The Truth of Tom Suozzi's Budget

Let's take the Newsday article that touts Tom Suozzi's declarations of a no new tax budget apart. Line by line.

Cigarette taxes -- Tom wants to enact a massive and regressive tax on cigarettes. By the way, cigarette taxes are probably the dumbest way to raise money, since people immediately stop smoking.

"His plan includes a proposal, though still not approved by the state, for a $1.50 per pack tax on cigarettes sold in Nassau. It's expected to bring the county $16 million annually. "The supporting legislation has been drafted in the State Assembly, with a 'same-as' being drafted in the Senate," he added."

TRANSLATION -- Not going to happen. Silver's not going to come back into session for this. The Democrats in the Senate have no desire to help out Nassau County. Plus, Hiram Monserrate goes on trial today for an assault which he is, frankly, guilty as sin of. Once he's convicted he's out. Paterson will probably schedule a special election for November (election day?). That's a seat that will never flip to the GOP. But while the world turns, the budget deficit grows and grows. And the credit card's going to max out. Really soon.

"This percentage of increase is the smallest I can ever remember," Suozzi said Monday of the budget he must present to the county legislature Tuesday.

TRANSLATION -- I'm brilliant! I've managed to come up with a new tax that hides the amount that I'm soaking you people for! Oh yeah, and the reason it's so low is since I raised it so much last year!

Still, there is $75 million in labor obligations and state mandates that must be met.

TRANSLATION -- Where's the Visa, I mean the bond card? We can't afford to pay that 75 million so he's just going to bond it. We're going to have to pay it back when he's in Albany and long gone.

Suozzi's proposed budget, though, still relies on a modestly optimistic 1.75 percent increase in sales tax revenue, which is the county's largest income stream, accounting for nearly 40 percent of its budget. This year, it appears such revenue will have dropped between 6 and 8 percent from last year, county officials said.

TRANSLATION -- The deficit is going to be much much bigger, since people aren't shopping as much. So, this budget's a sham from the get go.