Lawmakers skeptical of Ravitch's proposal

Lt. Gov. Richard Ravitch's bold proposal to erase the state's deficit in five years is being received cautiously by the north country's state lawmakers.

Mr. Ravitch has suggested borrowing up to $2 billion annually for three years to fix the state's finances, creating an independent review board to review state spending on a quarterly basis and moving the state's fiscal year start from April 1 to July 1.

"It's one of the better proposals that was floated out there," Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell said after listening to the lieutenant governor outline his plan. "It forces the cuts that need to be made."

The Theresa Democrat isn't completely sold on the proposal, however. Mrs. Russell is concerned by a provision that would allow the governor to take unilateral action if the executive and the Legislature couldn't agree on how to fix an out-of-balance budget.

"This type of scenario would allow for midyear cuts to education without the Legislature having a say," she said.

Sen. Joseph A. Griffo, R-Rome, shares similar concerns about this element of Mr. Ravitch's plan.

"Governors have proven that they'll do just the opposite: add to the budget and do things detrimental, like withholding payments," he said. "There's got to be a check and balance."

Sen. Darrel J. Aubertine's main concern is that Mr. Ravitch would like to borrow money.

"Borrowing for day to day expenses or to plug a deficit could end up just causing more trouble down the road," the Cape Vincent Democrat said in a statement. "Debt service from the borrowing this state and its authorities have already done is a cost we cannot cut. We can only keep it from growing larger still by avoiding more debt."

Mrs. Russell said she would not support the state borrowing to right its budget unless it was "part of a strategic plan to get us on stable ground within five years."

Mr. Griffo said the idea of borrowing was "troublesome." He also criticized Mr. Ravitch's idea to push the start of the fiscal year to July 1, saying the proposal lacked teeth.

"If we can't meet the budget year now, what are you going to do to ensure there's a concrete date that can't be missed?" he said.

"There's an erosion of confidence in government for the simple reason that words mean nothing. Deadlines come and go with no consequence and they're ignored. That upsets me."

Mrs. Russell said Mr. Ravitch's proposal should be used as a framework to start discussions on how the Legislature can "take on the deficit in its entirety."

The state's projected deficits are about $60 billion over the next five years. That includes a projected $9 billion deficit in the budget due April 1.

Mr. Aubertine said the Legislature needs "to consider solutions outside of its comfort zone," and asked that the plan be "not dismissed immediately because it does point to the need for change."

But Mr. Griffo was skeptical that Mr. Ravitch's plan would be given proper consideration.

"No idea should be dead on arrival, but my concern is that I'm not sure that those who are proposing some of these plans know where they're going next," he said.

He criticized the governor for organizing a series of town hall budget meetings instead of scheduling sit-downs with Assembly and Senate leaders to negotiate the budget.