[krasniyluch]

"I was surfing around and stumbled into this web site. Don't know if I will be a regular here, but I had to respond to this thread."

Hello! ::waves::

"As for NYC contributing a surplus to Albany every year, and citing sources going all the way back to the '70's, or at least to the '90's. Are there any recent, objective, non-convoluted sources for this?"

http://www.cityproject.org/publicati...okingHelp.html

" The remaining $2 billion of the Mayor's revenue strategy comes in part from proposed increases in aid from the state and federal governments, to which we send, respectively, $3.5 billion and $6.3 billion more annually than we receive in aid."

That article is from early 2004.

There is little doubt among economists that New York City carried the economy of the state in the 1990s. I have yet to see signs pointing to any sort of revival upstate.

"I have heard our local municipalities claim the same thing. Everybody can claim they send more to Albany than they get back because Albany is so inefficient."

And which municipality contributes more to the overall economy of the state, NYC or Buffalo?

"This all doesn't even include the abuse we've taken from you lately: We are refinancing your 'Mac' debt. You were doing a good job paying off that liberal financial recklessness from the '70's. You were almost done. Now it's New York State's problem, for $170 million per year until 2034. Thanks a whole bunch."

"We" didn't ask "you" to refinance the debt. Contrary to popular belief, there's no single-minded City mentality as if upstate owes us regarding our deficit. Don't make assumptions to the contrary.

"We are going to help you pay for your new stadium in Manhattan to the tune of $300 million. I can hear Mayor Bloomberg brag to John Gambling, on WABC about it. Hey, it's a great deal, so we need a subsidy for it."

The money is not going to the stadium, but to the platform over the railyards that are the site of the stadium. Regardless of geography, the stadium has been heavily contested and is a hot topic even on this forum.

"And just this past week; a 'Manhattan Court-appointed panel' has stated that we're going to pay $5.6 billion each year for the next five years and it's just going to New York City Schools. My kids went to a district on the outskirts of Broome County that gets about 30% of it's money from Albany, and we spend about $11,000 per kid per year."

So $5.6 billion for 1.1 million students in the City amounts to, what, $5,100 per student per year? $11,000 per student per year is just about what New York City pays, too.

"I can't help it that your kids cost a couple thousand more because of the city environment. It's your choice to live there. Our State Senator says we don't have the extra money for you either."

You realize, however, that the school system has been an unfortunate victim of circumstance for four decades; a large portion of it has been neglected, overcrowded, and underfunded for years. What is the current quality of your kids' public school?

The current program to revamp the school system requires money for improvements other than paying teachers. New schools need to be built, existing schools renovated, and new, better classroom equipment purchased.

"The problem with New York is that it's run by liberal Republicans and even more liberal Democrats."

The problem with New York is that it's divided between an intensely urban area and an intensely rural region whose agendas are inherently incompatible.