, for I have no need to ever make a decision on who to support for Judge in the 5th Municipal Court District race between Democrat In Name Only (DINO) Noach Dear and pro-life Republican-Conservative, in name and views (Troglydite), James McCall.

ABC News has declared Rudy Giuliani the “Buzzmaker of the Week”

Against all odds and predictions, the former New York City mayor is holding on to his top spot in the Republican field, leading in polls and the money race

ABC is not the only media outlet that is acting as though Rudy (and Hillary) as the sure winners of the Party nominations.

Back in March, I posted my thoughts comparing early polls to Baseball Spring Training results and stated that it much too early to take them seriously.